ASSESSMENT OF STRATEGIES TEACHERS USE TO ENHANCE SOCIAL INTERACTION SKILLS OF AUTISTIC PUPILS IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS FOR THE INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED

Martin Kanjatanga, Douglas Fofie, Maxwell Kontor Owusu, Richard Marfo, William De-Heer

Abstract


The study assessed strategies teachers used to enhance social interaction skills of autistic pupils in some selected special schools for the intellectually disabled in the Northern part of Ghana. Descriptive research design was adopted and a total sample of 50 respondents were involved. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the schools and the respondents for the study. Questionnaire was the main instrument used for data collection. Data was analysed using tables, frequencies and percentages. The findings showed that the teachers used modeling, physical prompts, visual cues, reinforcement, social stories, direct instruction skills and social skills training in groups and peer support as strategies to enhance social interaction skills of autistic pupils in the school. The strategies used by the teachers were also proven to be effective in enhancing social interaction skills of autistic pupils in the school. It was established that even though some support services were available to help enhance the social interaction skills of the autistic pupils, professionals like occupational therapists, physical therapists and the multi-disciplinary team were absent in the three special schools selected for the study. It was recommended that the requisite support services should be provided in the selected special schools which have autistic pupils in order to help enhance the social interaction skills. In addition, periodic workshops, symposia as well as refresher courses should be organized for special teachers and their aides to update their knowledge and skills in the strategies used to enhance social interaction skills of these pupils with autism.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


social interaction skills, autism, intellectually disabled, special schools

Full Text:

PDF

References


Avoke, M. (2005). Special educational needs in Ghana: Policy, practice and research. Winneba: Special Educational Books: Department of Special Education.

Bondy, A. S. & Frost, L. A. (2004). The picture exchange communication system. Focus on Autistic Behavior; 9:1–19.

Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education (6th ed.). Bodmin: M.P.G Books Ltd.

Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2014). Business Research Methods. The McGraw- Hill Companies.

Gadagbui, G. (2013). Exceptionalities, inclusive education, personality disorders & gerontology- The Aged . Winneba: Department of Special Education.

Gevers, C., Clifford, P. Mager, M. Boer, F. (2006). Brief report: A theory-of-mind-based social-cognition training program for school-aged children with pervasive developmental disorders: An open study of its effectiveness. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 36:567–571.

GUBA Foundation (2014). Autism Awareness Center. Accra, Ghana.

Hardman, M. (2004). Mental retarded. A lifespan approach to people with intellectual disabilities. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co, Inc.

Hess, K. L., Morrier, M. J., Heflin, L. J., & Ivey, M. L. (2008). Autism treatment survey: services received by children with autism spectrum disorders in public school classrooms. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 38(5), 961-971.

Heward, W. L. (2009). Exceptional children; An introduction to special Education. Pearson education inc USA.

Jazen, J. (2003). Understanding the Nature of Autism San Antonia. TX: Therapy Skill Builders.

Lewis, R. B. & Doorlag, D. H. (1995). Teaching special students in the mainstream (4th Ed). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.

Lord, C., & Schopler, E. (1994). TEACH services for preschool children. In S. Harris & J. Handleman (Eds.), Preschool education programs for children with autism (pp. 87–106). Austin, TX: PRO ED.

MacCuspie, P. A. (1992). The social acceptance and interaction of visually impaired students in integrated settings. In Sacks, S. Z., Kekelis, L. S. & Gaylord-Ross, R. J. (Eds).The development of social skills by blind and visually impaired students. New York: American Foundation for the Blind.

Ocloo, M. A. (2003). Effective Education for Persons with Visual Impairments in Ghana. Winneba: Special Educational Books: Department of Special Education.

Odom, S. L., Brown, W. H., Frey T., Karasu, N, Smith-Canter, L. L., & Strain, P. S. (2011). Evidence-based practice for young children with autism: Contributions of single subject design research. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. 18:166–175.

Orodho, J. A. (2012). Techniques of writing research proposals and reports in education and social sciences. Maseno/Nairobi, Kenya: Kanezja HP Enterprises.

Pierce, K., & Schreibman, L. (1995). Increasing complex social behaviors in children with autism: Effects of peer-implemented pivotal response training. Journal of applied behaviour analysis, 28(3), 285-295.

Plumet, M. H. & Tardif, C. (2005). Understanding the functioning of social interaction with Autistic children. The hidden structure of interaction: from neurons to culture patterns. Amsterdam: IOS Press.

Rogers, S. J. (2006). Brief report: Early intervention in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 26:243–246.

Rubin, H. (2005). Qualitative interviewing: The Art of hearing Data.

Smith, T. (2006). Evaluating claims about treatments for autism. In C. Maurice & G. Green (Eds.), Behavioral intervention for young children with autism: A manual for parents and Professionals (pp, 55–56). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.

Spinelli, G. (2012). Classroom assessment for students in special and general education (3rd ed). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Wehman, P. (Ed.) (2007). Real work for real play: Inclusive employment for people with disabilities. Brookes Pub.

Wolfberg, P. & Schuler, A. L. (2009). Intergraded play groups: A model for promoting the social and cognitive of play in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2(3), 143-156.

Yekple, E. Y. (2008). Handbook on Independent Living Skills for Children with Intellectual Disability. Winneba: Special Educational Books: Department of Special Education.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v6i2.3272

Copyright © 2015 - 2023. European Journal of Special Education Research (ISSN 2501 - 2428) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms.

All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).