TITLE:
The Challenge of Inclusion of Children with Physical Impairment: Absenteeism in Focus—A Case Study
AUTHORS:
Tadesse Abera Tedla, Sintayehu Mesfin Anteneh, Asfaw Woldekdan Nigus, Amsalu Tadie Gelaw, Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed, Ayenachew Beshay Tekle
KEYWORDS:
Absenteeism, Students with Physical Impairment, School Accommodation for Students with Physical Impairment, Factors of Absenteeism for Students with Physical Impairment
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.2 No.11,
November
13,
2015
ABSTRACT: This study was undertaken to investigate those factors that were
influencing as factors of absenteeism from school for students with physical
impairment in Hedar 11 Secondary School of North Gondar Zone of Amhara Regional
State of Ethiopia. Five students with physical impairments were selected
through available sampling technique and 8 teachers were selected from 24
teachers of the school through simple random sampling via lottery method.
Questionnaire and interview were the main data collection instruments. To
collect data letter of recommendation was taken from Department of Special
Needs Education of School of Education of the University of Gondar and was
given to the Principal of Hedar 11 Secondary School. Then, the director was
cleared with the objectives of the study and he expressed his permission the
study to be undertaken. And then, the selection of the teacher participants and
the student participants followed. The data collected was analysed
quantitatively (through, frequency, percentage and mean) and qualitatively
through thematic analysis. The results demonstrated that the major absenteeism
factors from school for students with physical impairments were: parents (lack
of knowledge how to treat their children with physical impairment and financial
problems), teachers (negative attitude, lack of professionalism in special
needs education i.e. lack of
knowledge on how to treat children with physical impairments), guards of the
school, peers, and school related factors (such as, inflexible rule and
regulation of the school, long distance between the school and the homes of the
students with physical impairments, uncomfortable infrastructure of the school,
lack of learning material and less support given to the students). Finally,
based on the study findings relevant conclusions and recommendations were
forwarded.