A study on the problems faced by students with special needs when engaging in classroom activities with normal students

Abstract

People with special needs have achieved great feats in all careers. Nevertheless, students with special needs face many problems when engaging in the learning activities with normal students. When they get involved in classroom activities with normal students, they face a lot of difficulties. According to this, the purpose of this study was to determine problems faced by special needs students with normal students when engaging in classroom activities. The main objectives of this study are to identify problems faced by students with special needs in classroom activities with normal students. One hundred and fifty students with special needs, 25 teachers, 5 principals and 10 parents or guardians from five schools in Manmunai North Division in Batticaloa District were selected as the sample of this study. The five schools were national and 1AB schools. The reason for selecting the five schools as the sample is because the majority of students with special needs in that Division study in those schools. The research design included quantitative and qualitative inquiry. Questionnaires, interview schedules, observation schedules and students’ records were used as data collection tools of this study. All data were analyzed by the researcher using tables and charts. As per the data obtained from each school that was chosen as the sample of the study, 90% of students said that they face problems when they get involved in classroom activities with normal students. In accordance with the findings, some students with sight impairment and hearing impairment had many problems in class room activities with normal students. Eighty percent of teachers’ answers also highlighted problems faced by students with special needs. Through this research study, it was found that students with special need lag behind in all learning activities as normal students are given prominence. From the findings of this study, Students with special needs should be educated in special classroom not in the normal classrooms with normal students. Further, they should be taught using different teaching methods and teaching aids.