PROBLEMS OF ADOLESCENTS IN INCLUSIVE SECONDARY SCHOOLS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
This study examined the problems of students with and without disabilities in inclusive secondary schools in Lagos state. The instrument used to collect data was the Student Problem Inventory (SPI), which measured the respondents' problems from their known judgements. Results revealed that majority of the respondents with disabilities had problems on all the subscales of SPI while the non-disabled respondents had few problems. However, relative to the scores of the respondents without disabilities on the other problem areas they scored higher on Family, Financial, and Academic subscale, of SPI. This was explained as the probable effect of poverty. Nonetheless a statistically significant difference was found between the problem of respondents' with disabilities and those without disabilities. This finding was attributed to the effect of disability, poverty and inappropriate practice of inclusive education. Based on the findings, recommendations were made.
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Author: Sulaiman, A A
Date published: September 1, 2010
Introduction
In a previous study, this writer examined the problems of students with disabilities in inclusive secondary schools in Lagos State. It was found that majority of the respondents have different problems, which strongly affect their academic performance as well as their well-being. This finding was attributed to the presence of disability, poverty, the physical environment of the school as well as the services that were provided. However, considering the peculiar situation of a child in contemporary Nigerian society coupled with the students being adolescents, one is tempted to compare the problems of students with disabilities and those without disabilities to ascertain if there are significant differences, more so, since inclusive education is meant to cater for the differences between students with disabilities and those without disabilities.
Inclusive education in this paper is the education of all students classified as disabled together with non-disabled in general classrooms with appropriate professional services, what Bowe (2005) termed full inclusion. The goal of inclusive education is to combat discriminatory attitudes, create welcoming communities, build an inclusive society and achieve equal educational opportunities for all. The efficacy of inclusive education in changing non-disabled attitudes towards the disabled has been asserted by several studies. It has been asserted that inclusive education offers both academic and social advantages (Bursuck 8c Friend, 2002; Stenger, 2004). Stenger explains that children need to have a sense of belonging to learn and grow, if the belonging need is not fully met, a student will have difficulty moving into the self-esteem level, where achievement and mastery (learning) take place. Inclusion helps students with disabilities gain a sense of belonging when they are truly part of the school, equally with non-disabled children. Hence it is expected that inclusive schooling would have facilitated sense of belonging in the disabled and effectively inculcated solidarity between disabled and non-disabled adolescents, thus creating basis for comparison.
In addition, a child in contemporary Nigeria is faced with the challenges of poverty and its attendant problems. The United Nations Human Poverty Index (HPI) which focuses on the proportion of people below a threshold level within the various dimensions of human development comprising living a long and healthy life, having access to education, and a decent standard of living gave Nigeria a value of 37.3%. This value places Nigeria on a rank of 80 out of 108 developing countries. Therefore, the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo declares 54% of Nigerians, which is about 76 million of Nigeria's 140 million people, as living below poverty level (Egwa, 2008). Of the 140 million, Lagos State has an estimate of 1 5million people out of the thirty six States in Nigeria.
Lagos State as the commercial and industrial hub of Nigeria continues to witness influx of people from within Nigeria and neighbouring countries for commercial and other activities such that the city today can best be described as overpopulated or overflowing with its estimate of 15million people. Due to over-population, infrastructural facilities and services including housing, roads, transportation, health care delivery services, schools and other social welfare services are stretched beyond their limits and are therefore inadequate. Hence, Lagosians are vulnerable to symptoms of poverty such as hunger, disease and oppression. It has been asserted that poverty destroys aspirations, hope, and happiness. Poverty affects tolerance of others, self-esteem and sense of personal competence (Schiller, 2000; Harrison 2000). Poverty also affects ones disposition to participate in community affairs, interpersonal trust and selfsatisfaction (Fairbanks, 2000). Poor people are much more likely to suffer accidents, to live in unhealthy conditions, to have no access to clean water, to eat a bad diet, and to suffer from under nourishment. When they do get sick, poor people are much less likely to be able to afford the cost of treatment. Poverty fosters financial dependency on the state and the extended family (Albert, McBride and Seddon, 2002).
Records have shown that poverty in Nigeria has pushed many into different vices such as human trafficking, prostitution, street trading, begging, child labour, corruption, disruption of family relations and social life (Anyagafu and Iwenjora, 2006). A large number of Nigerian kids are either permanently (street kids) or partially (street trading) on the street. Some of the kids interviewed by Anyagafu and Iwenjora, state thus:
"I have lived under the bridges for a long time, I have been a bus conductor and sometimes, my friends and I stay at the bus -stops to carry loads. There are some lorries that bring in big loads from the North to Lagos. We do the off-loading and at the close of the day, they pay us and I go to where I usually sleep. Sometimes, we sleep inside the vehicles which are no longer in good condition and use them as our house"
"My family is extremely poor. I pay my school fees from the returns I get from what I do. My family members do not even know what I do. I am the one training myself. I am in SSS III, (grade nine) our School Certificate Examination is coming soon and I need more money to register for the exam. I would work extra hard to make the amount".
Besides the pangs of poverty is the adolescence factor. Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development that occurs between childhood and adulthood (Santrock, 2003). This transition involves biological (pubertal), cognitive, social, and psychological changes which according to early psychologists such as Hall (1974) is of storm-and-stress. According to Hall, adolescence is a time of rebellion, crises, pathology and deviance. The conflicts and distress of the adolescent is attributed to biological changes. Contemporary psychologists such as Santrock (2003) however, describes adolescence as a time of evaluation, decision making, commitment and a time of carving out a place in the world. Santrock is of the opinion that the environment plays a major role in the development of the adolescent. When the adolescent is provided smooth, gradual transition, little storm and stress is associated with the period. Hetherington 8c Kelly, (2002) asserts that adolescents who feel warmth and support from their parents and the environment are less likely to engage in risky behaviours. Also, parents who convey clear expectations regarding their adolescents' behaviour and who demonstrate consistent limit setting and monitoring are less likely to have adolescents who engage in risky behaviours.
Unfortunately, today's adolescents are confronted with unstable environment of high rate of divorce, access to firearms, poverty and its attendant effects, strange fragments of violence, drug abuse and orgiastic sex from the media. Consequently, several behavioural problems such as school problems, future problems, drugs and alcohol abuse, mental health problems, teenage pregnancy and abortion, juvenile delinquency, depression and suicide manifest in today's adolescents. The use of drugs by adolescence has been found to be a way of coping with stress and growing up in conflict-ridden families. Suicide, teenage pregnancy and juvenile delinquency are associated with a long standing history of family instability and unhappiness (Wikipedia, 2008). If as a result of the environment, adolescents are generally vulnerable, then one except no significant difference between disabled and non-disabled adolescents. More so, since the ultimate aim of inclusive education is to enable persons with disabilities live an independent life.
The Problem
Adolescence is associated with various problems. However, contemporary psychologists such as Santrock (2003) assert that favourable environment is a major factor for adolescents to develop without problems. Unfortunately, a child in contemporary Nigeria society as depicted above is in an unfavourable environment, which suggests the development of adolescents with several problems. In a previous study by this writer, it was found that adolescents with disabilities had several problems despite being in an inclusive school, which should have facilitated a sense of belonging. The implication is that other factors such as poverty and its attendant effects and being adolescents are at play, hence the assumption that there is no significant difference in the problems of adolescents either with or without disabilities.
The Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the problems of adolescents with and without disabilities in inclusive secondary schools in Lagos State and as well identify if there are differences.
Research Question and Hypothesis
1 . What are the problems of adolescents in inclusive secondary schools in Lagos State?
2. There would be no statistically significant difference in the problems of disabled and non- disabled adolescents in inclusive secondary schools in Lagos State.
Methods
Participant and Setting
The population for the study consist of all students from seven identified inclusive secondary schools in Lagos State. The choice of this population is important because, they are adolescents and inclusive secondary schools educate students with and without disabilities together in the same classroom. The sample selected for the study consists of 188 adolescents, 92 girls and 96 boys whose age range from 11-22years. The ideal secondary school age in Nigeria is 11-18years, however, that some of the participants are between the ages of 19 and 22 years may be an indication that they started school late due to the effect of disability. All the 94 disabled students in the schools and 94 non-disabled students were randomly selected for the study.
Instrument
Student Problem Inventory (SPI)
The instrument used for the study is the Student Problem Inventory (SPI), which is a self-report inventory through which individuals' describe their personal problems according to their perception. The inventory was designed in form of a checklist, classified into eleven sections measuring different problem areas such as physical appearance and health, interpersonal relationship problems, problems of self-acceptance, problems that relate to the individual's well-being, future plan and security, academic problems and problems on overall school adjustment. A test -retest reliability coefficient of 0.64 was established on the inventory. Respondents were asked to place a tick on the space provided in front of each item on the inventory, as it relates to them. A tick placed on the blank space provided in front of each statement means "Yes", the respondent is experiencing the problem. If the space is left blank it means "No", the respondent is not experiencing the problem. Numbers of ticks made by each subject in each section were counted and recorded as raw scores for each subject.
* A total raw score above 60 indicates high or many problems
* 31-59 indicate average or medium problems
* 10-30 indicate low or few problems.
The fewer the numbers of ticks the lesser the individual's problem and the more the numbers of ticks the more the individual's problem.
Method of data Analysis
Data was analysed with the use of SPSS for windows version 15.0computer package. Descriptive statistics in form of frequency counts and percentage was used along with inferential statistics such as the t-Test. All analyses were held significant at 0.05.
Results
Results presented in Table 1 show that students with disabilities have many problems with majority scoring high 43.6% - 68.1% on the high problem level, while students without disability scored high 40.4% - 86.2% on the low problems level. However, on Financial and Family Problems, the gap in the scores of the disabled and nondisabled students is close and far different from their scores on other problem areas. The non-disabled students scored between 74 and 81 on other problem areas but scored 38 and 42 respectively on Financial and Family problem areas.
Results presented in Table 2 show a statistically significant difference between the problems of disabled and non- disabled students on all levels of problems. With low problems level t, 10.411 = p, 0.000 < 464 =" p," 312 =" p,">
Discussion
Contrary to the expectation that there would be no significant difference in the problems of adolescents with and without disabilities, results show a statistically significant difference in the problems of adolescents with disabilities and those without disabilities. Results also revealed that adolescents with disabilities in this study have many problems in all areas of problems measured, while non-disabled respondents scored lower on all areas of problems. However, non-disabled adolescents scored relatively higher on financial, family and academic problems areas. The percentage scores of the non-disabled on other areas is not more than approximately 10% however on financial, family and academic problems areas, the percentage scores increased significantly to 29.8%, 31.7% and 20.2% respectively. The non-disabled scoring relatively higher on the financial, family and academic problem areas, is probably a pointer to the effect of poverty. According to Anyagafu and Iwenjora, (2006) a large number of Nigerian kids are either permanently or partially on the street definitely financial, family and academic performance are at risk. Harrison (2000) earlier asserts that poverty destroys aspirations, hope, and happiness. Poverty affects tolerance of others, self-esteem and sense of personal competence Fairbanks (2000) asserts that poverty affects ones disposition to participate in community affairs, interpersonal trust and self-satisfaction.
On the other hand, the significant difference in problems of both groups and scoring high marks on all problems area for persons with disabilities is a pointer to the effect of disability, poverty and inappropriate practices of inclusive education. As rightly noted by Albert, McBride and Seddon (2002) poverty is a main cause of impairment, and vice-versa. Poor people are much more likely to suffer accidents, to live in unhealthy conditions, to have no access to clean water, to eat a bad diet, and to suffer from under nourishment. As well, the disabling condition is an important cause of poverty and social exclusion, which can foster financial dependency on the state and the extended family. Though, Kling, Hyde, Showers, and Bruswell, (1999) assert that the life experiences of adolescents with disabilities and those of non-disabled may be different by virtue of the presence of disability, however, the essence of inclusive education is to bridge the gap and create conducive environment. Unfortunately, as found elsewhere (Sulaiman, 2009) there exist a wide gap between the practice of inclusion and the policy of inclusion in terms of the physical environment of the schools as well as the services provided. There was nothing to physically reflect the presence of a disabled student in the architectural design and physical features of the inclusive schools. Hence, confirming Santrock's (2003) assertion that favourable environment is a major factor for adolescents to develop without problems. Inclusive education as depicted here, probably explains why inclusion has not been able to bridge the gap between adolescents with disabilities and those without disabilities.
Recommendations
The following recommendations had constantly been echoed and reechoed in several journal articles (Sulaiman, 2004; 2006a; 2006b 8c 2009) and is repeated here with the hope that it could get to the tables or hands of the government, educational administrators, policy makers/ planners and all concerned to ensure the following:
* Proper adjustment of the school environment to suit the physical and psychological needs of students with disabilities.
* Provision of adequate technological equipment and support services needed to facilitate effective teaching, learning and overall growth of students with disabilities.
* Continuous and constant evaluation of inclusive education in schools.
* Mandatory laws and policies to enhance commitment and reduce neglect of the exceptional students.
* Ensure the presence of counsellors in all schools. The counsellor has important role to play in ensuring proper adjustment of the disabled and non-disabled alike. Just as the disabled students need orientation about the school environment so also do the non-disabled students, as well as the teachers and support staffs need information and understanding of disabled students to relate with them appropriately.
References:
Anyagafu, C. & Iwenjora, F. (2006). Sorry story of Nigeria's street kids wasted by poverty in the land. Retrieved January 10, 2009 from http://nm.onlinenigeria.com/templates/
Bowe, Frank. (2005). Making Inclusion Work. Merrill Education/ Prentice Hall.
Bursuck, W. & Friend, M. (2002). Including Students with Special Needs: A Practical Guide for Classroom Teachers (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon
Egwa, (2008). Alleviating poverty among Nigerians. Retrieved May 31, 2009 from http://www.thetiedenews.com/article.aspx.
Fairbanks, Michael. (2000). Changing the Mind of a Nation: Elements in a Process for Creating Prosperity, in Culture Matters, Harrison, Lawrence E. & Huntington, Samuel P. (eds.) New York: Basic Books
Harrison, Lawrence. (2000). Why Culture Matters, in Culture Matters, Harrison, Lawrence E & Huntington, Samuel P. (eds). New York: Basic Books
Kling, K. C, Hyde, J. S., Showers, C. J., & Bruswell, B. N. (1999). Gender differences in self-esteem: A meta-analysis. Psychology Bulletin, vol. 125, No. 4. pg. 470-500.
Schiller, Bradley R.; The Economics of Poverty and Discrimination (8th edition). Prentice Hall College Div., June 6, 2000
Stenger, Keith. (2004). Appropriately Implemented Inclusion Programs Benefit All Students. Retrieved January 10, 2009 from www.geocities.com/krstenger/AppropriatelyImplementedInclu sionProgram
Sulaiman, A. A. (2006a). Self-concept of Adolescent with and without Physical disabilities in Inclusive Secondary Schools in Lagos State Eko Journal of Educational Research Lagos. Vol. 2, No. 2. pg. 37- 45
Sulaiman, A. A. (2006b). Problems of students with physical disabilities in inclusive secondary schools in Lagos State. Nigerian Academy of Education: 20th Annual Congress Book of Proceedings pg. 122 - 133.
Sulaiman, A. A. (2009). Inclusive Education in Nigeria: Policy and Practice. The Journal of Nigerian Languages and Culture (JONLAC) Vol. 12, No.2
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