The Challenge of Inclusion of Children with Physical Impairment: Absenteeism in Focus—A Case Study

Tadesse Abera Tedla; Sintayehu Mesfin Anteneh; Asfaw Woldekdan Nigus; Amsalu Tadie Gelaw; Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed; Ayenachew Beshay Tekle

doi:10.4236/oalib.1102009

Home > Journals > Biomedical & Life Sciences | Business & Economics > OALibJ

Open Access Library Journal > Vol.2 No.11, November 2015

The Challenge of Inclusion of Children with Physical Impairment: Absenteeism in Focus—A Case Study ()

Tadesse Abera Tedla¹, Sintayehu Mesfin Anteneh², Asfaw Woldekdan Nigus¹, Amsalu Tadie Gelaw¹, Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed¹, Ayenachew Beshay Tekle¹

¹Department of Special Needs and Inclusive Education, School of Education, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
²Ministry of Education, National Educational Assessment and Examinations Agency, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

DOI: 10.4236/oalib.1102009 PDF HTML XML 1,323 Downloads 2,037 Views

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.

Keywords

Absenteeism, Students with Physical Impairment, School Accommodation for Students with Physical Impairment, Factors of Absenteeism for Students with Physical Impairment

Share and Cite:

Tedla, T. , Anteneh, S. , Nigus, A. , Gelaw, A. , Mohammed, M. and Tekle, A. (2015) The Challenge of Inclusion of Children with Physical Impairment: Absenteeism in Focus—A Case Study. Open Access Library Journal, 2, 1-15. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1102009.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA (2002) Kunibetsu Hinkon Joho Ethiopia (Poverty Information on Ethiopia). Unpublished.
[2]	Ministry of Education (2006) Special Needs Education Program Strategy Emphasizing on Inclusive Education to Meet the UPEC and EFA Goals. Master Printing Press, Addis Ababa.
[3]	UNESCO (2005) Guidelines for Inclusion: Ensuring Access to Education for All France. UNESCO.
[4]	Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, MoFED (2012) Assessing Progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Ethiopia MDGS Report. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
[5]	Marburger, D.R. (2006) Does Mandatory Attendance Improve Student Performance? The Journal of Economic Education, 37, 148-155. http://dx.doi.org/10.3200/JECE.37.2.148-155
[6]	Kamla, R. (2011) Cause and Structural Effects of Student Absenteeism: A Case Study of Three South African Universities. Journal of Social Science, 26, 89-97.
[7]	Segal, C. (2008) Classroom Behavior. Journal of Human Resources, 43, 783-814. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/jhr.2008.0024
[8]	Lalek, A. (1995) Quality Progress-Fifth Quality in Education Listing. Quality Progress, 28, 27-77.
[9]	Rumberger, R.W. (1997) High School Dropouts: A Review of Issues and Evidence. Review of Educational Research, 23, 24-42.
[10]	Weller, D.L. (1996) The Next Generation of School Reform. Quality Progress, 29, 65-70.
[11]	Williams, L.L. (2000) Student Absenteeism and Truancy. Technologies and Interventions to Reduce Chronic Problems among School-Age. Journal of Children, 7, 23-34.
[12]	Barker, D. and Jansen, J. (2000) Using Groups to Reduce Elementary School Absenteeism. Social Work in Education, 22, 46-53.
[13]	Lotz, R. and Lee, L. (1999) Sociability, School Experience and Delinquency. Youth & Society, 31, 199-224.
[14]	Mayer, G. and Mitchell, L. (1996) A Drop-Out Prevention Programme for At-Risk High School Students: Emphasising Consulting to Promote Positive Classroom Climates. Educational Treatment of Children, 16, 135-138.
[15]	Ajiboye, J.O. and Tella, A. (2006) Class Attendance and Gender Effects on Undergraduate Students’ Achievement in a Social Studies Course in Botswana. Essays in Education, 18, 1-14.
[16]	Ledman, R.E. and Kamuche, F. (2003) Improving Student Attendance. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 6.
[17]	Enomoto, E. (1997) Negotiating the Ethics of Care and Justice. Educational Administration Quarterly, 33, 351-370. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013161X97033003005
[18]	Edward, J.F. (2005) A Study of Attendance and Its Effects on Academic Achievement in Alliance Public Schools. ETD Collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Paper AAI3180799. http://wps.fep.up.pt/wps/wp503.pdf
[19]	Ziegler, C.W. (1972) School Attendance as a Factor in School Progress. AMS Press, Inc., New York.
[20]	DeKalb, J. (1999) Student Truancy. (Report No. EDO-EA-99-1), ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED429334, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Washington DC.
[21]	Tirussew, T. (1999) Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Regular Schools: Challenges and Opportunities. The Ethiopian Journal, 19, 29-64.
[22]	Taylor, R. and Sternberg, L. (1989) The Role of Information Processing in the Education of Learning Disordered Children. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs.
[23]	Garwood, S.G. (1983) Educating Young Handicapped Children. A Developmental Approach. Aspen Publication, Rockville.
[24]	Ysseldyke, J.E. and Algozzine, B., Eds. (1995) Special Education: A Practical Approach to Teachers. 3rd Edition, Houghton, Mufflin Company, Boston.
[25]	Heward, W.L. and Orlansky, M.D. (1988) Exceptional Children: An Introductory Survey of Special Education. 3rd Edition, Merrill Publishing Company, Melbourne.
[26]	Gallgher, G. and Anastain, N. (1976) Educating Exceptional Children. 3rd Edition, Merril Publishing Company, Columbus.
[27]	Rothman, S. (2001) School Absence and Student Background Factors: A Multilevel Analysis. International Education Journal, 2, 59-68.
[28]	Credé, M., Roch, S.G. and Kieszczynka, U.M. (2010) Class Attendance in College: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Relationship of Class Attendance with Grades and Student Characteristics. Review of Educational Research, 80, 272-295. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/0034654310362998
[29]	US Department of Education (2002) No Child Left behind Act of 2001. http://www.ed.gov./legislation/ESEA02/beginning.html
[30]	Balfanz, R. and Byrnes, V. (2012) Chronic Absenteeism: Summarizing What We Know from Nationally Available Date. Jhons Hopkins University Center for Social Organization of Schools, Baltimore.
[31]	Rohrman, D. (1993) Com Bating Truancy in Our Schools—A Community Effort. NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals) Bulletin, 76, 40-51.
[32]	Tayetrman, M.J. (1968) Truancy. University of London Press Ltd., London.
[33]	Kilpatrcik, P. (1996) Missing School. Youth Studies, 15, 19-22.
[34]	Shahzada, G., Ghazi, S.R., Nawaz, H. and Khan, A. (2011) Causes of Absenteeism from Schools at Secondary Level. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 2, 291-298.
[35]	Fleming, N. (1995) Attendance. Why Don’t They Attend? Macmillan Press, London.
[36]	Teasley, M.L. (2004) Absenteeism and Truancy. Children and Schools, 26, 117-127.