Background: This research examined the significant main effect of peer tutoring, storytelling, and gender, on the social skills of pupils with mild intellectual disability. Using the Social Development Theory of Lev Vygotsky as the rationale for this study, the acquisition of social skills is viewed as based on a social constructivist view of learning. Methodology: The study sample consisted of thirty-four pupils with intellectual disability, purposively selected from three schools in Ibadan Metropolis, and randomly assigned to one of the peer tutoring, storytelling, or control groups. Thirty sessions were held over ten weeks with the peer tutoring and storytelling experimental groups only. A social skills performance scale was administered before and after the intervention to collect data from these three groups. An analysis of covariance was used to examine the data collected. Results: Findings based on the analysed data revealed that there was a significant statistical difference between pre-test and post-test results of the three groups. The effect of gender on social skills of participants was significant, as was the interaction effect of treatment and gender. Conclusion: Recommendations based on the finding of this study are that peer tutoring and storytelling be adopted for teaching social skills to pupils with mild intellectual disability, and that pictorial illustration be used to enhance their reading skills.

The inactivity of people with intellectual disabilities (PwID) is a major contributor to ill health. Probably because people with intellectual disabilities are not adequately informed about physical activity and intervention programs required to enhance their fitness. This study critically reviewed physical activity: benefits and needs for maintenance of quality of life among adults with intellectual disability. An extensive search of bibliographic databases such as PubMed, PsycINFO, BioMed Central and Medline identified 735 academic papers. The research rigour was evaluated, and the validity of the findings was established. Based on the inclusion criteria, 15 studies were included in the review. Various forms of physical activity were studied as interventions. The results of a critical review indicate that physical activity has a moderate to strong positive impact on weight loss, sedentary behaviour, and disability-related quality of life. Adults with ID may benefit from physical activity as a non-pharmaceutical method of improving their health needs. However, this study's results may only apply to some adults with intellectual disabilities. The sample size needs to be increased in future studies in order to draw generalizable conclusions.

Objective: Reading is an indispensable skill. The study investigated the effects of music therapy on the reading skills of pupils with intellectual disability. Methods: An experimental research design was used. The sample was purposively selected from two special schools for pupils with intellectual disability in Ibadan, Nigeria. Seventeen pupils were randomly assigned to two groups (music therapy and control groups). Eighteen sessions of music therapy were conducted with the experimental group only. The Reading Skills Test was used before and after the intervention to collect data. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used for data analysis. Results: The data indicated that there was a significant statistical difference between pre-test and post-test results. The interaction effect of treatment and parents’ socio-economic status was not significant for the participants’ reading. Conclusion: Music therapy enhanced the reading skills of pupils with intellectual disability and should be adopted in teaching pupils with intellectual disability.   Keywords:  Music therapy; parents’ socio-economic status; pupils with intellectual disability; reading skills

This paper examined parameters and opportunities for learners with special educational needs in an effective inclusive education as it relates to 21 st century. It differentiated inclusive education from mainstreaming and integration and went further give a comprehensive meaning to the term inclusive education. Some of the benefits of this inclusive education are multicultural learning environment, socialization and the development of the child. Parameters identified for effective inclusive education are placing the child in age appropriate grade place, no special classes or schools and cooperative learning practiced where teachers can share ideas for improvement of the educational system. Conclusion was made on the need for inclusive education.

Individuals with intellectual disability who suffer from comorbid mental health problems are likely to experience difficulties in socialising. Deficits in social skills are also associated with challenging behaviours and self-injury. This paper presents global evidence from a systematic review of literature on such issues as ‘interventions’; ‘social skills development’, and ‘individuals with intellectual disability’. A thorough search of various bibliographic databases identified 1 124 academic papers. Ten papers met the inclusion criteria for in-depth analysis concerning the use of interventions to develop social skills among individuals with intellectual disability. The study revealed that the social skills of individuals with intellectual disability had been fostered using different strategies, such as classroom-based intervention, emotional intelligence training, use of a peer network intervention, computer games of emotion regulation, and puppet play therapy. Furthermore, the findings suggest that various aspects like communication, bridging the gap in social skills deficits, emotional recognition and regulation, and adaptive behaviour were fostered using the identified intervention strategy. This review revealed that social skills interventions appeared modestly effective but may not be generalisable to school settings or self-reported social behaviour for individuals with intellectual disability. It is also necessary to increase the sample size in future studies to draw generalisable conclusions.