A comparative study of children's attitudes towards deaf children, children in wheelchairs and blind children in Greece and in the UK

Abstract

This comparative study explores the attitudes of children towards deaf children, children in wheelchairs and blind children in Greece and in the UK. A total of 463 children participated in this study, with 229 children from Greece and 234 children from the UK, in the fth and sixth grades in primary schools. The views of the children were elicited with the use of an attitude scale. The roles of prior contact and current contact were examined. Results indicated that all children were positive towards the three categories of children and that girls were more positive than boys. Comparative ndings showed that children's attitudes in the two countries differed in several ways. Children in Greece were more positive than children in the UK. However, children attending schools with special education units in Greece held more negative attitudes than children attending schools with special education units in the UK. Also, children in Greece who had prior contact with deaf children were less favourable towards deaf children compared with children in the UK. Furthermore, the results indicated that children held positive attitudes at a superficial level, expressing mostly social and emotional concern, and not a willingness to interact with these children. The ndings stimulate a discussion regarding the impact of sociocultural characteristics upon children's attitudes towards children with special educational needs.

Imagined Contact Improves Intentions towards a Hypothetical Peer with Asperger Syndrome but not Attitudes towards Peers with Asperger Syndrome in General

“…This preference could be explained by studies showing that even when children have positive attitudes towards peers with disabilities this is more at a superficial level, with fewer intentions for a deeper interaction (e.g., Gannon &McGilloway, 2009). The same was also reported by Nikolaraizi and De Reybekiel (2001) who, similarly to this study, examined attitudes of children from Greece (and the UK) towards peers with disabilities. However, an alternative explanation for the greater academic but not social or recreational intentions is that the imagined activity scenario instructed participants to imagine the encounter taking place in a school environment and to perform academic-related activities.…”

Adaptive behavior of children with visual impairment

“…Neke studije su pokazale da zajedničko školovanje nema nikakav uticaj na socijalni razvoj dece sa oštećenjem vida (McGaha & Farran, 2001). Deca sa oštećenjem vida su uslove u inkluzivnoj školi opisivala kao neprijateljsko mesto, gde su ih druga deca zadirkivala ili ignorisala (Nikolaraizi & De Reybekiel, 2001). Adolescenti sa oštećenjem vida prijateljstva ostvarena u redovnim školama vide kao prednost inkluzivnog školovanja, ali se istovremeno osećaju zapostavljeno (Rosenblum 2000, prema Griffin-Shirley & Nes, 2005).…”

Can an Intervention Program Affect Students’Attitudes Toward Inclusive Physical Education? An Application of the “Theory of Planned Behavior”

“…(a) The disabled persons themselves, according to the type and severity of their disability [20], b) The school with the organization of the departments, the mode of operation, equipment and logistics [21], (c) Teachers who, with their attitude, can influence the children of their class, the children colleagues, even their parents [22], (d) The attitude of children without disabilities, which is generally positive, but more It is the result of an expression of social and emotional interest, raising questions about the impact of social and cultural factors on the perspective of non-disabled students on integration [23].…”