Barcelona 2013
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| Abstract #566 - Educational Challenges | ||||
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Session: 35.4: Educational Challenges (Parallel) on Tuesday @ 14.30-16.00 in Auditorium Chaired by Authors: Presenting Author: Dr Julia Louw - Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa |
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| Additional Authors: | ||||
| Aim: Learners with disabilities are at increased risk of HIV infection. More importantly, learners with mental, physical, sensory or intellectual disabilities are perhaps ?at increased risk for every known risk factor for HIV/AIDS. Teachers and child care providers are often the primary individuals imparting this knowledge to learners with disabilities. The aim of the study was to explore the challenges related to teaching sexuality, HIV and AIDS education in working with learners with disabilities at Special Needs Schools. | ||||
| Method / Issue: Individual structured interviews were conducted with five key informants. Criteria for key informant inclusion in this study included: a) qualified teaching certificate, diploma or degree, b) being employed at a public Special Needs School in the Western Cape and c) be an HIV and AIDS curriculum or program coordinator. Grounded theory method was employed to analyze the qualitative responses. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Key informants were all females with the mean age of 47.4 ranging from 38 to 57 years of age. Regarding race, only one key informant was ?African? and one ?White? with the remaining three being ?Coloured?. The average years teaching for key informants were 20 years ranging from 16 to 31 years and two key informants had post degree educational qualifications. All five key informants? job title includes the role of HIV Coordinator and the grade level range from grade 1 to 12. Key informant participants reported that their biggest challenge relates to dealing with the cognitive level of functioning and abilities of their learners as well as their own level of comfort in teaching on this topic: depends on the level of functioning so you have to first assess what is their level of functioning ?..and you have to deal with your own inhibitions TR.1?.And prejudices TR.1. They also noted the lack of involvement of parents: Then another challenge is little or no involvement from parents, whatever knowledge or skills kids have is not encouraged from parents TR. 4. Another challenges lies in lessons mainly based on mainstream public schools, thus there seem to be no accountability for disability when teaching this topic. Teachers therefore adapt and modify lessons based on the needs of their learners: I must be honest that teachers develop their own approaches TR.2. | ||||
| Discussion: The results from the study indicated that learners with disabilities are at increased risk of HIV infection given their level vulnerability and cognitive level of functioning. Teachers also struggle with their own inhibitions and they may be reluctant to discuss sex with their students. This may be due to embarrassment and or not knowing how to deal with their inhibition. Providing sexuality education to learners with disabilities is imperative. Further, implementing new training designs is crucial therefore providing teachers with updated and current training will allow them to teach more effectively on this topic. | ||||
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