Palestinian visually-impaired students (VISs)‎ in special and Inclusive EFL secondary schools : attitudes and achievements

Other Title(s)

اتجاهات الطلبة الفلسطينيين ذوي الإعاقة البصرية حول دراسة اللغة الإنجليزية كلغة أجنبية و تحصيلهم الدراسي في المرحلة الثانوية في كل من التعليم الخاص و التعليم الجامع

Dissertant

al-Farra, Amal Kamal Rizq

Thesis advisor

al-Nabih, Hasan Ahmad

University

Islamic University

Faculty

Faculty of Literature

University Country

Palestine (Gaza Strip)

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2019

English Abstract

This study investigates visual impairment and learning English as a foreign language (EFL) in Palestinian special and inclusive secondary schools.

It aims at exploring Palestinian VISs‟ attitudes toward learning EFL in the two different education contexts.

It also aims at examining whether there is difference between Palestinian VISs‟ EFL achievement in a special school and that in an inclusive school.

Seventeen Palestinian VISs constituted the purposive sample of the study.

They were all the Palestinian VISs studying their 12th grade in inclusive schools in the Gaza Strip in the scholastic year 2017-2018, and they themselves had their 11th grade in a special education context.

For the purpose of the study, a descriptive analytical approach was adopted, utilizing a mixed-methods design (i.e., combining both qualitative and quantitative methods).

In order to investigate Palestinian VISs‟ attitudes toward learning EFL in special and inclusive settings, a questionnaire was administered on the 17 participants, followed by a semi-structured focus group interview with six members from the sample.

In addition, the participants‟ EFL achievement scores in grade 11 (special education) and grade 12 (inclusive education) were obtained from official records to compare EFL achievement in the two different contexts.

The findings revealed that the participants received better facilities while learning EFL in their special education settings; on the other hand, they faced significant challenges in inclusive schools.

Interestingly, they invested special efforts to cope with these challenges, and they demonstrated better achievement on EFL subject in their inclusive education.

As noted, the participants were not fully satisfied with the current integration policy implemented by Palestinian Ministry of Education, which allows VISs to study in a special school until they finish grade 11, then they join an inclusive school in grade 12.

Therefore, Palestinian educators and policy makers should address the challenges highlighted in the study in order to promote successful practices of inclusive education for VISs, especially in EFL classrooms.

Main Subjects

Educational Sciences
Languages

Topics

• Palestine
• University education
• English Language
• Academic achievement
• Secondary education
• disabled students

No. of Pages

132

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-893933