障害のある子どもの教育的ニーズに応える : スリランカ、北西部州のスペシャル・プレスクールによる療育および教育の提供

抄録

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the care and education provided to children with disabilities by the social service sector of one province in rural Sri Lanka, where schooling of children with disabilities is not satisfactory despite a policy of free and compulsory education. Special pre-schools operated by the Social Service Department of the North Western Province were examined. Data on special pre-schoolers and the views of parents and caregivers were collected through a questionnaire survey of teachers and semi-structured interviews with parents and caregivers. It was found that the special pre-schools have responded to the needs of children, parents, and caregivers by changing their role from being pre-schools for children with hearing impairments to becoming special education or semi-formal education settings for children of pre-school and school age and also over-school-age, who have a wide range of disabilities. Also discussed were issues that may promote or hinder the participation in education of children with disabilities, such as early identification and early special education, general education, and inclusive education, information about and availability of formal schooling, social perceptions of formal education, and economic factors.