Session Information
99 ERC SES 05 J, Inclusive Education
Paper Session
Contribution
This paper concerns the research results related to a case study about the implementation of inclusion of children with disabilities in Cyprus, with a focus on the issue of reasonable accommodations and specifically the provision of assistant to children with disabilities. The research under study was qualitative and for the collection of data two interviews were carried out. The participants were the mother of a child with cerebral palsy, quadriplegia and hearing loss and the child's assistant and interpreter of sign language. The aim of the research was to clarify how parents of disabled children and their assistants define and make sense of the procedures followed in the local educational system, concerning the issue of reasonable accommodation for their children. Moreover, another aim was to clarify their opinions on how these procedures affect students with disabilities and what impact they may have on their lives. The research was held within the framework of the PhD Course EPA542: "Special and Inclusive Education in Cyprus", under the supervision of Dr. Maria Iacovou, during Winter Semester 2022, at the University of Cyprus. It is still an undergoing research and it will evolve to include other parents and assistants as participants.
Method
Qualitative methodology was used and semi-structured interviews were used as the methodological tool for the collection of data (Hobbs & May, 1993; Maxwell, 2005; Charalambous, 2011). After the necessary literature review, participants were identified purposively, through acquaintances. For the purposes of triangulation and cross-checking of the research data and for greater reliability (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2008), two interviews were conducted with people related to the case study, Mrs Yioula Pitsiali, who is the mother of a child with cerebral palsy, quadriplegia and hearing loss of Nicolas Markantonis and Mr Constantinos Malekkidis, who is his school assistant and interpreter of sign language from 2015 until today. It’s useful and significant to clarify that Nicolas is now studying at the University of Cyprus and has been granted all the reasonable accommodations. For the interviews, an Interview Guide and an Informed Consent Form were prepared for them to sign. They did not wish for pseudonyms to be used, as they are activists concerning the rights of people with disabilities and they are quite well known in the local community of Cyprus - especially Mrs Pitsiali. The research question was «how do the procedures followed in the Cypriot educational system - based on the Education and Training of Children with Special Needs Law of 1999 (L.113(I)/1999) - affect students with disabilities and what impact do they have on the lives of people with disabilities, according to the participants». After the interviews, transcripts were made, the data were coded and conclusions were drawn. The results that emerged from the analysis are separated in four main categories, namely: the process of hiring assistants - as well as their qualifications and duties, the role of parents, the role of the assistant and the impact on students with disabilities.
Expected Outcomes
Undoubtedly, results highlight the complex and contentious nature of the procedures followed for the recruitment of assistants of children with disabilities. As a result, there is a negative impact on the lives of these children. The procedures and decisions made by the local Ministry of Education, seem to be in the wrong direction, since the implementation of inclusion does not seem to be their underlying philosophy. Indeed, according to relevant literature, the exclusion of children with disabilities is a consequence of a set of decisions (Slee, 2011). In the case of Nicolas, the consequences could have been detrimental, if it was not for the struggles of the mother and the assistant, who took up an activistic role. It is a fact that the case of Nicolas is an example which indicates that every child can succeed when there is a supportive environment around them. It is essentially concerned with the transformation of the school and the educational system itself so that it becomes capable of responding to diversity (Pieridou & Phtiaka, 2011), not about parents and assistants struggling to remove the barriers set up by the educational system itself. Moreover, it is clear that there is an absence of a clearly defined role for assistants (Iacovou, 2022), however in some cases they indeed seem to perform an important pedagogical role for more genuine inclusive practices to be implemented for children with disabilities. It follows that the least that can be done is to educate them on the significance of their role, namely as catalysts of inclusion and not as separators walls (Phtiaka, 2008). It is clear that the results of this research also demonstrate the necessity of further investigation of the subject under study, as well as the definite need to restructure educational system (Phtiaka, 2008).
References
Charalambous, C. (2011) Unpublished Course Paper EPA 682 "Qualitative Research in Education". Winter Semester 2011. University of Cyprus. Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K. (2008) Educational Research Methodology, Athens: Metaichmio Publications. Hobs, D., & May, T. (1993) Interpreting the Field: Accounts of Ethnography, Oxford: Charendon Press. Iacovou, M. (2022) Meeting 4th: [Powerpoint slides]. EPA542: Special & Inclusive Education in Cyprus. Retrieved from University of Cyprus Blackboard: https://blackboard.ucy.ac.cy/webapps/portal/execute/tabs/tabAction?tab_tab_group_id=_10_1 L.113(I)/1999. The Education and Training of Children with Special Needs Law. Available on the website: https://www.moec.gov.cy/en/pdf/special_education_law_113(I)_1999.pdf (24.01.24). Maxwell, A. J. (2005) Qualitative Research Design. An Interactive Approach, United Kingdom: Sage Publications. Phtiaka, E. (2008) Stop by for a coffee: family and school relations at the edge of diversity, Athens: Taxideutis. Pieridou, M. & Phtiaka, E. (2011) The inclusion of children with disabilities in primary schools in Cyprus: Quality Education for all? In Proceedings from the Conference: Social Justice and Participation: the role of Higher Education, November 25-27, 2011. Nicosia (Ed. Mavrou K, & Lambrianou, I.). Slee, R. (2011) The irregular school. Exclusion, schooling and inclusive education, London: Routledge.
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