Developing Strategies for Improving Equity in Access to

ISSN 0827 3383

International Journal

of
Special Education





VOLUME 19 2004 NUMBER 2




. Thoughtful Strategies For Inclusive Classrooms In Brunei Darussalam

. Education of Students with Visual Impairments in Kenya: Trends and Issues

. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Rating Scales with a Brief
Review of The Connors Teacher Rating Scale (1998)

. A Study on Needs of Parents with Children with Hearing-Impairment in
Transition to Kindergarten in Turkey

. The Development of Special Education Services in Zimbabwe

. On Outcome Based Education and Creativity in South Africa

. The Effect of an Adapted Swimming Programme on the Performance of an
Individual with Kyphosis-Scoliosis

. Mother's Judgements of Students with Emotional Disturbance and Social
Maladjustment/Conduct Disorder: Comparisons of Target Students and
Siblings

. Teachers Coping with Changes: Including Students with Disabilities in
Mainstream Classes: An International View

. Attitudes of Greek Physical Education Teachers Toward Inclusion of
Students with Disabilities

International Journal of Special Education



VOLUME 19 2004
NUMBER 2



I N D E X


Thoughtful Strategies For Inclusive Classrooms In Brunei
Darussalam.................................1

Koay Teng Leong &, Sim Wong Kooi


Education of Students with Visual Impairments in Kenya: Trends and
Issues........................16

Mary W Kiare


Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Rating Scales with a Brief
Review
of The Connors Teacher Rating
Scale......................................................................2
3

M Cordes & T F McLaughlin


A Study on Needs of Parents with Children with Hearing Impairment
in Transition to Kindergarten in
Turkey....................................................................35


T Kargun, B Baydik & G Akamete


The Development of Special Education Services in
Zimbabwe.........................................46

M Chitiyo & J Wheeler


On Outcomes-Based Education and Creativity in South
Africa.........................................53

M Fakir & Y Waghid


The Effect of an Adapted Swimming Program on the Performance
of an Individual with Kyphosis-
Scoliosis..................................................................6
4

Voutsas Dimitrios & Kokaridas Dimitios


Mother's Judgements of Students with Emotional Disturbance and Social
Maladjustment/Conduct Disorder: Comparisons of Target Students and
Siblings...................73

R C Easler & F J Medway


Teachers Coping with Changes: Including Students with Disabilities in
Mainstream Classes: An International
View...............................................................91

T Heiman


Attitudes of Greek Physical Education Teachers Toward
Inclusion of Students with
Disabilities..................................................................
.104

D Papadopoulou, D Kokaridas, Z Papanikolaou & A Patsiaouras






VOLUME 19 2004
NUMBER 2




International Journal of Special Education
2004, Vol 19, No.2.








THOUGHTFUL STRATEGIES FOR INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM


Koay Teng Leong


University of Brunei Darussalam

and

Sim Wong Kooi



A recent study has provided some indication of the types of teaching
strategies that Learning Assistance Teachers and Regular Teachers in
Brunei Darussalam are likely to use. This paper will describe, briefly,
the background, policy and teacher education initiatives towards
inclusive education, as well as some relevant aspects of the study,
especially in respect of the perceived teacher efficacy, instructional
adaptations and collaborative roles in inclusive classrooms. In
discussing future directions, it is proposed that the thoughtful
teaching paradigm is applied in developing more thoughtful strategies
in inclusive education. Specific examples will be presented to
illustrate how some of the proposed teaching strategies could be more
creative, reflective, responsible and reciprocal in order to cater to
the diverse needs of students in Brunei Darussalam.


Introduction


As inclusive education has become a major feature of current curriculum
reform in Brunei Darussalam. (Abdul Aziz Umar, 1996), an important concern
is how to improve equity in access to quality education in Brunei
Darussalam. A recent study (Koay, Sim & Elkins, 2003) appears to offer
plausible strategies. This paper will therefore attempt to suggest some
future directions that could be pursued.

The paper is divided into three sections. The first part of this paper
briefly describes the background, policy and teacher education initiatives
towards inclusive education in Brunei Darussalam. The second section
highlights the results of a recent study regarding Learning Assistance
Teachers' and Regular Teachers' perceived teaching efficacy, use of
instructional adaptations and collaborative roles in inclusive classrooms.
In discussing future directions, the final section of the paper focuses on
applying thoughtful strategies for teaching, learning and management that
are creative, reflective, responsible and reciprocal in order to further
improve equity in access to quality education in Brunei Darussalam.


INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION Vol
19, No.2.

Background, Policy and Teacher Education Initiatives towards Inclusive
Education
Background to the Study

Brunei Darussalam is an independent Islamic Sultanate with a population of
about 332,844 located in the northern part of Borneo in Southeast Asia.
(Department of Statistics, 2002a). It has a land area of 5,765 square
kilometers that shares its borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak.

The education system of Brunei Darussalam has its roots in the British
school system and has adopted a 7-3-2-2 pattern, which represents primary,
lower secondary; upper secondary and pre-tertiary levels, respectively.
Students are required to sit for four public examinations throughout the
length of their schooling years, one at the end of the primary cycle and
three more at the end of lower and upper secondary and pre-tertiary levels.
The medium of instruction from pre-school to Primary 3 is in Malay for all
subjects except the English language. The medium of instruction is changed
to English from Primary 4 onwards for Science, Mathematics and Geography.
In 2002, a total of 96,334 students were enrolled in 158 government and 74
non-government schools (Department of Statistics, 2002b).

Statements found in the National Education Policy, Brunei Darussalam
highlight an education system that aims:

To give all Bruneian children every opportunity to achieve at least an
upper secondary or vocational education...
To provide opportunities for all children in Brunei Darussalam to
develop to their full potential so that they play a useful role in the
development of the country...
(Ministry of Education, 1992, p.7)

Turning Point in the Provision of Special Education

To arrest the large number of students who were failing in the school
system, the Ministry of Education introduced special education into
mainstream schools to provide the needed assistance to help children and
youth with special needs to cope better (Csapo & Khalid, 1996). The Special
Education Proposal (Koay, 2004), presented to the Ministry of Education in
1994, made the following recommendations:

a) The Special Education Unit (SEU) should be set up without delay to
begin the planning and implementation of a special education system
within mainstream education in Brunei Darussalam.
b) The Learning Assistance Model should be used to deal with the learning
problems of students. It was proposed that at least one Learning
Assistance teacher (LAT) be trained for each school.
c) The setting up of the National Advisory Committee on Special Education
comprising the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of
Culture, Youth and Sports, Ministry of Law, University of Brunei
Darussalam, and Parent Representative. This Committee will meet once a
month to advise, monitor and facilitate the development of special
education in Brunei Darussalam. The Ministry of Education should
formulate a clear policy statement of special education to reinforce
its commitment to the education of all children. The three ministries,
Education, Health and Culture, Youth and Sports should formulate a
comprehensive plan for people with disabilities with clearly defined
area of responsibilities.
d) T