This study explores the change of perceptions of disabilities among middle school students in education by implementing the subject; Understanding of Disability, to agenda of Korean language class.
The purpose of this study is to concentrate on change of perceptions among students through applying researcher’s profession; Korean Language, in learning curriculum of Inclusive Education rather than practical knowledge of the instructor. This study, moreover, focuses on the middle school student participants and their environment of Inclusive Education, where have not yet been explored thoroughly. It is extremely foremost to develop the teaching method where instructors can naturally infuse the “Understanding of Disability” into the agenda without contaminating the original learning curriculum. Therefore, this study immerses its purpose on change of perceptions of disabilities among middle students through this Action Research.
To elaborate, this Action Research frames two specific questions:
How does the practicum; Understanding of Disability through Korean Language Class, renders its role?
How have perceptions of disability among middle school students changed through this practicum?
The participants of this study consist Inclusive Classroom of 29 middle school students; 28 non-disabled students and one student with disabilities. The researcher not only specialized in Korean Language Education in College of Education, but also is pursuing Master’s degree in Special Education in Middle School at the Graduate School of Education, and teaches Korean Language in middle school. This study has also been consulted with four practicum observers. The practicum observers include two well-experienced Special Education instructors and two instructors who are highly qualified at reconstructing the learning agendas in Korean Language Education.
The strategy of this study is first to analyze the problem, design and develop, implement, observe, and evaluate. After several trials, errors, and evaluation, this study was implemented repeatedly to deliver its determined purpose. In addition to conducting a survey before and after the practicum exercising Siller’s DFS (Disability Factor Scales), it was analyzed using Paired Sample T-Test with SPSS Statistics ver. 24.0 program.
As a further matter, four chapters were restructured in order to develop a better understanding of the process of Understanding of Disability through Korean Language Class. As it was mentioned earlier, these diverse activities are redesigned without contaminating the original learning curriculum only to enhance the perceptions that middle school students have towards disabilities. Each chapter is designed to practice different disability type to help students perform active learning. Thus, the outcome of this study via Inductive Method presents; two parent categories, eight sub categories, and 31 meaning units, as the change of perceptions of disabilities among middle school students. Through this study, positive consequences have been observed in changes of perceptions of disabilities among middle school student. Furthermore, the study has proven effective that plugging “Understanding of Disability” into the original agenda strengthens the practicum to be consistent, strategic, and well-developed.
With that being said, the statistical mean of before-after perceptions using the Paired Sample T-Test of also supports the benefit of implementing Understanding of Disability into learning curriculum. Ultimately, this study comprehends that, it is highly effective to implement “Understanding of Disability” in Korean Language Classes to draw positive change in perceptions of disabilities among middle school students.