This study was to investigate the necessity of perception, states, and contents about sexual education for students with disabilities of inclusive classroom teachers, special classroom teachers, and school health teachers in general elementary schools...
This study was to investigate the necessity of perception, states, and contents about sexual education for students with disabilities of inclusive classroom teachers, special classroom teachers, and school health teachers in general elementary schools, so to present basic data to provide more effective sexual education for students with disabilities.
The research design was a descriptive study and the subjects were 393 teachers - inclusive classroom teachers, special classroom teachers, and school health teachers - in elementary schools in Chugnam province from Dec. 1st to Dec. 30th, 2006.
The study instrument was self-report questionnaire of 55 items: 9-item on general characteristics, 7-item on perception of sexual education, 11-item on state of sexual education, and 28-item on contents of sexual education. Cronbach's α of the questionnaire was 0.9286. Collected data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, χ2-test, t-test, and ANOVA with SPSS program.
The results were as follows :
1. In states of sexual education training, most school health teachers had taken (93.8%) sexual education training, special classroom teachers had 39.4%, and inclusive classroom teachers had 36.0%. In states of training about students with disabilities, school health teachers had taken 16.9%, special classroom teachers had 75.6%, and inclusive classroom teachers had 64.7%.
2. In perception of sexual education for students with disabilities by teachers, they responded that the purpose of sexual education was to bring up sexual knowledge and attitudes in order to have sexual responsibility. The proper period of beginning sexual education by teachers showed at kindergarten in school health teachers (62.3%); at lower grades of elementary school in special classroom teachers (40.2%); and at higher grades in inclusive classroom teachers (36.8%). Difficulties in teaching sexuality were, low level of cognition and limited adaptation of students with disabilities in school health teachers (51.0%); lack of knowledge in contents of sexual education and teaching technique in special classroom teachers (22.9%) and inclusive classroom teachers (24.2%). As to the education hours of sexual education, 56.5% of subjects responded to be taught on occasion. 95.9% of subjects responded that continuing education for sexuality should be required, but only 50.4% responded to teach sexual education. As to teachers in charge of sexual education, 50.5% of school health teachers and 44.8% of special classroom teachers responded to be special classroom teachers.
3. In states of sexual education by teachers, 58.8% of inclusive classroom teachers didn't teach sexual education. The reason for not teaching sexual education was lack of knowledge in sexual education content and teaching technique in special classroom teachers and inclusive classroom teachers; and low level of cognition and limited adaptation of students with disabilities in school health teachers.
In time of sexual education, 84.7% of special classroom teachers taught when they observed students' improper or problematic behavior, or curiosity in sexuality; 51.4% of school health teachers taught by the plan for a week, a month, and a year. 84.7% of special classroom teachers taught whenever they thought to be necessary; and 62.9% of school health teachers taught on classes in health education.
The most useful educational materials showed pictures (24.8%). As to an appropriate teaching method, showing audio-visual materials was 24.2% and lecturing was 15.2%. In types of collaboration with parents, teachers counseled and advised with parents about specific sexuality problems of their children (52.3%), indicating that they collaborated through communication. Special classroom teachers (65.4%) comparing other teachers advised specific sexuality problems of students with their parents.
4. In necessities of sexual education contents for students with disabilities by domains, teachers thought the contents of sexual education to be necessary in general. In necessities of contents of them by teachers, woman teachers had a high percentage; teachers working for less than 10-15 years, school health teachers, and teachers taken training course responded that sexual education content needed more in all domains except for sexual impetus. In frequency of the practice by domains of sexual education for students with disabilities, the highest was 'caring my body' and the lowest was 'sexual impetus'. In practice of sexual education content by teachers, teachers working for less than 10-15 years, school health teachers, and teachers taken training showed higher.
As above, it is necessary to develop and provide sexual education program that differentiated and tailored to the needs of students with disabilities for more effective sexual education. It is essential to extend opportunities in various training course of teaching method and content of sexual education in concurrence with specialized training; and to teach sexual education more actively linking closely between home and school. In perception and practice about sexual education content for students with disabilities, teachers identified the necessities of all 7 domains in content higher but frequency of practice in domain of physiological content and sexual impetus requiring expert knowledge in school spot showed lower. As the borderline of teachers in charge of sexual education for students with disabilities was not clear in general schools, the practice of sexual education might be negligent. Therefore, it should be necessary to classify teaching domains and to secure classes in sexuality only for students with disabilities, and to be made teachers' efforts and conditions for sexual education for students with disabilities in schools.