The purpose of this study was to survey parents' perception of the desegregated childcare for healthy and handicapped children. For this purpose, preceding studies and relevant literature were reviewed, and thereupon, parents were surveyed to analyze ...
The purpose of this study was to survey parents' perception of the desegregated childcare for healthy and handicapped children. For this purpose, preceding studies and relevant literature were reviewed, and thereupon, parents were surveyed to analyze their perception of desegregated childcare and address the problems and thereby, suggest their solutions.
To this end, a total of 269 parents were sampled to be subject to a questionnaire survey: 55 parents whose children were taken care of by the desegregated childcare centers, and 214 parents whose children were cared for by the private childcare facilities. The questionnaire consisted of five areas: understanding and accommodation of the desegregated childcare, methods of the desegregated childcare, effects of the desegregated childcare, obstacles to the desegregated childcare, and reform measures for the desegregated childcare.
The results of this study can be summarized as follows;
First, in terms of understanding and accommodation of the desegregated childcare, it was found that the groups of parents were positive more or less towards the desegregated childcare. In addition, there was found not much significant difference between parents' positive perception of the desegregated childcare and their willingness to have their children taken care of by the desegregated childcare centers.
Second, in terms of the methods of the desegregated childcare, many parents wanted a desegregated childcare in consideration of the handicap conditions. In other words, they did not care if their healthy children were nursed together with the slightly handicapped children. Merely, there was a difference of opinions regarding the handicap condition. On the other hand, most parents hoped that teachers and parents would discuss the desegregated childcare in advance, and that they would participate in the decision making. The majority of healthy children's parents thought it adequate that a handicapped child would be mixed with 10 ∼ 15 healthy children, while the majority of handicapped children's parents thought it adequate that a handicapped child would be mixed with less than 10 healthy children. Most of the parents felt it necessary that special teachers and ordinary teachers should involve in the desegregated childcare.
Third, in terms of the effects of the desegregated childcare, most of the handicapped children's parents perceived that the desegregated childcare would be helpful to handicapped children's cognitive development, linguistic development, social adaptability and human relationship. On the other hand, most of the healthy children's parents perceived that the desegregated childcare would help their healthy children to understand handicapped people's conditions and develop a favorable attitudes towards them.
Fourth, in terms of the obstacles to the desegregated childcare, most of the parents whose children were attending the desegregated childcare centers counted lack of concern about or understanding of the desegregated childcare, while most of the parents whose children were attending the private childcare centers thought that the obstacles were poor legal system and lack of administrative and financial support. To be more specific, those parents in their 20's counted poor understanding of the desegregated childcare, while those in their 30's and 40's pinpointed lack of legal, administrative and financial support.
Fifth, in terms of the reform measures for the desegregated childcare, handicapped children's parents perceived that childcare center operators and healthy children's parents should have a better understanding of the handicapped children, while healthy children's parents thought that legal, administrative and financial supports from the government were most essential. On the other hand, those parents who were in their 20's or who graduated from high school or lower schools or who were housewives or temporary workers perceived that the desegregated childcare should be compulsory legally, while those parents who were int their 30's or 40's, who graduated from colleges or higher schools, who were salary women or operating a self-owned business thought that legal, administrative and financial supports for the desegregated childcare were foremost.