KNOWLEDGE OF EDUCATORS IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS IN SCREENING LEARNERS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES: LIMPOPO PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

M. Sibuyi¹, D. Mathye¹, N. Mshunqane¹, M. Tshabalala²

¹University of Pretoria, Physiotherapy, Gauteng, South Africa, ²Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Physiotherapy, Gauteng, South Africa

Background: South African learners with disabilities are expected to undergo screening prior to placement at an appropriate special school. South African Special Schools caters for the needs of children with varying degrees of disabilities. Caregivers of children with disabilities and educators play collaborative roles in the screening process. Caregivers of children with disabilities are expected to assist educators by providing all necessary documentation about the child and identified areas that requires ongoing support. Educators play a central role in screening, identifying, assessing and supporting children with disabilities at schools. Their outcome informs the District-Based Support Team to place learners at the appropriate Special Schools.

Purpose: To establish whether educators were able to screen children with disabilities in Special Schools of Limpopo, South Africa.

Methods: Quantitative online survey was developed on Qualtrics XM. Questions on the survey comprised variables of the national standardized form. The variables of interest included amongst others; disability of the learner and gross motor screening. A census sampling frame comprising educators (n=77) from three Special Schools (School A, B & C) was conducted. Of these, 50 participants completed the survey. Data were analysed on SPSS version 28 and presented with descriptive (percentages) and inferential statistics (One-Way ANOVA). Internal consistency of the tool had Cronbach’s alpha of 0.98. The level of significance was set at less or equal to 0.05 (p≤0.05).

Results: Response rate was 65%. Majority of participants were able to identify disability (70%). However, there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.01) amongst schools in this area. Regarding gross motor screening, 62% were uncertain and there was no statistical difference (p>0.05) amongst schools. Overall, one-Way ANOVA showed no statistically significant difference amongst the three special schools in identifying disabilities and screening of learners.

Conclusions: The availability of supporting documents by caregivers assisted educators in identifying the learner’s physical disability. However, educators were not equipped to conduct screening for developmental domains.

Implications: The need for physiotherapists was highlighted at Special Schools in order to support educators with various screening tools for gross motor.

Funding acknowledgements: The study received was funded by Limpopo Province ETDP SETA.

Keywords:
Physical disabilities
Gross motor screening
Educators

Topics:
Education
Disability & rehabilitation
Paediatrics

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: University of Pretoria

Committee: Health Sciences Ethics Committee

Ethics number: 668/2020