A Discussion on Children''s Social Interaction in a Kindergarten Inclusion Class -- Observation in a Pre-school Inclusion Class

• Main Authors: Hsin-Hui Hung, 洪馨徽
• Other Authors: Wen-Chuan Hsueh
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2000
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/82506945989456652662

碩士 === 國立新竹師範學院 === 幼兒教育研究所 === 88 === Abstract-- The main purpose of this study is to describe social interaction in a kindergarten inclusion class with 17 children (13 normal and 4 with special needs). Children''s interaction in a free play period were videotaped and coded according to positive/negative/neutral and verbal/physical/nonverbal criteria. 125 behavioral types were found and further analyzed with SPSS8.0. Children in this class demonstrated more positive behaviors than negative ones, more verbal behavior than physical ones, and more ''positive verbal''、 ''negative physical'' and ''neutral nonverbal'' behaviors. When comparing different groups, normal children exhibited a much higher proportion of positive behavior than their special peers and more verbal behavior. They also liked to interact with other normal children and had more successful interactions than with their special peers. Social interactions among second-year preschool children were better than second/first-year and first-year groupings. Familiarity may have some effects on children''s interaction. The more time these children spent together, special children as a group would demonstrate more positive behavior, less negative behavior and more successful interactions among themselves. Children with special needs include one with hearing impairment, one with visual impairment, one with mental retardation, and one with Down Syndrome. They exhibited rather different behavior patterns. Physical behavior occurred more often for these children except for the child with visual impairment, he had more verbal behavior. The child with minor mental retardation had the highest interaction rate and the most successful interactions with other children. The child with hearing impairment had the worst interaction and behavior patterns. The child with visual impairment and the child with mental retardation preferred to interact with normal children but the other two children interacted mostly with other special children. Familiarity did not seem to affect special children''s choice of interaction. Keywords: inclusion, social interaction, successful interaction, young children, special children, kindergarten