Students with Intellectual Disability in Special Needs School: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Although individuals with intellectual disabilities have limited intellectual functions and adaptations, teachers are expected to understand the uniqueness of students so that teachers are able to educate and teach students by developing ideas and innovations that they have. This qualitative descriptive study aims to describe the situation of students with intellectual disabilities in a special needs school. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 8 participants selected by a purposive sample method, who consisted of 3 teachers, 3 parents, and 2 students with intellectual disabilities. The data collected in this study was analyzed using thematic analysis. Therefore, there are 3 (three) themes resulted from the description of the situation of students with intellectual disabilities in the special needs school: 1) the barriers of children with intellectual disabilities; 2) the expectation for students; and 3) teaching methods in class. Thus, it is expected that teachers can understand the characteristics of each student with intellectual disabilities so that they can use right approaches in providing teaching to facilitate student understanding.

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International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications
ISSN (Online): 2581-6187
57
Cau Kim Jiu, Ph.D; Nita Zulfia; Indah Dwi Rahayu, M.Kep; Gusti Jhoni Putra, M.Kep; Wuriani, M.Kep; and Haryanto,Ph.D, ―Students with
Intellectual Disability in Special Needs School: A Qualitative Study,‖ International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications
(IJMRAP), Volume 2, Issue 12, pp. 57-60, 2020.
Students with Intellectual Disability in Special Needs
School: A Qualitative Study
Cau Kim Jiu, Ph.D1; Nita Zulfia2; Indah Dwi Rahayu, M.Kep3; Gusti Jhoni Putra, M.Kep4;
Wuriani, M.Kep5; Haryanto,Ph.D6
1Senior Lecturer, Nursing Study Program, School of Nursing Muhammadiyah Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
2Nursing Student, School of Nursing Muhammadiyah Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
3,4,Lecturer, Nursing Study Program, School of Nursing Muhammadiyah Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
5,6Senior Lecturer, Nursing Study Program, School of Nursing Muhammadiyah Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Email address: 1*chaujiu99@gmail.com; 2fiazulnitata@gmail.com; 3indah@stikmuhptk.ac.id; 4gustijhoni16@gmail.com;
5wureeanshie@yahoo.com, 6haryanto@stikmuhptk.ac.id
Abstract— Although individuals with intellectual disabilities have
limited intellectual functions and adaptations, teachers are expected
to understand the uniqueness of students so that teachers are able to
educate and teach students by developing ideas and innovations that
they have. This qualitative descriptive study aims to describe the
situation of students with intellectual disabilities in a special needs
school. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 8
participants selected by a purposive sample method, who consisted of
3 teachers, 3 parents, and 2 students with intellectual disabilities.
The data collected in this study was analyzed using thematic analysis.
Therefore, there are 3 (three) themes resulted from the description of
the situation of students with intellectual disabilities in the special
needs school: 1) the barriers of children with intellectual disabilities;
2) the expectation for students; and 3) teaching methods in class.
Thus, it is expected that teachers can understand the characteristics
of each student with intellectual disabilities so that they can use right
approaches in providing teaching to facilitate student understanding.
Keywords— Special needs school, intellectual disability, teachers,
students.
I. INTRODUCTION
Intellectual disability (intellectual developmental
disorders) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by
limitations in intellectual function and adaptive function. This
disorder includes three domains covering conceptual, social
and practical skills [1]. Intellectual disability term is a new
term used by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM-5) to replace the term of mental retardation
used in DSM-IV. In Indonesia, children with intellectual
disabilities are included in the category of children with
special needs where children with special needs are children
who have extraordinary physical or mental, intellectual, social,
or emotional limitations [2].
In the United States, for example, the prevalence survey
results in children aged 3 to 17 years who were diagnosed with
intellectual disability did not experience significant changes
from 2014 to 2016. In 2014, the prevalence was 1.10%,
whereas in 2015 it increased to 1, 34%. However, in 2016 it
fell again to 1.14%. Intellectual disability is developmental
disability with the lowest prevalence when compared to the
prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders and other
developmental disabilities [3]. In Indonesia, there are no exact
data on the number of children with intellectual disabilities.
However, in 2016 the Center for Education and Cultural
Statistics of the Republic of Indonesia recorded that there were
69,403 students with intellectual disabilities. This number
increased in 2017 to 71,411 students attending special needs
schools. Specifically, students with autism, deafness,
blindness, physical disability, and multiple disabilities make
the highest number [4].
Teaching students with intellectual disabilities is a special
challenge in which a teacher, besides teaching, must
understand the conditions of each student who are certainly
different from each other. The teacher must be able to
innovate and use appropriate teaching methods to overcome
the difficulties of students with intellectual disabilities.
According to Angelka and Goran (2018) in general, children
with intellectual disorders have special learning problems [5].
As a result, having limitations in academic ability will affect
their ability to adapt to the home, school and community
environment [6]. Appropriate teaching methods in the
classroom are very important for children with intellectual
disabilities so that the lessons given by the teacher can be
accepted and understood by the students.
Teachers can utilize various technologies to help students
with intellectual difficulties in learning, for examples tablets,
smartphones, computers, and music players. Given that
students with intellectual disabilities have excellent abilities
for visual association, teachers can also use media such as
pictures and videos to effectively encourage learning. [5][7].
However, these students need support from parents and
teachers, as well as learning facilities to develop their skills
and abilities in learning.
For this reason, in order to improve student health and
learning success, Schools of Nursing have a very important
role in providing education and health services as well as
counseling for teachers and children with special needs.
II. OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to describe and explore the lives of
students with intellectual disabilities in a Special Needs school
in Rasau Jaya district, Kubu Raya Regency, Indonesia.

International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications
ISSN (Online): 2581-6187
58
Cau Kim Jiu, Ph.D; Nita Zulfia; Indah Dwi Rahayu, M.Kep; Gusti Jhoni Putra, M.Kep; Wuriani, M.Kep; and Haryanto,Ph.D, ―Students with
Intellectual Disability in Special Needs School: A Qualitative Study,‖ International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications
(IJMRAP), Volume 2, Issue 12, pp. 57-60, 2020.
III. METHODOLOGY
This research is a descriptive qualitative research. This
method is used to provide an overview and summary of daily
events [8]. This research was conducted at a special needs
school, Sekolah Luar Biasa (SLB) Rasau Jaya district, Kubu
Raya Regency, West Kalimantan Province Indonesia. This
research was conducted from January 2020 to February 2020
with a total of 8 participants consisting of 3 teachers, 3 parents
and 2 students with intellectual disabilities. Samples were
selected using a purposive sampling technique. The criteria for
participants are parents who have children with intellectual
disabilities, are able to read and write. Whereas the teacher
participants are teachers who have been teaching at Rasau
Jaya SLB for over 1 year. As for students, the sample selection
criteria are that students can communicate well, get approval
from the teacher and parents.
This research has passed the ethics test on the ethics
committee of the Pontianak Muhammadiyah Nursing School
Number: 8 / II.I.AU / KET.ETIK / I / 2020. In conducting
research, the researcher always followed the procedures
established by the ethics committee and complied with
research ethics such as maintaining confidentiality and
information provided by participants, applying honesty values,
considering the benefits of research for respondents,
respecting human dignity by giving participants freedom to
make choices in participating in this research. At this stage the
researcher provided information sheets and consent forms for
the participants before engaging in the research process.
The instrument for data collection was a set of interview
guides that was developed based on the research objectives.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face using
a recording device during the interview process. The interview
process lasted for 30 to 40 minutes. Some questions asked
during the interview include: 1) What are the barriers of
children with intellectual disabilities?; 2) What are your
expectations for students with intellectual disabilities?; 3)
What is your technique in carrying out the learning process in
the classroom?; and 4) What are your expectation for children
with intellectual disabilities. In addition to interviews, the
researcher conducted observations on student and teacher
activities in the classroom.
The data obtained were then analyzed using thematic
analysis technique. Thematic analysis is a method used to
identify, analyze, and report themes in data with the stages
transcribed in verbatim. Afterwards, the next processes are
encoding the texts line by line, looking for themes, reviewing
themes, determining and naming themes, and then generating
the reports [9]. Rigor was ensured by observing key principles
of qualitative interviewing consistent such as building trust
and good relationship with the key informants. The
researchers also conducted triangulation and members-
checking to confirm the results of interpretation with 6 key
informants.
IV. RESULTS
This study generated 3 themes regarding the life
scenarios of students with Intellectual Disabilities in Special
Needs School, which consisted of: 1) the barriers of children
with intellectual disabilities; 2) the expectations for students;
and 3) teaching methods in the classroom;
Theme 1: The Barriers of children with Intellectual
Disability
In this study teachers and parents have understanding
that children with intellectual disabilities are children who
always need assistance in learning, easily forget what they
have been taught about, and so that they need to be taught
repeatedly. As what the following participants said:
“… when asked to read and to count he cannot do it by
himself if a teacher does not help him, so he needs to be
assisted and encouraged in learning so that he can do
it...”(T1)
“…when teaching them (students with intellectual
intelligence) we cannot only do it once, it can be two or three
times, even more so that they understand and can do
something, but after that when asked to repeat, they have
forgotten again…”(T2)
“… if there is homework I sometimes help him do it, I even
help him write it because otherwise the school assignment
cannot be finished…”(P1)
“…when reading he takes very long time, he spells the letters,
even if I have helped him to spell the letters, and then ask him
to re-read the sentence, he is not able to recall it again even
though I have just mention the letters …”(P2)
In addition, one of the participants explained that teaching
children with intellectual disability requires extra patience as
said in this following expression:
“…their grasping ability is not like students in public schools,
so sometimes even if we have explained a lesson many times
they still might not understand it, especially mathematics. So,
if we are impatient we might be angry, upset or we don't care
at all, but we have to understand it, indeed they are very slow
to understand, so be patient and take a deep breath…” (T3)
The researcher's observations in class activities show that in
the teaching and learning process teachers accompany students
while learning by helping and being beside their students, the
teachers help students spell letters or numbers and hold
students' hands when writing.
Theme 2: The Expectations for Students
Although the students experience intellectual disability,
both parents and teachers have positive expectations for the
students. Some parents and teachers hope that such children
can be independent, and can be like other normal students. As
revealed by the following participants:
“…hopefully in the future my students who have intellectual
disabilities can in general be like other normal students, they

International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications
ISSN (Online): 2581-6187
59
Cau Kim Jiu, Ph.D; Nita Zulfia; Indah Dwi Rahayu, M.Kep; Gusti Jhoni Putra, M.Kep; Wuriani, M.Kep; and Haryanto,Ph.D, ―Students with
Intellectual Disability in Special Needs School: A Qualitative Study,‖ International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications
(IJMRAP), Volume 2, Issue 12, pp. 57-60, 2020.
can read, write and finish their education until they
graduate…” (T3)
“…what I hope is that for him to be independent, he can be
like any other normal children and does not need to be
ordered when doing something. Knowing when he needs to
take a bath, study, and eat by himself. It would be a relief that
when he grows up he can get a job, at least he can support his
own life.…”(P3)
In addition, children with intellectual disabilities also have
hopes for their parents such as equality in treatment and
affection. This was revealed by the children as follows:
“In order for my mom and dad can love (us) equally…” (C1)
“…they don't discriminate when at home and at
school…”(C2)
Theme 3: Teaching Methods in Class
In teaching children with intellectual disabilities the
teachers apply the teaching methods using teaching aids and
skills guidance, as revealed by the teachers below:
“…In addition to academic skills, our students are also
trained to develop their talents or skills such as embroidery,
making bags or souvenirs, and sewing for their future real life
support in the community…”(T3)
“…me, when teaching I bring media or direct examples so
that it is easy for them to understand. Sometimes I bring
pictures to show them while teaching…”(T1)
Observations in the school environment show that there are a
number of student handicraft products such as bags, wallets,
paintings, clothing, and souvenirs of students' work. The
products are used not only to participate in competitions but
also to sell to the public.
V. DISCUSSION
Teaching children with intellectual disabilities has its
own challenges for teachers and parents. Teachers must have
extra patience in teaching because children with intellectual
disabilities have weak memories and they forget easily, so
they need to be taught repeatedly. This is in accordance with
the characteristics of intellectual disability in which
individuals who have intellectual disabilities will experience
decreased ability to read, write, do mathematics, reason,
understand science, and store memories [1]. In addition,
people with intellectual disabilities experience limitations or
weaknesses in intellectual functioning and have difficulty
understanding abstract concepts [10]
Although children and students experience limitations,
parents and teachers have positive expectations for the
children's future. Parents and teachers hope the children have a
good future, can finish school and can be independent in doing
activities, especially activities in meeting daily needs such as
bathing, eating and dressing. This is in accordance with the
results of Ariesta's research (2016) which explains that parents
have a concern for the careers of their children with special
needs so that some parents hope that children with special
needs can go to school, learn to write, read and develop their
potential [11]. The results of previous studies also mentioned
that parents must have strong beliefs and optimistic views for
the future of children who experience intellectual, physical
and learning disabilities. Thus, support is needed from all
family members and also teachers at school [12]. Accordingly,
the researcher affirms that community, especially parents,
expecting for children with intellectual disability to be
independent in both career and education is something natural.
It is because every parent or teacher wants the best for each
child and their students in general. It is not always possible for
the children to be together with their parents all the time, so
efforts and interventions are necessary to help children
become independent such as by providing good education at
school and teaching independence at home.
The teacher must have right methods for teaching
children with intellectual disability. The right methods will
help students easily understand the material presented. Props
such as pictures and videos are often used by teachers in
teaching. Especially, in this era, various technologies can be
used by teachers to help students with intellectual disabilities
in learning such as tablets, smartphones, computers, and music
players [7]. Besides that, the use of media such as pictures and
videos can help students think concretely, thus encouraging
teaching and learning processes to take place effectively
because students with intellectual disabilities have excellent
abilities for visual association while are weak in the ability of
auditory memory [5].
VI. CONCLUSION
Teachers and parents play an important role in the
development of children with intellectual disability both at
home and at school. Children or students with intellectual
disabilities can develop well if their teachers apply appropriate
teaching methods and media so that some obstacles in the
learning process can be overcome. In addition, support from
family members and teachers greatly helps the children ability
to be independent in the future both in terms of academic
independence and independence in carrying out daily
activities.
Community nurses can collaborate with school teachers
by conducting various efforts or health programs such as
counseling, health promotion and regular health checks. For
parents, nurses can do nursing care at home visits to families
with children with intellectual disabilities by emphasizing
promotive, preventive and rehabilitative efforts and
encouraging the parents to take their child to health facilities if
the child has health problems both physically and
psychologically.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The writer would like to thank the principal and teachers
at the Rasau Jaya District Special Needs School, SLB Rasau
Jaya, and parents who have children with intellectual
disabilities who have been involved in this study.

International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications
ISSN (Online): 2581-6187
60
Cau Kim Jiu, Ph.D; Nita Zulfia; Indah Dwi Rahayu, M.Kep; Gusti Jhoni Putra, M.Kep; Wuriani, M.Kep; and Haryanto,Ph.D, ―Students with
Intellectual Disability in Special Needs School: A Qualitative Study,‖ International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications
(IJMRAP), Volume 2, Issue 12, pp. 57-60, 2020.
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