The education of children with Spina bifida in Malta : a case study of a five-year old boy

Abstract

This is a case study of Martin, a five-year old boy who has Spina Bifida - a physical disability, carried out during academic year 1998/1999 when Martin attended year one in a state primary school. This project investigates Martin's education and inclusion at school including his progress, the physical and human resources provided, accessibility, relationships, attitudes towards disability and inclusive education. It involves direct/indirect observations of Martin in the school and home environments, interviews, questionnaires, a sociometric test and a checklist. Besides Martin's views, the perceptions of his parents, school staff, peers and their parents are also explored. The result of the study shows that Martin's school needs to give more importance towards inclusive education since this is not being tackled in the appropriate way. Therefore, in the light of the author's findings and conclusions in the study, a number of recommendations about the inclusion of children with Spina Bifida in Malta, particularly that of Martin, are being proposed.