ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate how vocational education and transitional services offered in vocational institutions helped young adults with mental retardation attain full community integration. The study objectives included to; investigate the extent to which vocational education equip young adults with mental retardation with skills of community adjustment and identify different avenues through which they were integrated in the community. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative approach. Quantitative analysis was applied for the purpose of clarification, strengthening, explaining and supporting qualitative information. The research design was a descriptive case study. The target population comprised all young adults with mental retardation in Kiambu County. The sample of the study included 10 young adults with mental retardation. Other respondents were a headteacher/employer, 2 vocational teachers and 9 parents. Data collection was done by use of interview guides, note taking, audio recording and observation checklist. The actual data collection took 30 days. Data from interviews and observation text were coded and codes created according to the themes of the study. Qualitative data analysis was by use of Atlas ti software computer programme. Quantitative data analyses were manually through tallying the frequency of segmented responses. The study established that community participation of young adults with mental retardation is very minimal. Further, the findings revealed that in as much as young adults with mental retardation were offered vocational skills in the special school, what they were engaged in was not relevant to the skills they trained in. This led to some of them disliking the kind of jobs they had as avenues of community integration. It was also found that there lacked a well-specified vocational curriculum for persons with mental retardation. The societal negative attitude towards young adults with mental retardation participation was found to be the major barrier to their community integration. To address these challenges, it was recommended that special educators and trainers should be involved in policy- making so as to put in place what is needed as far as persons with mental retardation are concerned in areas of vocational training and their community integration. It was also recommended that the government through the Kenya Institute of Education should implement special education vocational curriculum in order to facilitate job market- oriented courses to these individuals with mental retardation. Finally, the researcher is of the opinion that the government should empower young adults with mental retardation with kits to start their self-reliant businesses to facilitate effective community integration.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of the background to the study, statement of the problem, objectives, research questions, significance of the study, delimitations and limitations, assumptions, theoretical and conceptual framework and operational definitions of terms.
Background to the Study
According to American Association of Mental Retardation (AAMR) of 2000, Mental retardation refers to significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behaviour, and manifested during the development period. AAMR defines adaptive behaviour as the collection of conceptual, social and practical skills that have been learned by people in order to function in their everyday society (Gargiulo, 2009).
Graduates with mental retardation leave school systems each year. They are often unable to obtain employment, isolated within the community and do not usually have access to the service programmes necessary to support their participation in the community. In many cases, students leave school with virtually no meaningful opportunities and options (McDonnell, Buckner & Ferguson, 1996). The most important adjustment in life is the transition from school environment into the post-school involvement (McDonnel et al., 1996).
This transition experience is not easy for the young adults who are mentally retarded because of severity of disability or constrains placed upon them by limited curriculum and inadequate transitional services offered in vocational institutions.
Compared to their non-disabled peers, persons with mental retardation experience lower rates of participation in the community and largely depend on families and significant others. Furthermore compared to other categories of disability, persons with mental retardation characteristically lag behind on matters concerning community participation. This is mainly because they have substantial limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive skills. This means that, they have limitations in adaptive skills which may include communication, self-care, home living, socio- skills, self-direction, health and safety, functional academics, work and leisure (Gargiulo, 2009). Intellectual limitations lead to their inability to transfer the same activities into different tasks, understand what is said and follow instructions. Persons with mental retardation also fail to develop social-emotional relationships and exhibit difficulties in paying attention or focusing on an activity to its completion (Gargiulo, 2009). They, therefore, need vocational education that is functional- oriented in that the individuals would attain skills like carpentry, dress-making, pottery, basketry and metalwork among others. In addition, they need transitional services such as Individualized Transitional Plans (ITP) for their community integration, counseling, career guidance and job training services to enhance satisfactory living in the community. This was supported
by articles 19, 26, 27 and 28 of UNCRPD (2008) in USA which advocates living independently, full participation, work and employment as essential to ensure full community integration of persons with disabilities among whom are persons with mental retardation. These rights fulfillment formed important concern to the study.
In developed countries like USA, Legislation has made it unlawful to discriminate against persons with disabilities in employment. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in USA as amended in 1974 makes it possible for the handicapped to enroll in regular vocational programmes and to receive the necessary support services to overcome barriers caused by disabilities (McDonnell et al., 1996). Global research suggest that education and community service system have made limited progress to adequately support the transition of students with mental retardation from school to community life (Taylor, 1997).
In Africa, South Africa is one of the countries where persons with disabilities are recognized to have equal rights with everyone else. Hence Naicker (1997) argue that in South Africa persons with disabilities are members of society and have the right to remain within their local communities; therefore, the reconstruction and development of society should recognize and address the developmental needs of persons with disabilities including those with mental retardation.
According to Ndurumo (1993), Special Needs Education in Kenya started at the end of the First World War. Many soldiers who were returning from the Second World War had been disabled. Hence, needed rehabilitation services such as vocational training, guidance and counseling among others. Special schools for persons with mental retardation developed from 1940s. The first school for persons with mental retardation was St. Nicholas special school (presently Jakaranda) which was established in 1948. Since then, Kenya has endeavored to offer both segregated and integrated special needs education. Integration was introduced in the mid 1970s following the global trends of educating persons with disabilities. In this regard, special units for learners with mental retardation were more than other disabilities in Kenya. Presently, special needs education for persons with mental retardation is provided in programmes such as; special schools, special units, integrated regular schools, small homes and vocational institutions. Vocational training programmes offering training to persons with mental retardation include; Jakaranda, Mathare and Variety Valley in Nairobi among others. Skills taught in those institutions include; ornament-making, poultry, leather work, agriculture, carpentry, knitting, tailoring and survival skills among others. According to the task force of 2003, the Ministry of Education through Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) has developed draft syllabuses for persons with mental retardation in areas such as language and communication, mathematics, perceptual training, activities of daily living, and pre-vocational skills to enhance the learning of persons with mental retardation (RoK, 2003). The fact
that there were pre-vocational skills, it was expected that there was curriculum for vocational skills.
Since independence in 1963, Kenya has been putting in place policies and frameworks on special education. The Ngala Mwendwa Committee (RoK, 1964) was appointed by the government to discuss care and rehabilitation of children with disabilities. The Sessional Paper No. 5 of 1968 called for the building of the first rehabilitation centre in Nairobi and the trainees were given a toolkit to start their own businesses for self-reliance (RoK, 1999). This excluded persons with mental retardation and considered only those with hearing impairment and the physically handicapped. The Total Integration Quality Education and Training (TIQET) commission calls for specialized services and programmes to effectively cope with the required academic, social and emotional needs of persons with disabilities inclusive of those with mental retardation (RoK, 1999).
Persons with Disabilities Act (RoK, 2003) call for equal opportunities in obtaining employment and participation in everyday activities within their communities. The Special Needs Education Policy (RoK, 2009) also emphasizes on participation and involvement of learners with special needs in socio-economic issues and in decision-making on matters affecting them directly or indirectly. Young adults with mental retardation were expected to fit in their environment with non-disabled counterparts. This study examined whether this is happening in Kenya.
