Changes of attitudes toward students with Down syndrome using the program of imagined contact
Assessment of the effectiveness of the program of imagined contact is important because it provides information about the justification of its use in the classroom. The aim of this study was to determine whether the program of imagined contact affected the attitudes of students toward their peers wi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Univerzitet u Beogradu - Fakultet za specijalnu edukaciju i rehabilitaciju
2017-01-01
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| Series: | Specijalna Edukacija i Rehabilitacija |
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| Online Access: | http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1452-7367/2017/1452-73671702173T.pdf |
| Summary: | Assessment of the effectiveness of the program of imagined contact is important because it provides information about the justification of its use in the classroom. The aim of this study was to determine whether the program of imagined contact affected the attitudes of students toward their peers with Down syndrome, and whether the knowledge of Down syndrome, contact with these people, and empathy of respondents had an impact on the efficiency of the program of imagined contact. The survey included 50 fourth grade students of elementary schools, divided into an experimental group, which participated in the program of imagined contact, and a control group. Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Towards Children with Handicaps Scale, The Contact with Disabled Persons Scale, Children's Knowledge about Handicapped Persons Scale and Interpersonal Reactivity Index were applied in this research. Pupils showed more positive attitudes towards people with Down syndrome, as well as a higher level of knowledge about them after the implementation of the program of imagined contact compared to the assessment before the implementation of a program, while the attitudes remained unchanged in the control group. Implementation of this program had no effect on the correlation of attitudes towards people with Down syndrome with knowledge about them and contact with this population, or with empathy of subjects. The use of the program of imagined contact in teaching is justified in order to prepare students for the possible arrival of a child with Down syndrome in the class. |
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| ISSN: | 1452-7367 2406-1328 |