Understanding Children`s Negative Attitudes Towards Peers with Special Needs in an Inclusive Kindergarten
Jeong Hee Hwang , Kai Sook Chung
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to understand children`s negative attitudes exhibited towards peers with special needs in an inclusive kindergarten, utilizing ethnographic research methodology. The subjects consisted of 54 children undergoing typical development and three children with special needs in a public kindergarten in Busan metropolitan city. Data collection was conducted by means of participant observations and interviews took place from April until November, 2009. Our results revealed that the responses of ``not acknowledging presence``, ``differentiating``, ``adapting them to us``, ``excluding at play`` were major themes in children`s negative attitudes exhibited towards peers with disabilities in an otherwise ostensibly inclusive kindergarten. The response of ``not acknowledging presence`` was categorized as a way of ignoring their existence, whereas ``differentiating`` was categorized as stressing difference, and assuring difference. There were two characteristics related to ``adapting them to us``: adapting them to our ways, adapting them to our knowledge. Concerning ``excluding from play``, four characteristics were found: excluding indirectly, excluding directly, excluding illogically, and excluding by seeking majority accord. The implications of the findings for inclusive early childhood education were discussed.
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