Learning Disabilities towards Barriers against application IEP Essay Example

implement IEPs. Despite these efforts, there is a lack of adherence to necessary standards in executing IEPs in Saudi Arabia according to data collected from a Master's survey. The study aims to identify barriers faced by learning disabled students in inclusive institutes and programs, prioritize them, and develop tools to overcome them.This study, the first of its kind conducted in Saudi Arabia, is significant as it focuses on understanding the barriers that hinder the implementation of Individualized Education Programs (IEP) from teachers' perspective. Identifying these barriers is crucial for developing strategies to improve educational services for learning disabled students. Implementing IEPs effectively fosters creativity, but different interpretations of labels or categories of disability among instructors can lead to varying perceptions. Avramidis & Norwich (2002) discuss how personal experiences shape instructors' views on labels. These perceptions can be positive or negative and may vary unpredictably. In my synthesis of my doctoral research proposal, I will briefly review recent literature on IEPs, which are highly contentious and complex concepts. I will address key methodological issues including the purpose and scope of the study, research questions, and terminology related to Learning Disabled and individualized instruction plans from various perspectives such as educational, medical, legal, and societal viewpoints (Adal, 2004).However, my research in the special education field and findings from my Master's study have shown that although instructors have some understanding of IEP content, they struggle with its implementation. This leads to barriers that hinder the utilization of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) and ultimately result in decreased flexibility and teamwork. Difficulties in using the IEP can also lead to lower academic outcomes.

The aim of this research is to

identify the barriers faced by instructors of learning disabled students in Saudi Arabia when implementing the Individualized Education Program (IEP). The research consists of two stages. The first stage is an interpretative exploratory instance survey, which examines the complexity of defining Learning Disabled and the IEP, as well as reviewing recent literature on these topics.

In addition, qualitative semi-structured interviews will be conducted to gather data on the barriers to using the IEP according to learning disabled teachers in Saudi Arabia. These interviews will focus on identifying common barriers and how they may vary based on factors such as age, education level, work experience, and location. Suggestions for overcoming these barriers will also be sought during these interviews.The second stage of the study involves an explanatory instance study that examines cause-effect relationships and identifies barriers encountered when using the IEP with learning disabled students in institutions or schools using the meeting system in Al Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study will employ a quantitative questionnaire to collect data. It is assumed that teachers have different perceptions of obstacles to implementing the IEP, as indicated by the IEP obstacles scale. There are significant differences among instructors' agencies in perceiving these obstacles, which can be attributed to their perceptions of the educational environment, experience levels, and understanding of barriers to achieving social inclusion. To gain a better understanding of the current status and challenges of the inclusion project in Riyadh, qualitative semi-structured interviews and a focus group will be conducted. This phase aims to delve deeper into participants' perspectives on barriers to achieving social inclusion. Additionally, a quantitative survey will be conducted as part of this second stage to

build upon previous knowledge and gather detailed information on participants' knowledge and opinions regarding IEP. This includes evaluating pre and in-service training, available resources, and potential solutions to problems.The text discusses the obstacles to change in organizations such as LEA and mainstream schools. It explains that single-loop learning involves identifying and correcting mistakes by maintaining existing policies or achieving current goals. This is represented by turning the heat on or off based on the room's temperature, with a thermoregulator taking action based on temperature information. In contrast, double-loop learning involves changing an organization's underlying norms, policies, and objectives to correct mistakes.

However, caution must be exercised when comparing integration and inclusion experiences between different states due to variations in beliefs, philosophies, political or cultural systems, and educational policies and practices within and between states. The differences between eastern and western provinces of America emphasize the importance of considering qualitative differences between two states from different continents. Various factors such as beliefs, ideologies, social background, educational level experience teaching experience socio-political agendas personality can influence teachers' understanding. Determining the relative importance of these factors is a challenging task.In the Arab universe, instructors may hold negative attitudes towards individuals with learning disabilities, which can impact their willingness to participate in an individualized instruction program. The literature review emphasizes the importance of changing beliefs and attitudes during interviews regarding these programs. Tymitz (1981) conducted a study involving 102 special education instructors that identified barriers faced when implementing such programs. The study discovered challenges in assessing current performance levels, setting yearly objectives, determining short-term aims, and developing a program strategy. Additionally, teachers hesitated to embrace individualized instruction due to perceived

time constraints on both themselves and students, leading them to prefer traditional teaching methods. Another researcher named Scanlon (1981) focused on identifying obstacles to implementing individualized instruction programs at Portland State University. The survey included 168 parents, specific instruction instructors, and psychological staff members. The findings revealed that unequal participation in program conferences presented a significant barrier.The text discusses the barriers that were identified in a survey conducted to pinpoint obstacles in using the individualized instruction program according to those who work in special education. These barriers include a lack of collaboration among team members, unclear assignments for each member, and a need for qualified participants in these conferences. The study conducted by Engelhard (1983) examined the challenges faced by special education instructors in evaluating and improving Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). This study involved a sample of 508 teachers, principals, and educators. The findings emphasized several issues, such as excessive paperwork, difficulties with written plans, time constraints during preparation, and certain individuals being solely responsible for IEP development. Another study carried out by Rouse & Agbenu (1989) aimed to identify barriers that impede the implementation of individualized instruction programs from the perspective of special education professionals. Notable barriers identified included a lack of collaboration among team members and the need for training courses when working on developing individualized instruction programs. Limited parental involvement was also noted as an obstacle.The text discusses barriers to implementing the Individualized Education Program (IEP) in various educational settings. One challenge is determining the appropriate time to create the IEP, which should be planned after identifying the suitable educational setting for the child. Another barrier is the lack of a multi-specialized

team, as well as failure to utilize diagnostic results when preparing the IEP. Teachers also express dissatisfaction with their experience in planning the IEP and emphasize the need for training courses to simplify the process. Dabokuski (2004) found that lack of parental involvement in IEP meetings and absence of a multi-specialized work team are significant obstacles. Hanafi (2005) conducted a study on barriers associated with using the IEP in Al-Amal centers for deaf students and schools following an inclusion system, involving 166 teachers from these institutions located in Al Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The findings highlighted two main barriers identified by Hanafi's study.There is a lack of legislation requiring consensus decisions by work teams. It is important to implement the Individual Education Program (IEP) in conjunction with the inclusion system, but instructors teaching deaf pupils in Al Riyadh face challenges due to their different experiences. However, there are limitations to consider in this study. Researchers must be cautious when gathering data from Saudi instructors as they may not fully express their true beliefs on sensitive educational issues such as learning disabilities and individual education programs. The future survey may also have flaws that need careful handling. Additionally, convincing instructors to participate in the study may be difficult due to their busy schedules, resulting in delays in completing questionnaires or participating in semi-structured interviews. Furthermore, only a small portion of participants may actually complete the distributed questionnaires. Moreover, identifying suitable mainstream schools willing to facilitate data collection may pose challenges.The researcher will concentrate on two areas, namely governmental and unifying system schools under the Minister of Education in Al Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main focus is to

comprehend the challenges faced by instructors of learning handicapped pupils in Al Riyadh when utilizing the Individualized Education Program (IEP) from 2012 onwards. The aim is to identify suggestions that can overcome these obstacles. To address the duality between qualitative and quantitative research in social sciences, a mixed methodology approach will be employed, using semi-structured interviews and Likert scale questionnaires. This research project will primarily center on Riyadh city, which has a significant population of 10 million people and a considerable number of learning handicapped students attending special and mainstream schools. Following Yin's (1993) recommendations for my doctoral thesis, these schools in Riyadh city will be chosen as case studies for this research project.

Participants (L/Disabled Teachers)

Instructors working in all L/Disabled primary schools in Riyadh will participate in the proposed doctoral thesis.

Procedures (Data aggregation and analyses)

The research process will involve using online electronic diary databases such as EBESCO EJS, Education Research Complete, ERIC plus text, JSTOR, recent books, master's and doctoral theses, and manually searching relevant journals like The British Journal of Special Education, European Journal of Special Educational Needs, International Journal of Inclusive Education. To confirm my research questions, I will conduct semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the study will be done quantitatively using SPSS. The data collected from semi-structured interviews will be analyzed through thematic analysis/discourse analysis.

Data Analysis

The data collected from the first stage of the survey (semi-structured interviews) will be written and recorded in Arabic to avoid any translation technical issues. Qualitative coding approach (Miles and Huberman, 1984) will then be used to analyze the data which will later be translated into English. The instructors' responses will be analyzed using statistical software

SPSS16. Descriptive analysis and standard deviations for each statement in each subsection will be computed. The study will follow scientific methodological analysis convention to code, organize, analyze discuss and conclude. The questionnaire itself will have three or four sections to appropriately categorize each point.The questionnaire will be reviewed by the first supervisor and three doctoral schoolmates for corrections, modifications, and remarks on its construction and content. After consulting with the supervisor, most of their corrections and remarks will be incorporated. To ensure reliability with this specific sample, an internal consistency assessment using Cronbach's alpha coefficient test will be conducted on the scale. It is important to conduct this test as there may be ambiguity in the split-half test of dependability depending on how it is split.

This study focuses on identifying barriers that hinder effective use of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for students with mental disabilities in accessing educational services that contribute significantly to skill improvement. These barriers encompass various variables such as parents' involvement, students' capabilities, teachers' roles, collaboration among multi-specialized teams, and administrative factors. The IEP is a personalized certification specifically designed for each child with mental disorders aimed at helping them develop necessary skills to achieve predetermined objectives and effectively utilize their abilities.

During the implementation of the IEP, conflicts among team members can arise, particularly involving teachers who bear a significant burden. Furthermore, obstacles exist due to administrative and parental barriers as well as a lack of information and awareness among school staff.In my doctoral thesis, I will discuss strategies to address potential issues that may arise when school administrators lack qualifications to oversee the execution of the IEP and when students

face obstacles such as learning disabilities and dissatisfaction with program content. By increasing the implementation of IEPs, we can enhance the inclusion trend and achieve positive outcomes for learning disabled students in mainstream classes while also addressing any negative effects that may occur.