COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES ON SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

Abstract

This paper discusses about the perspectives of the local community, family, school and peers on special needs children (or disabled children) schooling under the Special Education Integrated Programme in Bintulu District Education Office, Sarawak, Malaysia. This discussion is done based on the resources of past research conducted in Malaysia as well as overseas such as in the United States, Britain, Italy, and India. Labeling theory and theories of perception are reviewed engaging the social conflicts. Totally 88 respondents from Chinese community had been taken to answer the questionnaire. In general, there is a handful optimistic views that special needs children have their own talent, they are the special gift from God, they can distinguish good or bad things, have influences and roles to play. In addition, community feels sympathy with them, the community likes mingling with them and believe they can make hands activities very well. Due to the environmental impact on the development of individual and social skills of special needs child, the study suggested that Malaysians continue to hold to the principles to provide safe and quality education to special needs children. Efforts need to continue to foster a healthier community awareness and positive support on special needs children so that a gap of discrimination can be reduced because every individual has the right to obtain social development and quality of education.