Abstract:

Introduction:
A socially inclusive society allows people with different abilities to have equal opportunities to participate in and contribute to society. Negative attitude is a major barrier to full social inclusion of people with disabilities. With the global rising trends of disability and ageing, it is important to instil a positive attitude and feelings of respect and care for older adults with disabilities in individuals from an early age. Evidence has suggested that students’ attitudes towards people with disabilities may be improved by simulation-based experiential learning. It could also be an effective way of developing empathy as well as better understanding of the daily challenges faced by people with disabilities and hence their health needs.

Aim:
This study was aimed at investigating the usefulness of a disability inclusion intervention in improving junior secondary school students’ attitudes towards people with disabilities, their satisfaction with life, and satisfaction with the disability simulation learning experience.

Method:
A disability inclusion intervention was developed and conducted in two secondary schools. The intervention consisted of an inclusivity education and community contact workshop, service-learning seminar, disability simulation workshop, and refection and discussion session. In the simulation workshop, an obstacle game was organised where students tried on disability simulation suits and carried out daily activities. Older adults with chronic stroke joined as volunteers and shared their experiences of living with physical and psychological challenges after stroke, and how they integrated back to society. Students were given opportunities to ask the volunteers questions to learn more about their feelings and health needs. Students filled questionnaire surveys which assessed their knowledge and attitude towards older adults with disabilities using the Students’ Attitudes toward People with a Disability Scale, and their own satisfaction with life using the Satisfaction with Life Scale, before and after the intervention. After attending the intervention, the students were also assessed about their satisfaction with the disability simulation workshop using the Satisfaction with Disability Simulation Experience Scale. Paired t-tests were performed to compare the means of the outcomes between the pre-test and post-test.

Result:
540 secondary school students participated (from secondary class 1 to 3) with a mean age of 13.44 years (SD = 1.16), ranging from 11 to 18 years. Among the students, 51.8% were female and an almost 1:1 gender ratio was considered. The results showed that the students had an overall high satisfaction with the disability simulation workshop. There was a significant increase in the total score of the Satisfaction with Life Scale at post-test compared with the pre-test score.

Conclusion:
The disability inclusion intervention was appreciated by students and significantly improved their satisfaction with life, however, further data collection from more secondary schools is needed for evaluating the effects of the intervention on students’ attitudes towards people with disabilities as well as the disability inclusion reach.

Keywords:

Disability inclusion, simulation, secondary schools.