Factors affecting the social skills in the curriculum of mentally retarded students from the viewpoints of educational managers in Bushehr Province, Iran

Abstract

Background: Due to considerable importance of education among children with intellectual disability, present study aimed at examination of effective factors on social skills curriculum among the students with mental retardation. Materials and methods: The statistical universe included all experts in organization of exceptional students’ education, all curriculum planning specialists in vocational high-school grade and all teachers of high-school mentally retarded students in Busher Province. Using Cochran’s formula, the statistical sample was selected through simple random sampling. A total number of 40 experts of exceptional students’ education, 80 curriculum planners and 93 teachers answered the questionnaire. The researcher-generated questionnaire was used for data collection. Results: The analyses suggest teachers’ belief on less suitability of vocational high-school curricula to social interests of such students, less individual self-sufficiency achievement among graduates and an insignificant role in vocational rehabilitation of mentally retarded students. Conclusion: More efforts should be taken to improve social interests and willingness, self-sufficiency and vocational rehabilitation of intellectual disabled children.