Inclusion-From Practice to PolicyAn Investigation of Its Impact on Pupils Attainment Within the Primary School Setting

8/9/2019 Inclusion-From Practice to PolicyAn Investigation of Its Impact on Pupils Attainment Within the Primary School Setting

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Interim Report: Inclusion - From practice to policy

[Student Name]

[Course Title]

[Instructor]

[Date]

Part 1 The Focus

Problem Statement

Critics argue that implementation of inclusion policy in traditional schools creates

distractions for both pupils with disability needs and non-disabled students. The main question of


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this research is: Does implementation of the inclusion policy impact the educational system in

mainstream schools? This issue will be resolved by supporting research questions, which are

highlighted in the following sections.

Rationale for Research

The purpose of the current study is to develop further on previous researches carried out

regarding the impacts of inclusion on disabled and non disabled pupils. Although extensive

research has been carried out in various problems and issues regarding education and inclusion

of disabled persons in different areas of society, the inclusion of disabled pupils in a primary

school setting has not been extensively researched and if research has been carried out a proper,

valid and logical conclusion needs to be derived from research.

The outcome and results of this research will benefit parents, teachers and administrators

working in mainstream schools as well as special schools. The research methodology and

samples used in this research can be used as a basis for further research by practitioners, teachers

and students. As this research focuses on the instructors and pupils in a school, the readers can

use this research to review practical implications of implementing inclusion policy in schools.

Similarly, the research will provide ample amount of evidence and data for understanding the

true essence of inclusion in schools and its impact on mainstream and special needs classrooms.

The external benefits of this research are wide and varied and help the readers especially

students, teachers and all those individuals that are connected directly or indirectly with special

education.

Teachers working in mainstream and special needs schools face difficulties in making

decisions about implementation of inclusion policies or separating pupils with special needs. I

work in an inner London primary school in a disadvantage community of Wandsworth. Half the


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pupils are entitled to free school meals (FSM).Well over two thirds of children are from minority

ethnic backgrounds (largest groups represented are Black Caribbean and Black African) and a

large majority do not speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils with learning

difficulties or disabilities is above the national average.

A significant proportion of our pupils are disadvantage in one form or the other. I am keen to

support them in getting a good start in life and progress on a good platform in their transition to

secondary phase. As part of my career development, I am keen to further develop my skills in

helping pupils to do better. Inclusion is an area that I am passionate about hence the drive and

interest.

Finally, I hope to share what have learnt through this work with colleagues such that all

staff, pupils and the school as a whole could benefit. Therefore, the implementation of inclusion

policies in schools, provide students with special needs to access education and knowledge in a

mainstream school setting and get a chance to relate with society. This implementation may also

pose several risks to both students with special educational needs and non-special educational

needs requirements.

Aims and Objectives

The major aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of implementation of inclusion

policy in mainstream schools. The research will specifically provide insight into the following.

The effects of implementing inclusion policy on traditional teaching methods in

mainstream schools

The positive and negative aspects of inclusion for pupils with special needs and non-

disabled students


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Selection of Students

The element of inclusion is based on the context in which students that have special

educational needs spend their time and studies with non-disabled students. The implementation

of inclusion is wide and varied the; most of the schools actually use this scenario for selected

students that have mild to moderate special needs. Inclusion in literal terms means change and

both inclusion and change are inevitable. As far as the legislation is concerned the current

legislation actually supports the concept of including students with disabilities. These children

are included in the general education classrooms but strategists and analysts believe that Is this

approach a workable one? Determining the effectiveness of this approach cannot be easily

gauged because the term inclusion cannot be found in law and it is inconsistently used in the

educational community. However, the inclusion programs vary from country to country and state

to state. This distinction is definition of the inclusion program is based on the scenario of

implementation and definition. The amount of support provided to the students and to the teacher

varies from country to country and that is the reason why it cannot be controlled for the purpose

of research.

The element of social inclusion and exclusion can be considered as chaotic and contested

terms in both the policy and academic circles. That is the reason why it can be said that the

inclusion of students that have learning disabilities remains one of the most controversial issues

in special education (McLeskey, Hoppey and Williamson 2004).

The scenario of students in the aspect of inclusion is a critical process and there are

certain educators and schools that say that inclusion is not good for pupils with special needs.

Many educational institutes expect that included student might be working at a near grade level

but with certain fundamental requirements. The first and the foremost aspect is the ability to


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attend the school. In the similar manner it can be said that students who are hospitalized for a

long term or who are educated outside the schools i.e. they are involved in distant education

programs cannot attempt the scenario of inclusion. Similarly, it can be said that there are certain

people who are considered as the poor pupils for inclusion because people believe that their

affect on other students are not favourable. It can also be said that there are certain students who

have certain behavioural issues and they pose a serious threat to other students who are not

disabled. There are certain scenarios in which the behavioural problems of disabled students

create difficulties for the non-disabled students and schools are bound to provide a same

environment to students. The poor implementation of inclusion creates difficulties for other

students for e.g. they make loud noises in schools and the academic curriculum of the class might

be disturbed. In the similar manner some students are not good pupils for inclusion because the

general environment in the class room prevent them from learning for example there are certain

students who actually possess severe attention difficulties or they are suffering from sensory

processing disorders. This might create a highly distracted environment and create difficulties for

other students who are studying and working on their desks. However, it should be kept in mind

when schools are starting inclusion programs that there are certain students who do not fall into

extreme conditions and they are not violent that is the reason why they can be included with the

non-disabled students.

That is the reason why different analysts actually predict that regular inclusion is a viable

option and full inclusion might create issues in both the short and the long run. In the similar

manner it can be said that for certain individuals who are dealing with issues like mental

retardation and autism spectrum or they are deaf regular inclusion cannot be considered as an

appropriate approach for education.


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Strategies for students with communication and learning disabilities

The category of students are quite wide and varied when it comes to inclusion. However,

teachers in typical classroom environments face certain class of students that possess ASHD

(Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), SLD (Specific Learning Disability) often experience

certain feelings. These feelings are listed below:

Wanting to pull out hair

Overwhelmed

Confused due to a certain situation.

The most basic aspect is to control and manage the students so that they can easily

coordinate with teacher in studies and the teacher has to develop proper communication and

managerial strategies. However, it can be said that there are certain realities about

communication and learning disorders and these aspects and realties are listed below:

The learning disorders are mostly related with the aspects of neurological conditions

which actually keep the people off the track.

They have no self control of attention or impulsive behaviour.

They are less reactive on normal situations and that is the reason why they are less

focused on their targets.

Therefore, in these scenario students who are actually disabled usually view their

teachers to be distracted, disorganized and impulsive in both the short and the long run.

However, it can be said that these disabled students are socially immature, suffering from low


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esteems and they in certain conditions display attention in short spans.

Inclusion in schools and its challenges

IDEA (1997) always described the concept of inclusion and related that with least

restrictive environment that actually encouraged special education within the general educational

context. In the similar manner it can also be said that there are fewer students that are usually

educated in settings that are considered to be segregated that is the reason why there are certain

inclusive opportunities exists. However, it can be clearly said that in the scenario of middle,

junior and high school levels the designing and implementing quality inclusion has proved to be

challenging. Students that incorporate certain disabilities create difficulties for certain schools

and their inclusion becomes challenging because of certain issues like caseload, inadequate

preparation and meagre professional development (Coleman 2000). There are certain other

researchers like Mastropieri and Scruggs (2001) have discussed in various reports the complexity

of schooling at the secondary level and they believe that it can be considered as a serious

impediment to inclusion. The Gaps are identified in senior students because they actually employ

teacher centred strategies for learning (Cole & McLesky 1997). They also stressed on the fact

that there are demands of time for both primary and secondary students (Cole and McLesky

1997). In the similar manner it can also be said that a situation might arise that teachers would

depict a less positive attitude towards educational inclusion in both primary and secondary

schools and they give less importance to disabled children.

Non-Disabled Students

There are certain analysts that actually believe in the phenomenon that if inclusion of

special education students is morally right then researchers argue on the scenario that this


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approach can be considered as a best approach for regular education students and this was

discussed by Hines and Johnson (1996). Similarly, researchers Staub and Peck (1995) argued

that inclusion of students in the primary school setting creates a phenomenon of accepting

community of learners and forming a society which disregards discrimination. In the similar

manner it can be also be said that these two researchers have stressed a lot on the outcomes that

are related with the inclusion for non-disabled students. These outcomes of inclusion are stated

below:

1. It can increase the awareness by reducing the fear of human differences.

2. It would result in quantum growth in social cognition.

3. There would be ample improvements in the scenario of self-concept.

4. There would be development of personal principles.

5. Ultimately, the final outcome would be the generation of warm and caring friendships.

It should be kept in mind that a common concern for parents of non-disables students

would be that will their children loose an ample amount of teachers attention and time.

Furthermore, they might also think that it might affect their performance in both the short and the

long run. There is another study Hollowood, Salisbury and Palomboro (1994) that if children

with disabilities are included in the class room specially comprising of primary students than it

had no effects on the allocated and the engaged time for non-disabled students. Thy all stressed

on the scenario that time spent in a class room have no significant difference in inclusive and

non-inclusive classrooms.


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Implications for teachers

In the scenario of inclusive environments especially class rooms the roles of regular

education teachers and special education teachers are re-defined. The implications for both the

teachers are quite different with each other and it can be said that the regular education teacher is

primarily responsible for providing services to students who are disabled and special education

teacher would assist him/her (Walther-Thomas 1997). It can be said that many teachers that are

labelled as regular classroom teachers support and believe that philosophically inclusion is the

best approach and it can be considered as it is the traditional pull-out model for delivering

special education. However, there are many regular teachers that believe that they are not

adequately prepared for delivering special educational challenges within the regular classroom

environment (Hines and Johnston 1996).

Thus, in a nutshell it can be said that inclusion is a beneficial technique because it does

not affect other students that are non-disabled. Although teachers incorporate certain difficulties

but they can cope with them in the long run and primary school students and schools should

incorporate the scenario of inclusion.


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Part 2 The Setting

Background to Context

Inclusion, as described by the council for Disabled Children, is a journey with a clear

direction and purpose: equality of opportunity for all children and young people (Stobbs 2008).

As a policy, it focuses on the right of all disabled young people to be included in all aspects of

everyday life and that such a vision can be achieved over time.

In the context of schools, inclusive education is an approach, which aims to develop a

child-focus by acknowledging that all children are individuals with different learning needs and

speeds (Khalsa and Miyake 2005). Ultimately, inclusive education must contribute to the goal of

promoting an inclusive society, one which enables all children and adults, whatever their age,

gender, ability, ethnicity, impairment to participate in and contribute to that society.

UK legislation for over 25 years has stipulated that disabled children and young people

should be educated in their local mainstream school provided this does not affect the efficient

education of other children. Since then, the development of inclusion has become an increasingly

dominant policy imperative in the education system here in the UK.

In 1997, the new Government publishedExcellence for all children-meeting Special

Educational Needs (DfEE Department for Education and Employment 1997). A clear

commitment to promoting greater inclusion was signalled, as was the need to develop the role of

special schools. The government in 1999 set up a Disability Rights Task Force which published

its report titledFrom Exclusion to Inclusion and recommended A strengthened rights for

parents and children with statements of special educational needs to be place at a mainstream

school (Disability Rights Task Force on Civil Rights for Disabled People 1999).

More specifically, the SEN Disability Act 2001 promotes the right of children with SEN to


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attend a mainstream school. The right to mainstream education is further supported by the

National Curriculum Statement (1999) and the revised framework for the inspection of schools,

Evaluating Educational Inclusion (Oxley 2004).

However, critics have argued that implementation of inclusion policy in mainstream

schools has at best being a distraction or worse, detrimental to the standard raising agenda of

schools. This research proposal presents the background, research questions, research approaches

and techniques of research concerning the issues related with implementation of inclusion policy

in schools. This paper presents the techniques of data collection, evaluation and review of the

primary research questions linked to the main problem of the research.

I will carry out the research in a context of primary school setting and will analyse the

impacts of implementation of inclusion in this setting. The research will not only provide me

with significant data for observations but it will also help in enhancing my personal skills as a

teacher and will enable me to evaluate the techniques which can be implemented to improve the

implementation of inclusion in a primary school setting. I will directly analyse the students in a

classroom consisting of both disabled and non disabled persons to evaluate the impact of

inclusion. The research will help schools both in the local setting and the national arena to

implement inclusion based on this research study. The findings and conclusion of the current

research will not only help in implementing inclusion in schools but will also help effective

inclusion in other parts of society and help disabled persons in becoming active members of the

society. My role in this study is not limited to a researcher as I will also evaluate the observations

and findings of this study from a teachers perspective as well and my fellow teachers will help

in achieving the main aims and objectives of the study.

Case Study and Sample


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The case study for the proposed research is a primary school setting where the impacts of

inclusion will be evaluated and observed to derive a logical conclusion and accept or reject the

research hypothesis while answering the research questions brought forward in the research. The

data collected from primary and secondary sources is evaluated to test the research hypothesis

that the implementation of inclusion has several impacts on disabled and non disabled students

within a primary school setting. The research questions supporting the research hypothesis are

answered by examining data from primary and secondary sources. Data in the primary research

is collected by survey questionnaires which were sent to senior management and colleagues and

a total of 23 students in a year 6 class were analysed to evaluate the impact of inclusion on

disabled and non-disabled students in a primary school setting. This study will not only answer

the research questions but will also evaluate the research hypothesis in light of several special

requirements of pupils such as free school meals, looked after children, special educational

needs, behavioural, emotional and social difficulty, speech, language and communication needs

and English as an additional language. The study presents an analysis of the techniques applied

by teachers in classes where inclusion is implemented. The observed effects of inclusion on

disabled and non disabled students are also presented in the dissertation. The research hypothesis

is tested in this study through the observation of data from primary and secondary sources. It

should be noted that data collected from various sources during the research process has

limitations which are outside the scope of this research.

There are several special requirements of disabled pupils in a primary school setting and

one of the most important special requirements is free school meals - FSM through which free

lunches and meals are provided to students according to a criteria set by the government where

children are entitled to free school meals and lunches if the parents meet a certain criteria.


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Children are entitled to free school meals if their parents are receiving income support, income

based job seekers allowance, income related employment and support allowance, national

asylum seeker support or child tax credits. The second special requirement of disabled students

in a school is looked after children LAC. Looked After children become looked after due to

difficult life experiences and difficulties and require intervention from several authorities and

school management. If proper intervention is implemented then these children can gain much

from the learning and education process as students but if special care is not given it may affect

these students adversely. Providing care for looked after children requires extra attention and

care from teacher, parents and school authorities. In the context of traditional primary schools it

is quite difficult for teachers to provide additional support and care or individual attention to

looked after children as it may impact other non disabled children in the classroom. There are

several special educational needs of disabled pupils which have to be considered during

inclusion of these pupils in primary schools. There are several allowances setup by various

governmental and nongovernmental organisations to cater to these special educational needs of

children both in the local as well as the international context.

Part 3 The Investigation Research Design


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Ethical Considerations for Proposed Research

A written permission will be sought from the school senior management team and pupils

parents as applicable for completing the proposed data collection and analysis phase of the

research. The data protection act will be complied, so will be Wandsworth data protection policy

during data collection and analysis in the main school and any other schools that may be

involved in the proposed research. The data used will be anonymous and unattributable to any

individuals. Chatham rules will apply to all participants, interviewees and focus group

discussions.

The potential risks and ethical issues for the research are quite varied and include risks

which are described below.

Risk of Respondents being named, the risk of breeching confidentiality regarding the

school setting or individual children.

Risk of Health and Safety of activities and resources provided - supervision of children

during activity.

Risk of Children feeling targeted/their learning experiences corrupted through invasive

observations

Strategies to minimise and avoid ethical risks

All respondents will be recorded and reported anonymously and any evidence collected

will be destroyed once the study has been finalised. Anonymity of all children no photographs,

no names or personal details will be included of any staff, children or parents. Any recordings

taken to analyse the impact of the study will be saved to disk and password protected. This is to

ensure complete anonymity. The school will not be identified at any point inc. school uniform,


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badges etc.

All activities will be planned and agreed by school mentor following risk assessment and

schools policy.

All research will be non invasive to childrens learning or school life children will not

feel as though they are being observed throughout their learning experience or targeted at any

point. No specific children will be targeted for research.

Research Methodology

The process of assessing past data from previous researches, books, articles and other

sources while carrying out personal research in order to present original ideas which increases

human knowledge on a specific topic is research methodology. The main aim of a research is to

increase the knowledge in a specific area and present or prove some other facts in any subject

area or discipline. Research methodology is based on interpreting researches performed

previously and explanation of details of those studies. It also includes the examination and

analysis of a specific part of a discipline to provide a fresh and new viewpoint (Kumar 2002).

It is not possible to carry out an effective research just by collecting and interpreting data.

This analysis should be backed by conclusion from other researches as well. The methods

through which data is collected, analysed and results are presented should be recognised in order

for the research to be effective. The process by which people try to study the unknown and

explore new ideas is referred to as research. The methodology in a research describes the

methods through which data is collected, interpreted and analysed to form a conclusion in a

particular area of study (Goddard and Melville 2004).


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Positivist Paradigms

The positivist paradigm is based on quantitative data and is objective in nature.

Researches based on experimental, clinical and scientific practices are usually conducted through

this paradigm. The objective methods used in the positivist paradigm provide a clear picture of

reality and easily identifiable and measurable quantities. Researches based on science use the

quantitative research methodology of the positivist paradigm very commonly. The use of

quantitative techniques in positivist paradigm gives an objective angle of research work rather

than a subjective one. The quantitative methods of the positivist paradigm are usually applied to

researches done in medical sciences to analyse and evaluate the relationship among different

variables related to human health, infections and diseases (Ulin, Robinson and Tolley 2004).

Quantitative Approach

The quantitative approach interprets and presents results by utilising data associated with

measurements and implementing numerical data. This approach is based on numerical and

statistical data. Various statistical techniques are applied to the numerical data obtained from

research areas through research subjects and other sources. The quantitative approach is most

commonly applied to various scientific areas such as psychology to test research hypotheses after

evaluation of data obtained from various sources. The similarities and differences present in the

numerical and statistical data are demonstrated through the research based on this approach. The

components and data of the research cannot be tampered by the researcher and if another

research is conducted using the same data and similar statistical and mathematical methods it

should yield the same results. The statistical analysis of data collected during research in the

quantitative approach is performed using averages or measures of central tendency. The

relationship among the variables of the collected data in a population is tested by applying


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statistical methods such as regression and correlation (McNabb 2002).

Advantages and Limitations

The quantitative approach to research has various advantages and limitations. The time

taken to collect, evaluate and present data of quantitative nature is quite minimal and if there are

any changes in variables of the data they can easily be identified and measured. The objectivity

of the quantitative approach helps researchers and other users of the research in comparing

variables and analysing results as numerical data is quite objective and easy to understand than

subjective data. There are also limitations of this approach which include the over simplicity and

inability to provide desired results. It is quite difficult to apply quantitative approach to general

situations in real life and the data used in this approach would have to be objective as the

statistical techniques would not prove useful when applied to subjective data. The results

obtained from a research using quantitative approach may only be relevant for a specific research

and would be difficult to utilise in generalised conditions. The specific variables of a situation

are focussed in this approach and some other important variables may be ignored (French,

Reynolds and Swain 2001).

Deductive Method

The deductive method is one of the methods of quantitative approach of research and is

based on arriving at conclusions by narrowing down the research process at the end. In the

deductive method a researcher starts with various principles and logical rules to derive a

conclusion. If the principles the researcher starts with are accurate then the conclusions of the

research are also accurate. The researcher starts from general premises and principles of logic

and eventually arrives at a specific conclusion after deducting these premises or principles (Mitra


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and Bokil 2008).

The deductive approach starts with generalised theories and assumptions and moves

forward by narrowing down to a specific conclusion in a discipline or area of study. The

deductive approach is based on previous researches and tests previously established research

hypotheses instead of establishing new hypotheses. This approach also called the top down

approach moves from a generalised pattern to a particular and specific pattern to derive

conclusions. It is important to note that this method accepts or rejects a previously established

hypothesis instead of formulating a new hypothesis (Belkaoui 2004).

Inductive Method

The inductive method of research involves the formulation of a particular hypothesis

about something which was previously unknown. In a research based on inductive approach a

particular research area is selected and various assumptions, principles or facts are implemented

into the research to arrive at generalised conclusions. Researches based on the inductive method

should provide a clear step by step flow of research and explain the components of the research

to avoid ambiguity (Goldbort 2006).

The inductive method or approach unlike the deductive method is used in establishing

new principles and hypotheses instead of testing previously established research hypotheses. It is

the only applicable and reliable method for research in areas where principles or facts are

unknown or have been interpreted inappropriately. The specific area of research or study is

chosen at first and further research is performed by inducting data from various sources such as

previous researches, books, journals and other sources. The inductive approach is quite useful in

researches where the researcher has a lower level of knowledge about a specific research area


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(Garmo 2009).

Interpretivist Paradigm

The Interpretivist paradigm provides researches in a subjective manner rather than

objective. The interpretivist paradigm uses qualitative methods of analysing data rather than

quantitative methods. This paradigm is usually implemented in researches performed in the areas

of social sciences and behavioural studies. This paradigm implies that reality can be partially

measured or observed through attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour patterns. These patterns though

provide an observation but cannot be quantitatively measured and implemented in researches

based on the quantitative approach to research. The subjective nature of this paradigm and the

qualitative characteristics enable the researcher to arrive at generalised conclusions. The

behaviour of human beings is tested and analysed in different situations and scenarios under this

paradigm. The interpretivist paradigm involves various methods of conducting a research which

include interviews, ethnography, questionnaires, participant observations, study of small samples

and case studies (Wright 2006).

Qualitative Approach to Research

The qualitative approach to research unlike the quantitative research establishes a new

hypothesis instead of testing a previously established hypothesis. The qualitative approach is

used to test the strength, concentration and richness of an occurrence or problem by analysing

life experiences and behaviour patterns. This approach is usually applied to research studies

involving social sciences, finance, economics and behavioural studies. The qualitative approach

emphasises the abilities of the researcher and the interaction of the researcher with participants

involved in the whole process while the quantitative approach puts emphasis on data and


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interpretation of data in a research. This approach implies that the personal beliefs, knowledge,

abilities and perception of the researcher play a very important role in the outcome of the

research. Researches performed in areas of finance, economics, social sciences and other areas of

study where numerical and statistical data is not available and quantitative approach to research

cannot be applied, the qualitative research approach is applied (Burns and Grove 2004).

Advantages and Limitations

The qualitative approach also has its advantages and limitations just like the quantitative

approach. This approach is more flexible and can be moulded according to changing situations

and scenarios. The elevated involvement of the researcher in the whole process makes the

research more effective than the quantitative approach. As this approach utilises more open

ended questions in the questionnaire and interviews, the participants of the research provide

descriptive and creative answers which are more helpful for the research process. The combined

knowledge of the participants and the researcher helps in the process of drawing logical and

valid conclusions. A higher level of knowledge and information can be derived from the open

ended questions and interviews. One of the basic limitations of this approach is the biasness of

the researcher and participants in the area of research or any part of the research. The limited

scope and emphasis on subjectivity is another disadvantage of this approach because when the

same sample is used for another research in the same area it may produce different results. The

amount of time spent on qualitative approach is quite higher than quantitative approach while

analysis and evaluation of the data in this approach is also complicated (Harrison 2001).

Case Study Approach to Research

The case study approach to research is based on the qualitative approach to research in


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the interpretivist paradigm. This approach involves the study of a specific entity, phenomenon or

event. The research under this approach completely focuses on the specific area of research

rather than analysing other factors and components as well and deeply explores the research area

and any problems associated with the research and this is why the case study approach is also

referred to as exploratory research. The researcher is provided with a situation or case similar to

the one being researched to help in identifying data and analysis of the causes and effects of the

variables prevalent in the current research (Jupp 2006).

In this approach the researcher can effectively identify the elements and variables of the

case and perform an analysis on these elements and variables to determine the cause and effect

relationships and arrive at a logical conclusion at the end of the research process (George and

Bennett 2005). The research carried out under this approach is usually based on factual

information and data instead of speculation. The factual information can be obtained from the

participants of the research or the entity or company the participants belong to. The analysis of

this factual information by the researcher helps in evaluating the patterns and trends in the

current research. The researcher would not be able to reach a valid conclusion or make any

recommendations regarding the research based on speculation and assumptions in the absence of

appropriate facts (McNabb 2004).

Advantages and Disadvantages

There are various advantages and disadvantages of the case study approach like other

research approaches. This approach provides the most comprehensive and detailed analysis of a

scenario and the varying point of views on a single case enhance the understanding of the cause

and effect relationships of variables. The methods applied in the case study approach enable the


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researcher to recognise the elements of a case with much ease as it provides a true and clear

picture of the case. The research in this approach is quite flexible and can be applied to a solitary

case or a group of cases to derive a valid conclusion. The inefficiency to generalise from a

specific case is one of the limitations of this approach. There is a tendency that a researcher may

use abnormal cases to arrive at normal conclusions. The data collected in a case study may be

biased due to various reasons including the biasness of researcher, participants or the sources

used in the research may be biased. Another disadvantage of the case study approach is the

degree of objectivity and subjectivity in the research (Duff 2007).

Primary Data

The data collected with the aim of analysis and evaluation related to the current research

and which has no past existence is called primary data. The data collected in primary research

has various advantages over other source of data. The primary data is collected with a specific

purpose of carrying out the current research; therefore it is most relevant to the current research

than data collected from any other sources. As primary data is directly collected by the

researcher it is assumed to be most accurate and is sufficient for carrying out the current

research. The most criticised limitation of primary data is the large amount of time spent on

primary data collection as the researcher and participants both have to spend time on compilation

of primary data. Another limitation of primary data is the cost factor as the researcher may have

to incur costs for the research such as getting an effective questionnaire designed, travelling and

transportation expenses, telephone and fax expenses and other costs relevant to the collection of

primary data in the research (Tull and Hawkins 1993).


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Primary Data Collection Methods

There are various primary data collection methods and techniques which can be

implemented during a research. The most commonly used techniques of collecting data are

survey research and observations. The survey research technique involves two main elements of

interviews and questionnaires. These methods include sending questionnaires through

conventional mail, e-mail, questionnaires posted on websites, interviews conducted in person and

on the telephone. The method of observation includes the observation by the researcher in

analysing the cause and effect relationship of variables. Focus group discussions are one of the

most commonly used method for collecting data using personal observation (Shank 2004).

3.2.1.1 Questionnaires

Questionnaires are a collection or list of open ended or closed ended questions that have

to be answered by participants or respondents in a research. These questionnaires can be mailed,

delivered by hand, filled out using telephonic conversations, posted online on a website or some

other relevant source. As both questionnaires and interviews seem similar due to open ended and

closed ended questions they need to be distinguished. The main difference between the

questionnaire and the interview is that the questionnaires are not filled out or answered at the

spot but can be filled out at a later time depending on the respondents. The questions in an

interview on the other hand have to be answered spontaneously when the interviewer or

researcher asks the question. The responses to the open ended questions enable the researcher in

evaluating the research hypothesis and questions with much ease.

3.2.1.2 Interviews

Interviews are conducted to cover the views and ideas expressed by the interviewee to get


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an overall understanding of the situation and provide data necessary for the research. Interviews

help in collecting a large amount of data which might not be possible through other means. The

questions usually included in these interviews are open ended and structured partially to cover

almost all ideas conveyed by the interviewee. The interviews are conducted to extract analytical

and descriptive information from the persons being interviewed to get an overall idea of the

research area. Through interviews the researcher can obtain general as well as specific

information required for research work.

3.2.1.3 Focus Group Discussion

The focus group discussions are group interviews where a moderator usually the

researcher guides the participants of the discussion about an issue and enables the members of

the group to share ideas and comment on these ideas. The information elicited from these group

discussions is more comprehensive and relevant as compared to interviews as the participants of

the discussion can share ideas and comment on ideas of other participants which refines the

information required for the research work. Focus group discussions have several advantages

which include flexibility, cost efficiency and time saving for the researcher as well as the

participants. Focus group can tend to become expensive if there are any special requirements like

recording the video or audio of the discussion for later use. There is also another danger of

getting varying results from the discussion if it is not closely moderated and managed (Smith

2002).

Secondary Data

The data acquired from secondary sources forms a firm base for the primary research to

be carried out. The biggest advantage of secondary sources which attracts researchers to use


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these sources during the research process is the cost and time effectiveness. The cost and time

spent in collecting secondary data is much lower than primary sources. Though secondary

sources are widely used in researches there are some limitations to it as well such as the

reliability of sources from where data is gathered. Another limitation of secondary data is

difficulty in finding relevant and recent data. The secondary data is collected from books,

articles, journals, periodicals, reports and other reliable sources. This data can also be collected

from other sources such as university and public libraries, government sources which have

extensive data available on various research areas. Data can also be collected from directories

and catalogues available in libraries or internet (Reid and Bojanic 2009).

Proposed Research Strategy

The concepts regarding the research are quite wide and varied and there are different

schools of thoughts about various methods that are practiced and used in the contemporary

academia (Creswell 2008). The design of the research incorporates certain elements like

identifying the strategies of research and approaches appropriate to conduct the research.

However, the various methods that are used in conducting a research have their own limitations,

these limitations of the research must be gauged properly, and they must be realised by the

researchers that in order to make appropriate decisions a proper research approach must be used

(McBurney and White 2006).

The entire research strategy is comprised of primary and secondary sources and these

sources are actually used to conduct a literature analysis and finally through both the primary and

the secondary sources, the formed hypothesis is accepted or it is rejected. The primary sources in

this research will be based on survey questionnaires and interviews with senior management and

colleagues. The empirical evidence will be collected directly by analysing 23 year 6 students and


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changes in their behaviour patterns and academic performance. Quantitative methods of data

analysis will be applied on the data collected regarding these 23 students with a specific focus on

the subject of maths. The qualitative data analysis methods will be applied on data and evidence

collected by reviewing perception, attitudes and opinions of staff and parents. The methods in

classroom teaching including strategies and activities implemented by teachers will also be

evaluated through qualitative methods to evaluate the functionality and impact of these strategies

and activities on student attainment. The questionnaires developed for the proposed research will

be based on several areas of special requirements of pupils in school which include; Pupils on

free school meals (FSM), Looked After Children (LAC), Special Educational Needs (SEN),

Behaviour emotional and Social Difficulty (BESD), Speech, Language and Communication

Needs (SLCN) and English as an Additional Language (EAL). I have shared my topic with

colleagues and assistant head and they have given me assurance of their complete support and

cooperation. The analysis and findings of data collected from primary data will form the basis for

a valid and logical conclusion to the research and provide verifiable results. The secondary

sources in the proposed research are primarily based on books, journals, school reports and

documents including school league results, provisional mapping, SEN P-Scale, Ofsted report and

other documents and reports relevant to the proposed research. The data obtained from these

secondary sources will be reviewed in the literature review section of the research and will

provide a firm base in support of results derived from the analysis and findings of data acquired

from primary sources. As the main focus of the dissertation is attainment and achievement of

pupils in a primary school setting therefore the attainment levels of pupils will be evaluated after

inclusion has been implemented. A comparative analysis will be carried out on the attainment

level of SEN and non-SEN pupils in Numeracy. The study will comprehensively study the


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teaching methods, techniques and strategies which can be implemented to help in attainment of

SEN pupils. The research strategy will be incorporated to ensure that objectives of the research

are achieved while providing logical solutions to the problem discussed throughout the research.

Timetable and Schedule for Research

Activities / Weeks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Introduction

Literature Review

Research Methodology

Findings and Analysis

Conclusion


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Documents

Inclusion-From Practice to PolicyAn Investigation of Its Impact on Pupils Attainment Within the Primary School Setting