1. International Research Journal ISSN-0975-3486 VOL. I * ISSUE—3 &4 RNI : RAJBIL/2009/30097
Research Paper—Education
EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATION
OF PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED
CHILDREN – A comparative study
*Ms. Nishat Fatema **Dr. Tripta Trivedi
Dec.-09—Jan.-2010
* Research Scholar, Department of Education, University of Lucknow, Lucknow.
** Reader, Department of Education, University of Lucknow, Lucknow.
Today’s world is world of science and technology. The and needs special treatment in school.
advancement in this field is affecting all the fields and Exceptional children are classified into following
education is not an exception. The old aims and groups :-
concepts are being replaced by new aims and concepts. a) Mentally exceptional children. b) Emotionally
Today the emphasis is on the overall development of exceptional children. c) Physically handicapped
an individual, giving him all the opportunities to children. d) Socially handicapped children. e) Multi
develop to his fullest. Due to this view it is now realized handicapped children.
that education is a concept philosophically evolved, The present study is dealing with physically
psychologically developed and socially based. In the handicapped children. An individual who is affected
words of Swami Vivekananda, “Education is the with a physical impairment that in any way, limits or
manifestation of the perfection that is already in man.” inhibits his/her participation in normal activities may
It means that there is a self in man, which is self- be referred to as physically handicapped.
contained and is a part of the universal reality. The Physically handicapped persons are divided as –
purpose of education is to make man aware of this a) Visually handicapped. b) Orthopedically
cosmic power in him and enable him to draw this out to handicapped. c) Speech handicapped. d) Acoustically
lead a complete life. The term education; however is handicapped. The study is conducted on two type of
the deliberate and conscious efforts exerted by the physically handicapped children. They are visually
state, society, school and home towards the welfare of handicapped and deaf and dumb children. The visually
the growing child in order to mould him into a being handicapped children are those who have problems
who will fit in the society in which he is to live. with vision. Hearing impairment refers to a defect or
It is universal truth that all children are different damage to the hearing mechanism. Due to hearing
basically from each other physically, mentally, impairment the child becomes unable to hear, speak
educationally and socially up to a limit. Exceptional and acquire language. Thus, a child may become dumb
individuals are different both in their nature and kind largely because he is deaf. The children with disability
of potentiality. The question thus arises, who are show maladjustment within their peer group and also
exceptional children? To understand this it is necessary with the society. They need special care and training
to first define exceptional children. to cope up with this problem. They should have real
An exceptional child may be defined as one who goal in their life as it will help them to adjust properly
deviates physically, intellectually and socially so in the society. The present study is done to know the
market from normal growth and development that he level of aspiration of visually and deaf and dumb
can not be benefited from regular classroom programme children in educational field.
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2. International Research Journal ISSN-0975-3486 VOL. I * ISSUE—3&4 RNI : RAJBIL/2009/30097
The concept of level of aspiration was developed achievement.
Kurt Lewin. Level of Aspiration is the standard a person Prakash, V. (1984) conducted a study of the
expects and hopes to reach in a given performance. It factors affecting level of aspiration. He found in his
is the discrepancy between his achieved and stated study that area and sex as single variable did not show
goals. It may be realistic in the sense that the person any significant difference on the level of aspiration.
has a good chance of success or it may be unrealistic Area, sex, risk-tasking and locus of control together
if his chance of reaching the stated goal is in doubt. showed significant interaction on level of aspiration.
The factors which affect the level of aspiration are Mathur, Abha (1985) conducted a comparative
success and failure, motivation, school environment, study between crippled and normal children to check
past experiences, values, parental ambitions, culture their adjustment problems, level of aspiration, self
etc. concept and academic achievement. The major finding
Need of the study –The physically handicapped was that significant differences were found between
children are the exceptional children. Though they are crippled and normal children with respect to level of
exceptional children but they have the same aspiration measured in terms of goal discrepancy score.
characteristics as that of the normal children. The only Suman, S. (1986) conducted a socio-
difference is that they lack the vision or hearing or psychological study on female students to study their
speech power. Due to their differences the physically goals and aspirations. The major findings are :
handicapped children have variations among them unmarried girls had significantly higher educational
also. Hence they have certain limitations in their life. If goals than married girls and father’s education,
they aspire without considering their limitations they economic status, self concept of academic ability,
can become the victims of frustration and academic motivation had significant positive
maladjustment. Many a times the society compares association with educational goals. The studies taken
the different physically handicapped children without up so far are based on the level of aspiration of normal
considering their limitations and it results into higher children. One study is taken up as a comparison
expectations and wrong setting of goals. Hence there between crippled and normal children but no study
is a need to know the aspirations of these children and has been conducted on the physically handicapped
also to compare different physically handicapped children. Hence the investigator took this problem as
children, so that they can be directed into right the study.
direction for their all round development and also for Methodology - The present study is qualitative
the betterment of society and nation. descriptive research, which was qualitative methods
Objectives of the study –1. To compare the to describe what is, describing, recording, analyzing
educational aspirations of visually handicapped and and interpreting conditions that exists. The survey
deaf and dumb children. 2. To compare the educational method is used to study the level of aspiration of
aspirations of visually handicapped and deaf and dumb physically handicapped children. Survey study are
boys. 3. To compare the educational aspirations of conducted to collect detailed description of existing
visually handicapped and deaf and dumb girls. phenomena with the intent of employing data to justify
Review of Related Literature – The following current conditions. The dependent variable in the
research works were related to the study. study is level of aspiration and the independent
Muthayya, B.C. (1960) conducted a study on variable is physically handicapped children. The
adolescents to study the level of aspiration and its sample in this study is group of 15 visually
relation to modes of reaction to frustration. The major handicapped and 15 deaf and dumb children. The
findings were : aspiration was set above the past sample was chosen by the purposive sampling method.
performance in all cases, the educational level had no The tool used for collecting data was self made
influence over one’s aspiration level and there was interview schedule and a formal interview was
negligible correlation between aspiration and school conducted to record the data.
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3. International Research Journal ISSN-0975-3486 VOL. I * ISSUE—3 &4 RNI : RAJBIL/2009/30097
Analysis and Interpretation – To analyse the data Objective 1 - To compare the education aspirations
frequency and percentage were calculated. The of visually handicapped and deaf & dumb children.
findings are reported objective wise -
Table 1 - Comparison of visually handicapped and deaf and dumb children wrt educational aspirations
From the data obtained we can say that the level deaf anddumb children have aspired only for class
of educational aspiration of visually handicapped XII. The reason behind this is that, due to their
children are high in comparison to deaf and dumb disability they lack behind in communication power.
children. Majority of visually handicapped children This hinder them in finding new opportunities for
have aspired to complete graduation whereas deaf and themselves. The atmosphere of their institutions is also
dumb have aspired to complete class XII. This not so motivating as compared to visually handicapped
difference is because of their limitation. The visually children. The teachers are also few hence they are not
handicapped children have the awareness of what is able to give that much attention on the students. The
going around them. The gent proper guidance, finding reveals that the visually handicapped children
motivation and care from their teachers and hence they have high aspiration in comparison to deaf and dumb
are able to aspire to such an extent. The visually children but both have realistic aspirations or which
handicapped children those who have aspired to study could be achieved by them. Both have aspired
up to class XII are those who have come new to the according to their potentialities.
institution and they are still adjusting with the change Objective 2 – To compare the educational
and exploring new horizons. The children those who aspirations of visually handicapped and deaf & dumb
have aspired very high i.e. they want to complete post boys.
graduation have a good educational background. The
Table 2 –Educational aspirations of visually handicapped and deaf and dumb boys.
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4. International Research Journal ISSN-0975-3486 VOL. I * ISSUE—3&4 RNI : RAJBIL/2009/30097
The findings reveal that the educational only for class XII and visually handicapped girls have
aspirations of visually handicapped boys are higher aspired for graduation. The difference is due to their
than the deaf and dumb boys. The reason behind this limitations and also because of their atmosphere. In
is that the factor which affects aspiration most is majority of our families the emphasis is on the educa-
personality and communication skill. The more the tion is a secondary issue The institutes of these spe-
interaction the more is aspiration. In this respect, the cial children are less so the families are not able to
visually handicapped boys are more communicative send them to the schools. The parents are in the view
with others but deaf and dumb boys are not so and that they are getting their daughter educated so that
thus it causes an effect on their educational aspirations. she may be able to read and write and not for voca-
The visually handicapped children lack behind only in tional purposes. This low expectation from the par-
mobility. They have communication skill same as that ents side also causes a hindrance in the educational
of normal children hence they can comprehend things aspirations. The educational aspirations of visually
very easily. The deaf and dumb children have the main handicapped girls are high as compared to deaf and
problem in their communication skill. They can dumb girls but both have realistic aspirations.
communicate with only those people who know the Conclusion – The educational aspirations of
sign language and that is know only by few people, visually handicapped children are high as compared
hence their area for communication is confined. A to the deaf and dumb children. But both have realistic
normal person feels handicapped in communicating aspirations means that can be achieved by them. The
with them. The data shows that though the educational have made aspirations keeping in view their limitations.
aspiration of deaf and dumb children are low with The visually handicapped children have high
respect to visually handicapped but it is realistic. aspirations as they have got an atmosphere which is
Objective 3 –To compare the educational very supportive and motivating. The teachers and
aspirations of visually handicapped and deaf and dumb parents are giving proper guidance and care which in
girls. makes them more self reliant and more prepared to face
Table 3 – Educational aspirations of visually the challenges of the live.
handicapped and deaf and dumb girls. The deaf and dumb children lack the
communication skill. this make them less interactive.
Their limitation hinder them to comprehend the things
around them. The atmosphere which they get in their
school is not very motivating as compared to visually
handicapped children. The changes should be made
in the education system and a more encouraging and
The findings shows that the educational aspira- supportive environment should be provided by the
tions of visually handicapped and deaf and dumb girls teachers and parents so that deaf and dumb children
are different. The deaf and dumb girls have aspired could also aspire to their fullest.
R E F E R E N C E
1. Best, J.W. and J.V. Kahn; (2004), “Research in Education”; New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd. pp 61-63. 2.
Dash, M; (2003), “Education of Exceptional Children”; New Delhi : Atlantic Publishers and Distributors. pp 70-87 3. Mathur,
Abha; (1985); “A Comparative Study of the Adjustment Problems, Level of Aspiration, Self Concept & Academic Achievement
of Crippled and Normal Children” Fourth Survey of Research in Education, Vol. II pp. 1330-1331. 4. Muthayya, B.C. (1960) ;
“A study of Level of Aspiration and Its relation to Modes of Reaction to Frustration among Adolescents”; Third Survey of
Research in Education. p 381 5. Prakash, V. (1984); “A study of the factors affecting Level of Aspiration”; Fourth Survey of
Research in Education, Vol II pp. 414-415. 6. Suman, S. (1986); “Socio – psychological study of goals and Aspiration of Female
Students”; Fourth Survey of Research in Education Vol. I p 448
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