THE EFFECTS OF SPECIAL CLASS PROGRAMS

1
THE EFFECTS OF SPECIAL CLASS PROGRAMS ON
CHILDREN WITH MENTAL RETARDATION
Ilker Yilmaz (1), Nabile Berktas (1), Özgen Aras
(2), Mehmet Yanardag (3), Tuba Sevil (1), Ferman
Konukman (4), Bülent Agbuga (5), Coskun Bayrak
(1), Güven Sevil (1) (1) Anadolu University,
Eskisehir, Turkey, (2) Dumlupinar University,
Kütahya, Turkey, (3) Eskisehir Adult Mentally
Retarded Women Care and Rehabilitation Center,
Eskisehir, Turkey, (4) The College at Brockport,
SUNY, (5) Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
ABSTRACT
Study Protocol

• The aim of this study was to compare the effects
  of inclusion education programs with special
  education programs on physical fitness levels of
  children with mental retardation (MR) (Cuckle,
  1999 Beets, 2005). Participants were sixty-nine
  elementary school students with MR. Thirty-four
  children with the mean age of 12.32.4 were
  participants in an inclusion physical education
  program with non disabled peers. In addition,
  thirty-five children with the mean age of
  12.11.8 were participants in a special class for
  children with MR. Balance tests, grip strength
  and Brockport Physical Fitness Test (BPFT) was
  used to evaluate the physical fitness levels of
  children (Winnick, 1999). Mann Whitney U test was
  used for statistical analysis (SPSS 10.0 for
  Windows program). Results showed that physical
  fitness parameters 20 m shuttle run, push-up,
  trunk lift, vertical jump and balance test scores
  were significantly lower in children in special
  class (plt0.05). There were no significant
  differences in BMI, calf skinfold thickness, grip
  strength in dominant hand, sit and reach test and
  modified Apley test (pgt0.05). The physical
  fitness level was better in children with MR who
  were participated in an inclusion program with
  non disabled peers. Therefore, it is better for
  children with MR to be part of an inclusion
  program with their non disabled peers.
•  
• Keyword(s) adapted physical activity, mental
  retardation exercise/fitness, inclusion

Although there have been many studies about the
comparison of the physical fitness levels of
mentally children with MR and non-disabled
children in the literature, there have been no
research especially for children with MR in an
special education versus inclusion education
program. Therefore, the aim of this study was to
compare the effects of inclusion education
programs with special education programs on
physical fitness levels of children with MR.
Table 3. Statistically significant differences
among observed parameters
Education programs effectiveness were evaluated
by using major outcome measures. These measures
include Brockport Physical Fitness Test (BPFT)
16m and 20m shuttle run, push-up, trunk lift,
vertical jump (Takei TM), sitreach test, grip
strength in dominant hand (Takei TM) and modified
Apley test, static balance tests (eye
open/closed), calf-triceps-subscapular skinfold
thicknesses. These tests were also used to
evaluate the physical fitness levels of children
(Winning Short, 1999)
RESULTS
METHOD
Results of this study shows that childrens
physical fitness parameters in special education
class (SEC) 20 m shuttle run, push-up, trunk
lift, modified curl-up, vertical jump and balance
test (eye closed) scores were lower than
children fitness parameters in inclusion
education class (IEC) (plt0.05). Triceps and
subscapular skinfold thicknesses were, however,
higher with children in special education class
(SEC) (plt0.05). On the other hand, there were
no differences in 16m run, calf skinfold
thickness, grip strength in dominant hand,
sitreach, modified Apley, balance (eye open)
tests and BMI between SEC and IEC groups
(pgt0.05).
Participants
Randomly chosen from different schools,
sixty-nine elementary school students with MR
(in 2005 fall-2006 spring semesters) from
Eskisehir, Turkey were investigated in the
current study. All participants lived in home
settings and none were institutionalized. The
participants were classified as having mild MR by
school professionals. Students were excluded from
participation if they had any of the following
conditions ambulatory limitations,
musculoskeletal disorders, visual or auditory
problems. Before the fitness measures, written
informed parental consent and verbal assent were
obtained from all participants. Thirty-four
children with the mean age of 12.32.4 years
(range10-17) were participants in inclusion
education program (IEC) with healthy peers. The
mean height of the IEC group was 148.6215.79 cm
and the mean weight was 38.8811.67 kg. On the
other hand, thirty-five children with the mean
age of 12.11.8 years (range10-16) were trained
separately in a special MR class (SEC). SEC
group mean height was 144.2613.74 cm and mean
weight was 39.9413.69 kg (see Table 1).
CONCLUSION DISCUSSION
This study shows that physical fitness levels of
children with MR in IEC are much higher and their
body fat percentages, which cause obesity-related
health problems, is much less than children with
MR in SEC. Children with MR in Turkey are still
educated together in separate schools and classes
from their disabled peers. However, the results
of the current study found that it is better for
children with mild MR to take education with
healthy peers (in IEC). It is recommended that
the number of IEC classes should be increased for
children with mild MR If it is not applicable,
physical education class hours should be improved
and specific egzercise programs should be used
for each child in this class hours. Therefore, it
is possible for children with MR to have
necessary knowledge, skill, and positive
attitudes to be more physically active not only
during shool time but also their after-school
life. This will reduce the risk of their health
problems that can occur in the future. In
addition, health expenses of children and their
parents can be reduced and the quality of life
can be improved.
Table 2. Comparison of physical fitness
parameters, balance and skinfold thickness
on groups.

INTRODUCTION
The Healthy People 2010 objectives for
school physical education indicate that 50 of
class time should be spent with the students
physically active (United States Department of
Health and Human Services USDHHS, 2000).
Children with cognitive and physical disabilities
such as Mental Retardation (MR) are willing to
participate in exercise programs and are likely
to experience many benefits from these programs
(Cuckle , 1999). Mental Retardation may cause
many limitations in daily vital communication,
physical and social skills. These multiple
limitations have adverse effects on muscular
endurance, education, life expectancy and social
skills with family and peers. Poor fitness,
inactivity, and obesity can potentially
predispose children to a number of future health
problems such as type II diabetes, hypertension,
cardiovascular diseases, and coronary heart
diseases. Children with disabilities may be at
even greater risk of these health problems than
children without disabilities. For instance,
compared with their non-disabled peers, disabled
children and adolescents with MR typically have
lower levels of muscular endurance,
cardiorespiratory fitness and a higher incidence
of obesity (Beets Pitetti, 2005 Chaiwanichsiri
et al., 2000 Fernall et al., 1996 Kenneth,
1989 Pitetti et al., 2001 Van Beurden Barnett,
Zask et al., 2003)

Table 1. Participants Characteristics (N69)

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Statistical Analysis
Physical education classes are ideal settings to
improve children fundamental movement skills and
increase physical activity levels for their
optimal health in schools. Adaptive physical
education classes also may be focused on
participation and skill development than lifelong
fitness education (Takeuchi, 1994 Schreiber,
Marchetti, Crytzer, 2004).
First, description data were presented as
MeansSD to allow comparison with the other
results. Second, Mann Whitney U test was used for
compare IEC and SEC groups. All data were
analyzed using SPSS (version 10.0.0 SPSS,
Chicago, IL).