Introduction
Disabled persons fall within the category of marginalized or underserved populations in many communities. In learning institutions, school-going children with such physical, emotional, or cognitive challenges find it hard to achieve their goals when there are cases of abuse. Bullying has become a systemic challenge that members of this minority population in educational centers continue to face. In the past, little studies have been completed trying to analyze and expose the nature of this predicament. This report presents a detailed literature review and an evidence-based intervention to help most of the victims of bullying in schools.
Literature Review
Historically, scholars and policymakers have challenged the establishment and promotion of separate classrooms and schools for disabled learners. Within the past two decades, a transformative model has emerged in different societies to allow for inclusive learning environments for all children, including with disabilities. Øksendal et al. (2019) observed that most of studies completed between 1989 and 2003 revealed that bullying was higher among learners with various disabilities. In the same analysis, Øksendal et al. (2019) identified these major forms of abuse: teasing, verbal insults, threats, taking personal items, name-calling, and making fun. These issues tend to create tense environments for the affected individuals, thereby compelling them to have reduced number of friends while struggling with the challenge of staying alone. The nature of these challenges explained why there was a strong need for presenting proper guidelines and interventions.
In another report, Berchiatti et al. (2021) observed that bullying was a major challenge that affected the overall outcomes and experiences of children with learning disabilities and special educational needs (SEN). Specifically, the study revealed that 90 percent of the individuals included in the investigation reported different forms of bullying (Berchiatti et al., 2021). Consequently, these victims encountered numerous challenges in the learning environment, including reduced participation in social activities and disinterestedness. The ultimate result was that their academic scores and grades where poorer in comparison with their normal classmates. The absence of proper mechanisms to reshape child behavior was also seen as a major predictor for negative outcomes in learning environments with disabled individuals.
In another investigation, Falla et al. (2021) observed that a number of factors in different schools created numerous opportunities for increasing cases of bullying. For instance, the fact that some children had sensory, emotional, intellectual, physical, and developmental disabilities was the first determinant of the possible nature of bullying. Additionally, learners in intolerant educational environments were 2 times more likely to be being bullied than their counterparts in desirable classrooms (Falla et al., 2021). In the same study, Falla et al. (2021) reported that some of the children with different types of disabilities were observed to bully their classmates. These issues show conclusively that disabilities are directly linked to bullying in a wide range of learning environments.
Disabilities are usually diverse and tend to affect school-going children differently. In a study by Øksendal et al. (2019), the primary focus was on the needs of individuals with food allergies and special health demands. For instance, the investigation observed that the existence of medical conditions made more learners incapable of expressing themselves fully or engaging in activities capable of meeting their needs. Consequently, non-disabled children had a tendency of making fun or failing to integrate them in their social groups. The affected individuals, therefore, suffered the problem of loneliness (Falla et al., 2021). Additionally, some of the learners with various allergies witnessed incidents whereby their counterparts exposed various allergens to them (Falla et al., 2021). This portrayal reveals that bullying in students with disabilities was a major problem that could affect their overall educational and life outcomes.
The problem disability in learning institutions has compelled researchers to focus on different forms of personal challenges and how they dictate the overall level of bullying. For example, Lekhal and Karlsen (2021) observed that bullying was more common among students with a wide range of learning disabilities and special difficulties. Additionally, the study revealed that those who had vision and hearing challenges had reduced chances of being abused or insulted in comparison with those who had physical disabilities (Lekhal & Karlsen, 2021). This report was instrumental because it shed more light on the personal factors among the disabled fraternity and how the dictated their possibilities of encountering different forms of bullying and abuse (Lekhal & Karlsen, 2021). The emerging insights could help future researchers and policymakers to consider appropriate strategies to help most of the affected individuals.
In the 2021 annual report by UNESCO, it occurred that disabled children aged between 13 and 15 years had increased chances of encountering different forms of abuse in their environments (UNESCO News, 2021). These problems affected tem both in school and their neighborhoods. The most likely reason for such a trend was because they were transitioning from childhood to their adolescence. The physical and emotional changes taking place in their bodies were a leading personal factor towards the increasing possibility of discrimination and subsequent bullying (UNESCO News, 2021). This observation could guide experts and policymakers to meet the demands of more learners during the identified age bracket and ensure that they recorded positive educational outcomes.
The possible impact of bullying on children with disabilities is a area that has received numerous support from different investigators. In their study, Berchiatti et al. (2021) realized that all forms of bullying were detrimental in nature and affected the overall mental and cognitive wellbeing of the victims. Specifically, majority of them recorded increasing levels of anxiety, stress, reduced emotional intelligence, and low self esteem (Lekhal & Karlsen, 2021). Most of these individuals withdrew from most of the learning and social activities designed to support their needs. Consequently, such individuals found it hard to grasp most of the contents delivered in the classroom. This issue could explain why disabled persons in mixed schools continued to record poorer grades in comparison with their non-disabled classmates.
In aged disabled learners, the problem of bullying was pervasive and predisposed them to depression and stress. In a study by Gao (2020), it occurred that violence and verbal abuse in learning institutions could take different shapes. In advanced cases, the affected children could develop additional mental and psychological problems. In worst scenarios, some of the victims could chose to quit school or even commit suicide. The complexity of these outcomes was a valid reason for learning environments and educationists to consider various interventions that could help deliver better outcomes (Berchiatti et al., 2021). The implementation of appropriate policies and guidelines could set the stage for helping more teachers to challenge bullying against disabled learners directly. Such a move was evidence-based and capable of empowering these students to realize their academic and developmental aims.
Research-Based Intervention
The nature of the identified problem in the completed literature review calls for an effective intervention guided by the concepts of educational psychology and human development. The first attribute guides educationists to master how children learn, the nature of the necessary resources and methods, the best processes, and personal differences. The consideration of such aspects guides the educator to provide the relevant guidelines and support to ensure that human development is realized (Gao, 2020). Based on this understanding, Bronfenbrenner’s model stands out as a powerful framework for developing the best intervention that could help prevent cases of bullying against disabled children in their respective classrooms.
The selected model asserts that the biological attributes and environmental aspects influence a child’s overall development. This bio-ecological framework identifies various systems that help educationists identify and mitigate barriers in the learning process (Gao, 2020). The professionals need to begin with the micro-system since it revolves around the individual. This attribute will help the educator learn more about the child and consider the best ways to empower him or her. The meso-system describes the relationships of the individual with the surrounding environment. The teacher will consider the relevant approaches to make the environment inclusive and capable of minimizing cases of abuse (Gao, 2020). The exo-system will focus o the wider external settings whereby development could be achieved. The macro-system will entail the cultural attributes capable of affected the learners and inhibiting or promoting abusive tendencies. His framework also provides the chrono-system to embrace emerging concepts and ideas that could help improve educational processes while overcoming bullying against disabled learners.
Based on this understanding, teachers and policymakers can consider the use of the identified framework to introduce ideas and practices capable of maximizing resilience. The model will allow educators to identify the major systems and tackle predictors of bullying directly. The professional will then form a multidisciplinary team to guide the victims and non-disabled learners in the classroom (Gao, 2020). An inclusive approach would help improve the level of resilience and create opportunities for reduced bullying. The beneficiaries of this intervention will find it easier to challenge all forms of abuse. They will go further to introduce extracurricular activities that can allow the learners to get rid of their biases.
A sense of belonging will emerge whereby the learners will form better social groups and disregard the established social tendencies. These beneficiaries will also learn how to report and shame those who engage in bullying. Majority of them would also be willing to engage in other sports activities (Berchiatti et al., 2021). The process, therefore, needs to be pursued in such a way that it resonates with the concept of educational psychology. This means that the professionals will implement the intervention model within the wider teaching process (Øksendal et al., 2019). More learners will receive personalized instructions, counseling, support, and guidelines based on their personal capabilities and disabilities. These efforts will make the intervention effective, capable of influencing the learning process positively, and eventually help mitigate the pervasive problem of bullying.
Conclusion
Bullying remains one of the predicaments learners with disabilities encounter in their learning environments. Different forms of abuse exist that define the nature of this issue, such as name calling, insults, exposure to allergens, and violent behaviors. The occurrence of these victimizations makes it impossible for disabled learners to remain in their social groups or record positive educational results. The proposed intervention appears practical, evidence-based, and capable of supporting inclusive classrooms that have reduced cases of bullying.
References
Berchiatti, M., Ferrer, A., Galiana, L., Badenes-Ribera, L., & Longobardi, C. (2021). Bullying in students with special education needs and learning difficulties: The role of the student–teacher relationship quality and students’ social status in the peer group. Child & Youth Care Forum, 1(1). Web.
Falla, D., Sánchez, S., & Casas, J. A. (2021). What do we know about bullying in schoolchildren with disabilities? A systematic review of recent work. Sustainability, 13(1), 416-433. Web.
Gao, W. (2020). Anti-bullying interventions for children with special needs: A 2003-2020 systematic literature review. HLK.
Lekhal, R., & Karlsen, L. (2021). Bullying of students who receive special education services for learning and behaviour difficulties in Norway. International Journal of Inclusive Education. Web.
Øksendal, E., Brandlistuen, R. E., Holte, A., & Wang, M. V. (2019). Peer-victimization of young children with developmental and behavioral difficulties—A population-based study. Journal of Pediatric Psychology 44(1), 1-4. Web.
UNESCO News. (2021). Bullying rates higher for children with disabilities. UNESCO.