The role of disability support services in academic and personal development of students with disabilities. Case of Kazakhstani public university.

• In Event: CIES Tuesday Roundtables
  In Group Roundtable Paper Session: Teaching and Technology for Learners with Disabilities (Table 15)

Proposal

This qualitative study investigates experiences of six students with disabilities in Kazakhstani higher education, in Almaty city. It looks at usage, influence and benefits of disability support services office through the case study of one public higher education institution. The study aims to identify the role and influence of disability support services in academic achievement and social development of students with disabilities.
Development of system of inclusive education — one of the priority directions of the State program of a development of education of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2011-2020. (Ministry of Science and Education of Republic of Kazakhstan, 2015). The rights of children with limited opportunities on receiving the equal rights to quality education are consolidated by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In our country 39 special kindergartens and 315 special groups in which receive education and education more than 15 thousand children of preschool age, 106 special schools and 1219 special classes at comprehensive schools where about 25 thousand children of school students are trained function. Now correctional and pedagogical support to children with limited opportunities is given by 17 rehabilitation centers, 133 offices of psychology and pedagogical correction, 558 logaoedic points at schools. (Electronic government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 2015)
However, most of previous initiatives in the area were insufficient, specifically in the area of access to higher education. Despite the fact that number of higher education institutions has increased since independence and reached 131, not many students with disabilities have an access as well as appropriate support. According Yussupzhanov, (2016) only 780 students were studying in several higher education institutions. In Almaty, where the majority of university is located, people still do not have an adequate access starting from infrastructure and academic support.
Since 2015 supporting people with disabilities and integrating them into society has been in government`s agenda due to ratification of UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in February 2015. The current research is aimed to serve as an example of need for appropriate support at university level for students with disabilities in line with Article 24 of UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
This study explores experiences of students with disabilities concerning education and support they have. The study covered 6 current students of a public university with different types of disability. (physical, visual and hearing impairments). These three categories of disability are considered to be main among other types of disability in Kazakhstan. The participants were contacted by email. Hence, based on their preferences and circumstance email based semi-structured interviews were initiated. During the course of the research, the data was ultimately collected through email interviews due to the distance factor, as well as at the request of the participants, as based on their needs and flexibility. In-depth interviews might help the researcher to gain a more open description of peoples’ experiences, personal histories, particularly as open-ended questioning can be used. Additionally, Silverman, (2011) suggests that interviews may provide not only real time interaction but also a way to understand social world through people`s experiences and narratives.The importance and effectiveness of small scale / small sample size research is best described by Punch & Oancea, (2014) that states ‘A small-scale (or small sample size) interview-based project can go into considerable depth with a small sample; whereas a quantitative survey can investigate a much larger sample, but often not to the same depth’. The number of qualitative design studies has been increasing since 1970s which bring a valuable point to consider this type of research design. Additionally, the amount of most quantitative design projects presents not always possible, not realistic to plan. Qualitative designed projects instead, more flexible and may provide an inside for bigger future projects by examining small-scale studies and findings of them. Thematic approach was chosen to process and analyze the data collected.
The study discovered that all interviewed students regardless of type of disability had positive attitudes toward learning mostly due to family support and encouragement. Another major finding was insufficient awareness and information on resources center by university. Desire to be independent and have no difference from peers appeared to be one more finding from interviews data.

Author

• Madina Karsakpayeva, Graduate Student