UNS – The Disability Study Center (PSD) Institute for Research and Community Engagement (LPPM) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta held a webinar on ABK Learning Strategies in Facing the New Normal on Tuesday (9/6/2020) through Zoom application and live streaming in PSD LPPM UNS Youtube channel.
The discussion, which receives 1,014 participants application through a Google form, is organized in collaboration with Indonesian Special Education Professional Association (APPKhI) Indonesia, APPKhI Central Java Province, Directorate of Teachers and Education Personnel (GTK) Secondary and Special Education (Dikmensus) Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemendikbud RI), and Department of Education and Culture of Central Java Province.
Presenting Prof. Munawir Yusuf as a discussion leader, this webinar invites 4 other speakers Dr. Praptono, Irma Listyanawati, M.Si., Dr. Padmaningrum dan Ummul Mustaqimah, M.T.
During the first session the discussion material was presented by Dr. Praptono (the Director of GTK Kemendikbud) entitle ‘the strategy to prepare Special School teacher to face the new normal of Covid-19 pandemic’. Dr. Praptono encourages teachers to ensure that every student will still get quality learning opportunities during the ongoing pandemic. Regarding the reopening of the education units, schools must meet several conditions such as located in an area with a green or blue zone status and school readiness.
“There are many things that should be prepared by the school before it gets re-opened during the COVID-19. For SLB, face to face activity can be regulated through school Principal policy. The Principal must be able to coordinate by involving related parties such as teachers and students’ parents, thus learning activity during the pandemic can be controlled properly. Each education unit should understand the terms and conditions that must be fulfilled for a school to get re-opened,” explains Dr. Praptono.
Meanwhile, the readiness of the school in question including the existence of health equipment such as body temperature measuring devices. Other than that, all school members are required to wear a mask and applying physical distancing. Besides that, teachers aged 45 years old and older must follow a medical examination by the School Task Force.
Second speaker, Irma Listyanawati, M.Si., discuss the Readiness of learning activity in SLB in facing the COVID-19. The Supervisory for SLB School in Central Java explains that online media used in SLB is mostly (97%) through WhatsApp application. The understanding regarding new normal, based on a survey of 147 respondents, which consist of State Civil Apparatus (ASN) teachers and non-ASN teachers from a various education background, shows that 48.30% understand, 30.61% quite understand, 14.29% highly understand, 5.44% not really understand, and 1.36% do not understand.
Learning models wanted by the respondents are online and face to face, but in reality, the teachers are mostly giving assignments through WhatsApp. The pattern for the week-long learning is 2 days of face to face lectures and 3 days of online lectures.
Irma explains that learning activity toward the new normal in SLB can be considered quite ready.
“Learning activity toward the new normal in SLB to face the COVID-19 can be considered quite ready, but if the government has recommended it, it will still be obeyed. No one states that they are really ready and not ready, the one that provides the statement on the education unit readiness should not absolutely from the school, but the Covid-19 Local Task Force,” explains Irma.
Even though the health protocol issue a statement on readiness, however, students with special needs have a greater risk than their peers. This is because most of the understanding toward COVID-19 and its risk has not fully understood or the risk is not known, do not understand how to avoid the risk, and the resistance of certain types of Children with Special Needs (ABK) is more vulnerable.
The next material is delivered by Dr. Padmaningrum who serves as the Secretary of Education and Culture Central Java Province, who reviewed the Central Java Education Office policy on learning in SLB in new normal conditions facing Covid-19.
Guidelines for implementing the learning and education services in special schools in Central Java must be in line with the new normal order, to protect children with disabilities while attending learning activity in school. This guideline can provide security guarantees for children with disabilities who are vulnerable to Covid-19. With this protocol and guidelines, the provision of appropriate services to the disabled in the Covid-19 period can be enhanced and create a social environment that supports the fulfillment persons with disabilities’ rights by taking into account the diversity of diffability.
The last speaker, Ummul Mustaqimah, M.T., is an ABK parent who discusses the parent’s role in the learning process during the new normal era to support their children with special needs.
There are aspects that should be prepared by parents to face the new normal. “The aspects that should be prepared are accepting change, make peace with new conditions, explore fun things, open communication channels, build quality time, mutual time at home. From the cognitive side, review children’s learning progress by preparing lesson plans, and build communication with teachers, professionals, and therapists related to children’s learning development,” explains Ummul. Humas UNS/Zalfaa
