Challenges in Implementing Early Intervention for Students with Special Needs in Remote Areas: A Case Study of Tioman Island.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31004/joecy.v6i1.7325Keywords:
early intervention, students with special needs,, remote areas, inclusive education, qualitative studyAbstract
This study explores the challenges of implementing early intervention for Students with Special Needs (SSN) in remote areas, with a specific focus on Tioman Island. This qualitative research employed a case study design and involved in-depth interviews with 12 participants comprising special education teachers, parents, and school administrators. The findings revealed three main challenges: limitations in resources and infrastructure, issues related to human resources and training, and geographical and logistical challenges unique to the island context. The study also documented various adaptive strategies implemented by schools, including the development of teaching and learning materials using local resources, collaboration with the local community, and the use of flexible instructional approaches. The findings suggest the need for a contextualised approach to early intervention implementation in remote areas that takes into account resource constraints and location-specific characteristics. Overall, the results provide important implications for policymakers in designing more effective and context-appropriate early intervention programmes for remote areas in Malaysia.
References
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
Guralnick, M. J. (2011). Why early intervention works: A systems perspective. Infants & Young Children, 24(1), 6–28.
Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia. (2022). Garis panduan program intervensi awal kanak-kanak berkeperluan khas. Putrajaya: Bahagian Kesihatan Keluarga.
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. (2022). Laporan tahunan pendidikan khas 2022. Putrajaya: Bahagian Pendidikan Khas.
Lee, S. C., & Tan, W. H. (2020). Community-based support for special needs education in remote areas. Asian Journal of Inclusive Education, 8(1), 112–128.
Nor, M. M., & Ahmad, S. (2021). Cabaran guru pendidikan khas di sekolah pedalaman. Jurnal Kurikulum & Pengajaran Asia, 9(2), 78–92.
Odom, S. L., & Wolery, M. (2003). A unified theory of practice in early intervention/early childhood special education. Journal of Special Education, 37(3), 164–173.
Priestley, M., Biesta, G., & Robinson, S. (2015). Teacher agency: An ecological approach. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Saiful Azam. (2020). Keperluan kemahiran intervensi awal bagi murid berkeperluan khas. Jurnal Pendidikan Khas Malaysia, 10(1), 45–56.
Smith, J. A., & Brown, L. K. (2021). Special education in rural areas: Challenges and innovations. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 25(8), 945–961.
Tan, E. H. F., & Mohamad, Z. S. (2025). Early intervention services for special needs children: An exploration of the effectiveness of early special education in Malaysia. Psychological Research and Intervention, 14(1), 1–15.
UNESCO. (2020). Inclusive education in remote settings: Best practices and lessons learned. Paris: UNESCO Publishing.
Wang, L., & Chen, H. (2019). Early intervention strategies for children with special needs in developing countries. Journal of Special Education, 43(3), 156–170.
Zainal, A., & Ibrahim, N. (2022). Pendidikan inklusif di Malaysia: Dasar dan pelaksanaan. Jurnal Pendidikan Malaysia, 47(1), 23–45.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Mohamad Haniff Azmi, Khairul Farhah Khairuddin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
