IDENTIFIKASI KARAKTERISTIK ANAK TUNAGRAHITA BERAT KELAS V SEKOLAH DASAR BERDASARKAN ASPEK AKADEMIK, SOSIAL, DAN KEMANDIRIAN

Abstract

Children with severe intellectual disabilities present complex and multidimensional characteristics requiring comprehensive identification to enable teachers and schools to provide appropriate educational services. This study aims to identify the characteristics of a student with severe intellectual disabilities in Grade V of an inclusive elementary school across three aspects: academic, social, and independence. A qualitative descriptive method was employed, with data collected through structured observation using a Likert scale (1–4) and semi-structured interviews with a classroom teacher, subject teacher, and classmate. Data analysis followed the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (2014), with validity ensured through source and technique triangulation. Findings reveal that the subject demonstrates relatively intact basic mechanical skills in reading, writing, and gross motor abilities, yet exhibits significant impairments in concept comprehension, memory retention, and numerical reasoning beyond 20. In the social domain, the subject shows articulation difficulties, pronounced challenges in group collaboration, aggressive behavioral tendencies, and emotional lability compounded by the ongoing pubertal stage. Regarding independence, the subject displays high dependency on teachers, peers, and parents for task completion and self-care, particularly menstrual hygiene management. The total identification score of 92/140 (65.7%) places the subject in the category requiring attention and ongoing monitoring. These findings affirm the necessity of holistic intervention through interdisciplinary collaboration among regular teachers, special education teachers, and parents, emphasizing individualized learning programs, emotional regulation training, and life skills development.