A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON SELECTED PHYSICAL FITNESS COMPONENTS BETWEEN DEAF & DUMB AND NORMAL SCHOOL BOYS OF WEST BENGAL

: Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the selected physical fitness components between the Deaf & Dumb and Normal school boys of west Bengal. Methodology: For the purpose of the study forty two (N=42)) subjects were randomly chosen of which twenty two were deaf and dumb boys (n 1 =22) and twenty were normal school boys (n 2 =20). The age of the children ranged from 12 to 20 years. They were selected from three separate districts of West Bengal - Kolkata, Burdwan and Hooghly. The five different physical fitness components i.e. Speed, Agility, Muscular endurance, Flexibility and Explosive leg strength were considered as variables for the present study. The data were collected by using standard tools and techniques. Statistics: Mean, standard deviation (SD) and independent t- test were the statistics used in this study for data interpretation. Level of significant difference between two groups was set at p<0.05. For statistical calculations Excel Spread Sheet of windows version 7 was used. Results: Result of present study revealed that in Speed, Agility and Muscular Endurance no significant difference exists between the Normal and Deaf & Dumb Boys. But in Flexibility & Explosive leg strength significant difference exist between the Normal and Deaf & Dumb Boys. Conclusion: It can be concluded from the results of the study that in flexibility the normal boys are better than the deaf and dumb boys but the Explosive leg strength of the Deaf & Dumb Boys are better than the normal boys.


INTRODUCTION
Not long ago individual having some physical or mental defects were looked down upon as useless persons for the society. The term "Handicapped" or "Disabled" were leveled against their identity. They were not whole heartedly accepted by others in the society. With the passage of time the outlook began to change. Social reformers and educationists are striving heard to J o ur na l ho mep a ge: www .ij p e fs. n o no l y mp ict i me s .o rg ISSN: 2277: 5447 | Vol. 3.No.2 | June"2014 53 | P a g e integrate the physically challenged person with the main stream. It is our social responsibility to see it that physically challenged people leads a self reliant independent and emotionally stable life. Educationists and school administrators are now working together to fulfill that aim. Advancement in scientific knowledge is helping them in many ways in their effort. It is not easy to integrate these people with the society. Due to physical disability they face the challenge to perform any task as par with the normal people.
Children are the future of a nation. For an emerging and developing country like India, development of underprivileged children holds the key to the progress of the nation itself. Education for underprivileged Children is the key whether we are addressing healthcare, poverty, population control, unemployment or human rights issues. Youth is an integral part of democratic society and future asset of Mankind. It is universally recognized that Sport is an effective way for channelizing the energies of Youth for productive & meaningful purposes. Fitness has proved as a powerful but highly undervalued and under exploited tool for promoting solidarity and in contributing to an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding to the special population as an undefined part of the society.
Deaf and Dumb" is the term commonly used to describe persons who, through deafness, are unable to hear the spoken words of others, and who, consequently, remain dumb. Deafness is the cause, dumbness the consequence. Thus the term "deaf and dumb" is a misnomer, for the deficiency is single, not two-fold, although in the result it affects the two organs of hearing and speech. Among various special populations deaf & dumb is a very common type of disability seen in our society not in a very negligible quantity. It is needed to take special care and attention of this population from their childhood to give them ample opportunity to be self sufficient in future. That is why various schools have been established for the special populations in our country starting from late seventies up to date. It is needed not only to give them education but also to build a healthy body and mind for them having the prime necessity of physical education as well to make them conscious about their physique, health and fitness. Accordingly the present project is planned to initiate research work from a comparative standpoint to the physical fitness of normal and deaf and dumb school boys of West Bengal.

METHODOLOGY
Total forty two (N=42)) subjects were randomly chosen for this study of which twenty two were deaf and dumb boys (n 1 =22) and twenty were normal school boys (n 2 =20). The age of the children ranged from 12 to 20 years. They were selected from three separate districts of West Bengal-Kolkata, Burdwan and Hooghly. The five different physical fitness components i.e. Speed, Agility, Muscular endurance, Flexibility and Explosive leg strength were considered as variables for the present study. The different standard physical fitness tests were followed to measure several components. The speed was measured by 50m dash; Agility was measured by (4 x 10m) shuttle run; Muscular endurance was measured by Bent-Knee Sit-ups for 1 min; flexibility by Modified sit and reach test; and explosive leg strength was measured by standing broad jump. Apart from the above five variables the age, height and weight of all the subjects were measured. Mean, standard deviation (SD) and independent t-test were the statistics used in this study for data interpretation. Level of significant difference between two groups was set at p<0.05. -

RESULTS
In Table -1, the mean and standard deviation of age, height, and weight of the subjects for different groups have been presented. Table -1 Descriptive statistics of different groups of subjects in age, Height and weight Thus   The mean and standard deviation of obtained data belonging to physical fitness items viz. speed as measured by 30m dash, agility as measured by 4x10m shuttle run, muscular endurance as measured by bent knee sit ups for 1min, flexibility as measured by modified sit and reach test, explosive leg strength as measured by standing broad jump of normal and deaf & dumb boys and their respective Mean Difference, Standard Error, "t" -value and "P" -value have been presented in Table-2. From Table-2 it was also found that the mean and standard deviation of Agility of normal boy were 11.68 ± 1.54 sec and deaf and dumb boys were 12.27 ± 2.07 sec. The mean difference was 0.588, standard error 0.559, t-value 1.0393, p-value 0.3049. From the table value of "t" at 0.05 level of confidence [df (40) = 2.0211], it was observed that there had no significant difference in agility between normal and deaf & dumb boys of West Bengal. Though the difference was statistically insignificant but the agility of the deaf & dumb boys were grater in value than the normal boys.
From Table-2 it was also found that the mean and standard deviation of Muscular Endurance (in no of sit-ups) of normal boys were 29.95 ± 8.82 and deaf & dumb boys were 24.91 ± 8.01, mean difference 5.040, standard error 2.609, t-value 1.941, p-value 0.0593. From the table value of "t"-ratio [df (40) = 2.0211] it was observed that there had no significant difference in muscular endurance between normal and deaf & dumb boys of West Bengal at 0.05 level of confidence. Though the difference was statistically insignificant at 0.05 level of confidence but the "t"-value was very close to the critical value required for the significant difference from which it was also evident that the normal boys were better in muscular endurance than the deaf & dumb boys of West Bengal.
It was also found from And from Table-2 it was also found that the mean and standard deviation of explosive leg strength of normal boys were 1.51 ± 0.28 m and deaf and dumb boy students were 1.84 ± 0.28 m, respective mean difference 0.333, standard error 0.086, t-value 3.8147 and p-value were 0.0005. It was also observed from the table that there was significant difference existed in explosive leg strength between normal and deaf & dumb boys of West Bengal. It was also evident from the table that in explosive leg strength of the deaf & dumb school boys were better than the normal school boys.

DISCUSSION
The results of the present study indicated that in Speed, Agility and Muscular Endurance there were no significant difference found between the Normal and Deaf & Dumb school Boys of West Bengal. The result of the study was in consonance with Kathleen Ellis, (2000) and partially was not in agreement with Winnick, Joseph P.; Short, Francis X., (1986). However, significant difference was found in