Challenges and Opportunities To Implement Inclusive Education
Challenges and Opportunities To Implement Inclusive Education
Challenges and Opportunities To Implement Inclusive Education
ABSTRACT
Volume 1, Number 2/2014 This study is conducted in order to assess the challenges
and opportunities to implement inclusive education in
selected primary schools of North GondarZone. In order
DOI:
to attain the objectives of the study, related literatures on
international policies and concepts of inclusive education
was reviewed in detail. Concerning the significance of the
Licensed: study it is expected that it will highlight those concerned
individuals on the existing situation prevailing in
Source of Support: Nil
connection with the problem under study and devise
Conflict of Interest: None declared mechanisms for addressing the observed situation. The
study used descriptive survey as a research design to
explain the current trends existing in the study area. . As
Email for correspondence:
mitikuwondwosen@yahoo.com to the samples considered for the study, because there are
only two schools it appeared manageable to take them as
they are. In regards to participants of the study seventy
one participants, namely 4 from the school's principals, 16 from the professional teachers
in special needs, and 51 students with different disabilities were involved as sample
participants. These samples were taken by using systematic random sampling to give fair
and equal chance of selection. With regard to data gathering instrument, questionnaire,
structured interview and observation were used to collect data from the participants. The
finding roughly show that even though there are some opportunities that support
inclusive education it cannot be taken as a guaranty due to lack of awareness,
commitment, and collaboration. And there are real challenges that hinder the full
implementation of inclusive education. Generally it can be conclude that the challenges
outweigh the opportunity on the full implementation of inclusive education and there
should be strong collaboration among stakeholders, NGOs, and the concerned bodies in
order to realize the journey towards inclusive education.
INTRODUCTION
Inclusive education means welcoming all children, without discrimination into regular or
general schools. By the change of attitude against differential treatment of education
differences in people will likely be seen in a positive perspective. It calls for a respect of
difference and celebration of diversity. (Disability in Ethiopia, 2005)
DATA COLLECTION
The instrument I prefer to collect data from students’ participants is questionnaires and
the questionnaire contains both close ended and open ended questions. I preferred
questionnaires because all the participants are literate and able to put their idea on a paper
and they can fill that at the time they feel comfortable either at home or a somewhere else
they like. For the sake of triangulation I will use interview for the principals and teachers
and un structured observation will be held.
ANALYSIS PLAN
To analyze the data, description for open ended questions, structured interview, and
observation and statistical expression, percentage, and tabular presentation for the close
ended questions will be used to present the research report.
RESEARCH PROCEDURES
As a procedure due attention will be given to all categories of participants because being
inclusive education touches everybody, each group represents part of society in their
respective part. To distribute the questionnaires, hardcopy will be prepared considering
the number of participants and concerning questions to each group and the researcher will
reach to each participants personally and will take appointment to collect because they can
fill it at home within the range of two to three days.
This may give them ample time to fill it with due attention, being they are professionals
and students they may not have time to fill the paper in a time less than two days,
therefore, giving them ample time may increase the authenticity of their response.
For the ten visually handicapped participants, the researcher will fill the questionnaires by
reading each question for them if they are willing and if they have no one to do that for them.
ETHICAL CONSIDERATION
Participants’ economic background, ethnicity, sex or race as means of identify will not be
considered because all these have nothing to do with the idea of the research and inclusive
education disregards these issues. But during question formulation and personal contact to
give them the questionnaires, care will be taken not to heart them unintentionally because of
their sensitive part of disability and as a neutral researcher, in no way discrimination will be
manifested between the so called “normal” and students with disability.
As table 1 indicates, fifteen (60%) and ten (38.51) of responds of Serako primary school and
Selam ber Primary School were female respectively. While Serako Primary school has ten
(40%) and selamber primary has sixteen (61.5%) female participants. When we see the age
of participants of Serako Primary School, five (20%) are 8-10 years, 12(48%) are 11-13 years
and 8(32%) are 14-16 years. Selamber Primary School has 6(23%) of 8-10 years, 10(38.5%) of
14-16 participant students with special needs.
Additionally, in Serako Primary School there are 4(16%), 9(36%), 7(28%), 5 (20%)
participants of visual impairment, Hearing impairment, intellectual impairment and other
impairments respectively. Whereas selamber primary school has 4(154%), 7(26%) and
11(42.3%) of participants of visual impairment, hearing Impairment, intellectual
impairment and other impairments respectively. When we analyze the grades of
participants of serako Primary school 5(20%) are 1st grade, 6(24%) are 2nd grade, 6 (24%)
are 3rd grade and 4th grade students are 8(32%). Similarly Selamber School has 5 (19.2%)
1st grade, 11 (42.3%) 2nd grade, 5 (19.1%) 3rd grade and 5(19.2%) 4th grade participants.
From this we can inferred that in serako primary school most participants were male. In
contrary selam ber primary school has high number of female students with special needs.
In both schools, most students are in the age range of 11-13 year. In Serako primary
schools, most students have hearing problem and in selam ber primary students most
students have intellectual impairment. Most students are in 4th grade in serako primary
school and 2nd grade in selam ber primary school.
As indicated in table 2, the questionnaire conducted in serako and selam ber primary schools
revealed many results. The above mentioned table shows that many respondents of students
agree that the school compound is not comfortable for students with disabilities. 45(91.8%)
students assured that the school compound is not comfortable for students with disabilities.
Only 4(8.2 %) of respondents responded that the school compound is comfortable for students
with disabilities. Most respondents agree that the school’s classrooms are not accessible for
students with disabilities. As we observe from the above mentioned table 39(79.6%) of students
assured that the classrooms are not accessible for students with disabilities. Whereas 10(20.4%)
of respondents said that the classrooms are accessible for students with disabilities.
Many respondents agree that the school community did not believe on the inclusiveness of
students with disabilities with other students. 43(87.8%) of students responded that the school
community did not believed on the inclusiveness of students with disabilities with other
students. In the other side, 6(12.2%) of respondents responded that the school communities
with other students. And also most students with disabilities are stigmatized by those students
without disabilities. Most students of the respondents 37(75.5%) evidenced that students with
disabilities are stigmatized by students without disabilities. Whereas 12(24.5) of respondents
responded that the students disabilities are stigmatized by students without disabilities. Most
respondents agree that students without disabilities did not participate in different activities of
the school. 35(71.4%) of students responded that students with disabilities did not participate
in different activities of the school. For the same question, 14(28.6%) of respondents responded
that students with disabilities are participated in different activities of the school.
As can be seen from the table 2, almost all respondents 44(89.8%) of students responded
that the school community did not give special service for students with disabilities. On
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Asian Journal of Humanity, Art and Literature, Volume 1, No 2 (2014)
the other hand 5(10.2%) of respondents believed that the school community gave special
service for students with disabilities. The school leisure place, toilet rooms, classroom gets,
and other things are not accessible to those students with disabilities. That is, 37(75.5%) of
respondents evidenced that the school leisure place, toilet rooms, classroom gets are not
accessible to students with disabilities. Whereas 12(24.5%) of students responded that the
schools leisure please, toilet rooms, classroom gets are accessible for students with
disabilities. And also, the sport field of the schools are not comfortable to those students
with disabilities.35(71.4%) of respondents said that the sport field of the school is not
comfortable to students with disabilities and 14(28.6%)of them agreed that, the school
sport fields are comfortable for students with different kinds impairments. Most students
with disabilities 31(63.3%) did not have interaction with students without disabilities
during break and entry time. But 11(22-4%) of students with disabilities have interaction
with students without disabilities during entry and Break time.
When we come to the education life of students with special needs, they have not adapted
curriculum and individualized education program, the teaching methodology is not
comfortable and generally the assessment methodology is not also comfortable for those
students with special needs. This is evidenced with that almost all respondents 46 (94%)
confirmed that there are no adapted curriculum for students with special needs. In
contrary, 3(6%) of students agreed on the presence of adapted curriculum for students
with special needs. Similarly 41(83.7%) of respondents agreed that the teaching
methodology is not comfortable for students with special needs. But only 8(16%) of
students have said that, the teaching methodology of teachers are comfortable for students
with special needs. The assessment methodology of teachers is not comfortable for
41(83%) of respondents and comfortable for 8(16.3%) of respondents. These show that
teachers do not use appropriate teaching methods that address the needs of students with
special needs and they did not modify the assessment methods according to the needs and
potential of students with special needs.
DISCUSSION
As indicated in the finding principals of both schools said that they know about some of the
opportunities such as declaration and international agreement that gave special attention for
the education of students with special needs like Education for all, UN convention on the right
of the child but they did not take these opportunities as a guarantee to implement inclusive
education and the only opportunity they have is the support they got from NGOs like save the
children Norway and CBR workers but The Constitution of Federal Democratic Republic of
Ethiopia (FDRE, 1995), under article 9 reveals that all international agreements that have been
ratified by the country should be implemented and the concerned bodies should play an
important role for the implementation.
In addition to this many scholars agreed that there should be a multi-disciplinary team
meeting consists of different professionals to determine the child’s eligibility for special
education service. Tuttle (1981) cited in Scholl (1986) further emphasizes that if a child has
demonstrated that he has a visual impairment, then here must be sufficient evidence to
indicate that the visual impairment is indeed an educational handicap and that is
interfering with the child’s adequate functioning in the regular classroom.
To identify children with visual impairment the school conduct an observation on those
children. In this process the school observes different signs which are displayed by the
children. In fact literature also suggests these and other signs to identify children with
special needs. For instant, Gearheart (1988) stated that observable signs which help to
suspect a child having visual impairment included: red eye lids, crust or lids among the
eyelashes, watering eye or discharges, crossed eye.etc.
In addition the schools do not conduct further assessment to know the degree of the problem
and for appropriate educational placement. In contrary to this (Polloway and Patton, 1997)
emphasizes the importance of periodic assessment to know the degree of their vision and to
change the placement accordingly saying that “since children needs change from month to
month and from year to year, regular periodic assessment must be conducted.”
Regarding Individualized Educational Plan, as the researcher has observed and
interviewed teachers do not have individualized educational plan for students with
special needs . But literatures emphasize the importance of Individualized Educational
Plan to address the unique needs of each student. Smith stated that the Individualized
Educational Plan should include statement of current level of performance, annual
instructional goals, short term objectives, statement detailing special services to be
provided and the degree of integration in the regular classroom.
Concerning teaching strategies the respondents have explained that teachers used
different teaching strategies like group discussion, pair work and lecture method
according to the type of the lesson and subject matter. And teachers tries to involve
students with special needs in all activities and to make them active participants. In line
with this Azeb (1984) said that learning to occur, students must actively participate. No
learning can occur if the students passively sit because “education is a human experience
acquired in the process of man’s interaction with his physical and social environment.”
Concerning alternative teaching procedures teachers tried to slow their speed while
presenting the lessons in order to help the students follow the lesson and understand it
clearly and they also tried to write in bold on the blackboard to support low vision
CONCLUSION
The main purpose of this study was to assess the opportunities and challenges to
implement inclusive education. To this effect, the following basic research questions were
formulated to carry out the study.
How did teachers of this school implement inclusive education?
What are the best opportunities for the realization of inclusive education in these schools?
What are the practical challenges for the provision of inclusive education in these schools?
What mechanisms should be devised to alleviate these challenges?
In order to deal with these basic questions, related literature was properly reviewed and
questioner, interview and observation check list were prepared to collect the data. The
participants of the study were 6 teachers, 8 students with visual impairment, 13 students
with hearing impairment, 14 students with intellectual impairment, 16 students with
physical disability and 2 principals of each school. Concerning the sampling technique,
purposive and random sampling method were employed to select students, principals and
teachers and the data obtained was analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Based on the above major findings of the study, the following conclusions are made for the
opportunities and challenges to implement inclusive education.
The schools have little opportunities and these opportunities did not pave the way to
implement inclusive education. And both schools faced many challenges to implement
inclusive education. Some of the challenges to implement inclusive education in these schools
are, the attitude of teachers and parents towards children with disability and teachers of
students with special needs, lack of attention from the education office both zones and
woreda, lack of educational materials, large class size, lack of skilled man power etc.
The schools do not conduct scientific way of identification and assessment process to
identify and assess children with special needs. And there is no periodic assessment to
know the degree of their needs.
The school does not have eligibility criteria to admit students with special needs.
Teachers do not prepare individualized educational plan (IEP/ for students with
special needs though it is important to address the unique needs of each students.
Although teachers tried to use different teaching strategies to involve students with
special needs in all activities, they do not provide extra time to complete their
activities, and the testing procedures is not modified and adapted for them.
There is a shortage of special educational materials and equipment in the library and resource
room such as reference books written in Braille and some geographical and mathematical aids. In
addition to this the situation in the library is not convenient for students with special needs.
Visually impaired students are positioned or placed at the front side of the classroom
but the width and the surface of the desk is not suitable to use slate and stylus and to
accommodate all the stationary and other materials
Since the classroom is narrow and desks are putted very close to each other, visually
impaired students do not have access to move freely in the classroom.
RECOMMENDATION
Ethiopia has come along a way to education for all, however, there is still a gap in
providing access to all children and actualization of inclusive education as a result schools
and teachers find it difficult to accommodate students with special needs and compel
them to adapt to the school instead of adapting the school to the needs of the students.
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