Abstract:
The research examined the support services for teachers in managing the instructional
needs of children with disabilities in kindergarten centres within Kumasi Metropolis.
The study adopted the sequential explanatory mixed methods design, which is
characterised by the collection and analysis of quantitative data followed by the
collection and analysis of qualitative data. A sample of 234 public kindergarten
teachers was selected for the study. They were selected using simple random
sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Questionnaires and a semi-structured
interview guide were the instruments used to collect data for the study. Descriptive
statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data with the aid Statistical Product for
Service Solution (SPSS). Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The
study revealed that kindergarten teachers in Kumasi Metropolis have an appreciable
knowledge of what teacher support services are and their roles in assisting teachers to
help manage the instructional needs of children with disabilities. The study
established that teacher support services in managing the instructional needs of
children with disabilities were not present in kindergarten centres within the Kumasi
metropolis. Based on the findings, the study recommends that headteachers and lead
teachers at basic schools should institute enough measures to motivate teachers to
hold onto their positive views about teachers' support services. The study further
recommends to the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service and Kumasi
Metropolitan Education Directorate to ensure that assistive technology, mobility
service, interpreting service, speech-language pathology service, support teachers and
special educators are available in kindergarten schools and are easily accessible to
teachers.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (Early Childhood Education) in the University of Education, Winneba
JULY, 2022