Teacher support services for managing the instructional needs of children with disabilities in kindergarten centres within Kumasi Metropolis

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.