Teachers perception towards children with disabilities in inclusive education in the Ahanta West Municipality

Abstract

The researcher observed that, teachers do not feel that they are prepared or competent to teach both regular learners and learners with special educational needs. The main reason is that they did not have sufficient training to deal with these inclusive educational activities (Hay, Asten, Mills, Kumar, Pawlby, & Sharp, 2001). These findings are consistent with those which underline the fact that teachers who have an opened perception over the inclusion are more confident in their own abilities to implement the inclusive education (Buell, Hallam, Gamel-McCormick, & Scheer, 1999). The design employed for the study was a cross-sectional survey because the focus of the study was to gain insight into the teachers' perceptions towards children with disabilities in inclusive education in the Ahanta West Municipality. According to Spector (2019), cross-sectional survey research involves the collection of data in order to test hypothesis or answer research questions concerning the current status of the subject of study. Surveys can, he states, be useful for gathering facts in order to establish important and useful information for the educational purposes. One factor that Clough and Lindsay (1991) consistently found to be associated with more positive perceptions is the availability of support services at the classroom and the school levels (Clough & Lindsay, 1991). Here, support could be seen as both physical (resources, teaching materials, IT equipment, a restructured physical environment) and human (learning support assistants, special teachers, speech therapists) (Clough & Lindsay, 1991). This study has attempted to assess teachers’ perceptions towards inclusion and identify the factors that influence these perceptions. The success of inclusion or organised placement of children with disabilities in mainstream classrooms largely depends on teachers’ perceptions towards students with Special Education Needs (SEN) and their knowledge on how to properly educate them. In this study the general perceptions of inclusion were not very encouraging; teachers appear to recognise the value and benefits associated with inclusive practice in mainstream classrooms. The study did report significant barriers to successful inclusion; the most common concern being inadequate training in inclusive practice.