Inclusive Education Practices of Primary Schools in Yeka Sub City
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Date
2014-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate and identify the special Needs/inclusive education practices and
challenges of students with disabilities at primary schools. Having special needs/inclusive education is to
value children with special needs(disabilities) so they can participate equally in all educational activities
alongside their peers( without special needs). There should not be any discrimination, segregation or
isolation of these children with special needs from being educated rather they must be given an equal
opportunity to participate alongside children without special needs. The study conducted in three primary
schools in Yeka sub city of Addis Ababa and seeks to investigate the wereda and primary schools
teachers’ views and experiences on the special needs/ Inclusive Education practices in regular schools.
Primary and secondary Data for the study were gathered and analyzed from the interview transcripts,
observation and documents review. The findings from the study revealed that most teachers and woreda
officials supported the notion of special needs/Inclusive Education Policies and strategy and would like to
implement it. However, they indicated that their needs to be a change in attitudes of teachers, peers,
leaders, parents/caregivers and the community to provide sufficient assistance for children with special
needs (Disabilities). Most teachers felt that their needs to be more awareness of the strategies,
conventions and the importance of SNE /inclusion. The barriers for teachers with in SNE/inclusive
education practices are likely the result of their beliefs and experience in relationship to students with
disabilities and professional supports. Teachers’ limited knowledge of teaching children with special
needs also highlighted. In this study, teachers admitted that they need more training in the field of
educating children with special education in order to accommodate and teach children with special needs
and the woreda officers also need to get training in the field of SNE. The lack of budget and learning
materials allocation, and commitment are also the major challenges for practicing the Special
needs/Inclusive education. All these issues highlighted are very important and it hoped that the outcome
of the Findings would provide the sub city with new strategies to improve and strengthen their
commitment to practice SNE/Inclusive Education. The results suggest that there are important to provide
the trainings, assessment tools, incentives, budget and material allocation, available accessibilities and
brings the attitudinal changes in each educational levels
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Keywords
Primary Schools in Yeka Sub City