The Practices and Challenges of Implementing Inclusive Education in Addis Ababa: the Case of German Church School
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Date
2014-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to investigate the practice and the challenges of
implementation of inclusive education in German church school in Addis Ababa. In order to
achieve the purpose of the study, I conducted interviews, focus group discussions and
observations of teachers, parents and school principals. The study had basic research
questions were raised such as the practices of inclusive education and challenges of
implementing the inclusive education in the school. The participants of the study were the one
Principal, ten classroom teachers, four special needs education teachers and twenty students
with disabilities and/or learning difficulties. Purposive sampling techniques were employed
to obtain the data. The data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions and
observations. Qualitative methods of data analysis were used. The study explores valuable
information to identify the existing inclusive practices at German church school. Respondents
stated the need for and potential benefits of inclusive education practices because inclusive
education was supporting collaboration among students with and without disabilities and
fostering academic achievement. The data obtained were analysed through thematic data
analysis technique. And the following major findings were obtained. The inadequate training
and lack of experience to run inclusive classroom, lack of physical space in classrooms, inappropriate
infrastructure and inadequate special needs expertise are major problems for effective inclusive
education. Based on the findings obtained some recommendations were suggested such as
arrangement of different trainings to inclusive teachers, modifying the teaching and learning
environment including physical infrastructure
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The Case of German Church School