Factors that hinder inclusion of learners with special needs in education Yatta division Yatta District, Kenya
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Date
2008-11
Authors
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kampala International University, school of education
Abstract
Inclusion has always been a dream in Kenya despite the fact that the country has been a signatory towards international policies and conventions on special needs education. There is enough empirical evidence to support that negative attitudes towards learners with special needs in education still exist among the local people in Kenya. This being one of the major barriers of inclusion among others can only be overcome by way of realizing and implementing inclusion on the ground in order to make the parent more responsible to special educational needs. The belief that people with disabilities cannot be productive is still more attitudinal than real. The first choice of placement for children with special needs in education should be in a regular school within their community. This would ensure provision of quality education to special needs learners through inclusive approach that would remove barriers so that all children learn together. Before the actual inclusive education is fully implemented there is dire need to predetermine the possible barriers that are likely to hinder the formal inclusion. The researcher has used questionnaires to carryout a research on possible barriers that are likely to hinder inclusion of learners with special needs (SNE) in his own local division.The researcher has gone further collecting data on these possible barriers. Using sample eight primary schools within the division. According to the respondents inclusive education is faced by many barriers which should be first addressed ahead of the rest in terms of introducing and sustaining inclusive practices in our education system, Certain
barriers as focused in the researcher’s findings would take substantial time to overcome.The researcher would therefore urge the Kenya government to conduct an overhand research to ascertain these barriers and lay possible strategies to overcome them. This would open doors of inclusion wide open hence ensure quality education to all in Kenya. Inclusive education requires the educational system to meet the needs of the child as normally and inclusively as possible rather than the child with special needs in education being made to adapt to suit the needs of the system. This is a clear indication of the need to ensure modifications and adjustments are worked before hand. The main barriers that are likely to hinder the implementation of inclusive education includes negative attitudes, rigid curriculum content, lack of teaching and learning resources, lack of support for teachers, schools, inappropriate policies and legislation, lack of community
and parental involvement, in accessible environment among others.
Description
A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement of a bachelor of education in special needs
institute of open and distance learning of Kampala International University, Kampala Uganda
Keywords
Inclusion, Special needs education, People with disabilities, Yatta District, Kenya