Inclusive Education of Children with Special Needs: Practices, Opportunities and Barriers

Inclusive education has become a worldwide practice because it boosts child rights, especially the right to basic education. Management of inclusive education in primary schools is critical if the education sector is to realize set objectives. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of special needs education (SNE) resources on the management of inclusive education in public primary schools in Nakuru East Sub-County, Kenya. The specific objectives included establishing the influence of available teaching and learning resources for SNE and SNE teachers' competence in the management of inclusive education in public primary schools in Nakuru East Sub-County. The study was supported by two theories, namely Classical Liberal Theory of Equal Opportunity and Social Darwinism and Systems Theory. The research used a mixed-methods approach. This study used a descriptive, explanatory research design. The target population was 520 respondents, including 437 pupils with disabilities, one quality assurance officer, 4 guidance and counselling teachers, and 4 head teachers. A sample of 170 respondents was selected. Questionnaires for Headteachers, Guidance and counselling Teachers, and Pupils with disabilities and interview schedules for Quality assurance officers were adopted to collect primary data. After cleaning this data by looking for errors in the entries, different descriptive statistics like the variation of coefficient, frequencies, standard deviation, mean score and percentages were assessed for all the quantitative information and variables presented using tables. Inferential statistics such as regression analysis were computed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 27. On the other hand, qualitative information was analyzed through the use of content analysis. Regarding the availability of teaching and learning resources for SNE, the study found that the schools had adequately adapted textbooks and hearing aids for SNE. Further, regarding the SNE teachers' competence, the study established that it was uncertain whether many of the teachers at their schools had received special education training. The study concluded that SNE teachers' competence (β=0.737, p-value=0.006<0.05) had the greatest influence on the management of inclusive education in public primary schools in Nakuru East Sub-County, while available teaching and learning resources for SNE (β=0.541, p-value=0.003<0.05) had the least influence on the management of inclusive education in public primary schools in Nakuru East Sub-County. The study recommended that head teachers and teachers should be taken for some SNE management training by the government through seminars organized by the Ministry of Education in order to be able to cater to the learners with special needs in regular schools. The findings might be used by the Ministry of Education and education stakeholders to enhance the quality of inclusive education in public primary schools in Nakuru East Sub-County, Kenya.

Inclusive education (IE) in Indonesia has garnered growing attention, particularly at the primary school level, sparking ongoing dialogue about effective practices and systemic challenges. This study explores the reality of implementing inclusive classrooms through the lens of public and private primary school teachers, whose attitudes and practices are critical to the success of IE implementation. Using a qualitative research approach, data were gathered through online semi-structured interviews with seven primary school teachers. Responses from public and private school teachers was analysed using thematic analysis to examine differences in their perspectives about IE implementation. Finding reveals pronounced contrasts between private and public institutions IE practice. Private schools, empowered by greater autonomy and resources, implement more diverse and adaptive inclusion strategies. In contrast, public schools, depend heavily on centralised government support, revealing a need for increased flexibility and targeted support. Overall, IE practice in Indonesian primary schools has shown significant progress, evidenced from teacher’s positive view of IE and commitment to provide inclusion in the classroom. Despite progress, urgent demand for equitable and sustainable professional development (PD) or training for classroom teachers is evident. The findings further also suggest a national policy framework that fosters cross-sector collaboration to accelerate nationwide IE. • Indonesian primary schools show notable progress in IE. • Private schools are ahead in resources and autonomy for IE. • Public schools need more autonomy and targeted support for IE. • Urgent need for professional development for teachers in IE. • Cross-sector collaboration essential to excel IE.

The purpose of this research is to examine the views of primary school teachers in the education process of inclusive students. The participants of the research were Şht. Mustafa Kurtuluş Primary School teachers. Our participant group of 10 consists of classroom teachers. Research data were collected by semi-structured interview technique, one of the qualitative research methods. The data obtained from the research were analyzed descriptively. As a result, considering the difficulties faced by classroom teachers in inclusion practices in primary schools, and the research findings in order to make mainstreaming education more successful, it can be suggested that all school personnel, especially classroom teachers, be conscious of mainstreaming practices and that sufficient resources and materials should be accessed for resource education. It shows that primary school teachers stated that students with special needs develop academically and socially during the inclusive education process, and that the inclusion practices that they want to be in the TRNC for students with special needs can be achieved with the participation of the families of the students with special needs and the cooperation with the guidance teacher and special education teacher. Classroom teachers support each other by exchanging ideas with other teachers the most. In inclusive education, a more successful inclusive education is considered when the difficulties experienced by classroom teachers in the support education service for students with special needs are minimized and the inclusive practices that are desired to be in the TRNC are realized.
 Keywords: Inclusive Education, Teachers' Views, Students with Special Needs.

Pervasive exercising of power in educational institutions and processes could be a contributing factor to the undervalued status of art education in South African primary schools. A case study approach that aimed at gaining insight into power relations that played out in the establishment of an art education programme in a low-income area in the Western Cape, South Africa was employed. The article addresses problems of race, inequality, and exclusion as well as schools as possible spaces for critical transformative dialogue. In order to address the impoverished status of art education in primary schools, teachers should become knowledgeable in the functioning of hidden curricula to be able to work towards unbiased observation of learners. Inequality and exclusion emphasised feelings of discomfort, which relates to language and learning barriers as well as limited material and human resources. It is suggested that dialogue could cultivate within teachers greater understanding of the intersection of class, race and power, and the unfolding thereof in education. In striving for a meaningful way to work towards social justice, schools could become spaces for critical transformative dialogue in role players’ detachment from the symbolic forms of meaning that constitute their histories, social constructions, beliefs, viewpoints and preferences.

Teachers' self-efficacy is a crucial element in fostering inclusive practices in school and classroom settings. Teachers' confidence about their ability and motivation to promote inclusive teaching practices in their classrooms is influenced by this important variable. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between teachers' self-efficacy and their beliefs about inclusive practices in Tanzania's primary schools. This study involved 254 in-service primary school teachers from 18 schools in Dodoma and Mwanza. This study employed a correlational study design. Findings indicate that levels of teacher self-efficacy and beliefs about inclusive practices exhibit a positive, but weak relationship. It was found that teachers' levels of self-efficacy are related to their beliefs about the effectiveness of inclusive education in teaching pupils with disabilities in general classrooms as compared with those who do not utilize inclusive education. In light of the findings of this study, it is suggested that measures be taken to improve teachers' personal variables in order to improve their competence and confidence in using inclusive instruction, building pupils' engagement, and managing classrooms in schools.

This study was conducted to investigate teachers’ knowledge, attitude, and practices of inclusive education in Nekemte town and its surrounding government primary schools; and how their knowledge and attitude towards inclusion affect the practice of inclusive education. The participants of the study were primary school teachers and principals. Equal numbers of teachers were included into the study both from Nekemte town (62 teachers) and its surrounding government primary schools (62 teachers). One principal from each school, totally six principals were participated. Data was collected using a Likert type scale questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, hierarchical multiple regression, and series of one way MANOVA were used in the analysis. The result indicated that Primary school teachers had slightly moderate knowledge about inclusive education and predominantly neutral attitude towards inclusive education. The result also indicated that primary school teachers in the study area rarely practice inclusive education. Knowledge of the teachers significantly contributed to the practice of inclusive education, while attitude of teachers did not. No statistically significant differences were found between teachers due to their sex, training, teaching experience in their knowledge, attitude, and practices of inclusive education, while statistically significant difference was observed between urban and rural primary school teachers in their practices of inclusive education. Raising awareness of teachers about inclusive education, the need to equip teachers with theoretical knowledge and practical skill of inclusive education, and making school environment accessible are some of the recommendations suggested. Keywords : Inclusive education Teachers’ attitude Primary Schools Knowledge Practice

This study aims to present the relationship of the constructivist approach to help inclusive education in primary school and specify which aspects of the constructivist learning environment are related to inclusive education. This research employs a quantitative approach to examine the constructivist approach implementation in inclusive classrooms. Moreover, it is mainly focused on the students and their teachers of the primary schools of Vushtrri, Kosovo. The utilization of a sampling purposive technique has made it possible to select 10 teachers and their classes, while targeting children with specific needs in order to examine the role of constructivist methods in these inclusive environments. Collecting the data was done through two main instruments: The Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), which is adapted to measure teachers’ perceptions of their teaching environment classroom, and the Teaching Primary Classroom Observation Tool: Strengthening Its Focus on Inclusion to observe structural aspects influencing classroom inclusiveness. This study highlights the importance of constructivist learning environments in fostering inclusive education in primary school. The results show a positive relationship between Personal Relevance and Classroom Culture, Critical Voice and Instruction, Student Negotiation and Socioemotional Skills. These findings suggest that enhancing the learning environment, especially when it is oriented towards a constructivist approach, can result in better inclusive education in primary school. Moreover, these findings help teachers and policymakers to apply constructivist learning environments to encourage Inclusive Education in Primary School.

This research evaluates educators’ experiences and practices of Inclusive Education in primary schools in South Africa. The educators who serve as role models, nevertheless, do not seem to truly grasp the idea of Inclusive Education. The study used a qualitative research approach based on the interpretative research paradigm to investigate educators' understanding, experiences, and practices of Inclusive Education. The fourteen participants, who included two school principals, two deputy principals, five teachers, and five members of the school-based support team, were chosen through a purposeful sampling process. Five primary schools in the Warmbaths region in Limpopo Province were used to select the participants. With each participant, semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was done to examine and analyse the data. The findings showed the varying perspectives on Inclusive Education, including views based on children's rights, abilities and disabilities, and quality, equity, and fairness for all children. This is further shown by the lack of improvement in stakeholders’ ability to recognise learners who experienced barriers to learning. Educators lack adequate knowledge to implement Inclusive Education successfully. In addition, it was discovered that teaching an inclusive class was quite demanding on educators regarding planning, organising, and curriculum delivery. This study suggests that educators should use a combination of traditional teaching methods and digitally mediated learning to effectively meet the needs of all students, regardless of their learning abilities. Furthermore, educators should be provided with continuous professional development to empower them to meet the educational expectations of all learners.

This paper focuses on digital education in European primary schools, examining trends, challenges, and financing strategies. The study uses a combination of research methods, including the comparative method, analysis, synthesis, induction and deduction, statistical data collection, and the monographic method. The paper identifies the current state of digital education in primary schools across Europe and highlights the challenges faced by educators and policymakers in implementing digital education initiatives. It analyzes the different financing strategies adopted by European countries and their effectiveness in promoting digital education in primary schools. The study finds that while many European countries have made significant progress in digital education, there are still challenges to be addressed, including infrastructure and connectivity issues, digital skills gaps, and funding constraints. The paper concludes with recommendations for policymakers and educators to promote digital education in primary schools and ensure that all students have access to quality digital learning opportunities.

Inclusive education has become a global priority in education reforms, aiming to provide all learners, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, with equal opportunities to succeed. However, meeting the diverse needs of learners in the inclusive classroom remains a pressing challenge for school leaders and educators worldwide. This study explored the role of school leaders in enhancing teachers’ adaptation of inclusive teaching practices that address the diverse needs of learners in an inclusive classroom among primary schools in Arusha City Council. The study was guided by the Transformational Leadership Theory, which advocates for school leadership that inspires both teachers and learners to embrace an inclusive learning environment and enhances teachers' adaptation of inclusive teaching practices. The study employed a mixed-methods research approach and a convergent parallel design. Data were collected using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews from 94 teachers and four head teachers who were recruited using random and purposive sampling techniques and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, respectively. The findings revealed that school leaders play a pivotal role in enhancing inclusive teaching practices through providing resources, promoting professional development, encouraging collaborative planning and mentorship programmes, and supporting the use of diverse teaching strategies in mainstream classrooms. The study concludes that effective school leadership is essential for creating, maintaining, and fostering an inclusive teaching environment. It recommends targeted leadership training, a strong policy framework, resource mobilization, continuous professional development for teachers, and increased funding as key enhancement strategies for teachers’ adaptation of inclusive teaching practices in mainstream primary schools.

Inclusive education is an educational service that provides opportunities for children with SEN to attend regular schools with their peers. Inclusive education is also a form of Education for All. The implementation of inclusive education has been implemented at the primary school level. However, in its implementation, inclusive education still finds problems. The purpose of this study was to analyze the problems of implementing inclusive education in primary schools. This research study goes through three stages: determining the scope that will focus on the research, determining the urgency and novelty of the research, and determining the research formulation and objectives. A total of sixteen journal articles from 2011 until 2020 with the topic of problems in implementing inclusive education in primary schools. This literature is collected through the Google Scholar database. Based on the current literature review, the problems that exist in the implementation of inclusive education in primary schools are found in the aspects of teacher understanding or skills in teaching SEN students, school infrastructure, student attitudes with the presence of SEN students in the same class, the role of parents, implementation of learning and curriculum development, fees procurement, and cooperation with various parties.

Introduction: School can be considered as a relatively moderate risk working environment due to the various hazards assembled in the school. Nevertheless, Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) training is yet to formally inclusive into teachers’ training module, and the current one-off or ad-hoc OSH training mainly targeted among school students. The different OSH awareness exists among teacher and student have hinder the provision of sustainable and effective safety and health training program at school levels. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice among primary and secondary school teachers towards OSH at the school environment. Method: A cross-sectional survey carried out at three (3) primary schools and three (3) secondary schools after stratified random sampling. School teachers from these schools were randomly selected among those who had at least one year work experience as permanent teacher at the current school through the fishbowl technique. A structured questionnaire was used and total 136 teachers were assessed on their knowledge, attitude and practices on OSH at schools. Result: Study found that primary and secondary school teachers have different knowledge, attitude and practices of OSH at school levels. Overall, the knowledge level of secondary school teacher (62.1% of high to medium knowledge levels) are higher than the primary school teachers (41.1% of high to medium knowledge levels); at the same time, 93.1% of secondary school teachers show positive attitude while 88.5% of primary school teachers show positive attitude on safety and health atschools. In general, OSH practice level among the primary (88.5%) and secondary school teachers (86.2%) are atrelatively good levels. Besides, there is positive association with knowledge and attitude on OSH behavior among primary school teachers. Apart of this, there is positive but relatively weak association with knowledge and practices and knowledge and attitudes among primary and secondary school teachers. Conclusion: Considering the background differences between primary and secondary school teachers, a sustainable OSH learning mechanism should be planned and designed together with OSH practitioners and Ministry of Education to achieve a sustainable safety and healthy sound school environment for teacher to work and for students to learn.

ABSTRACTThis article investigates inclusive education practices in schools under the jurisdiction of Thai local government through a study of schools in Khon Kaen Municipality in Northeastern Thailand. Thailand’s 1997 Constitution and 1999 National Education Act both legislated that the educational system must become inclusive, and under these laws schools are required to admit all groups of children, including children with special educational needs (SEN). This study sheds light on the situation of inclusive education in schools with regard to administrators’ policy implementation, teachers’ practices, and parents’ perception of inclusive education management. The findings derive from a survey of 11 school administrators, 114 teachers, and 274 parents (of 137 regular and 137 students with SEN), together with six focus groups with administrators and teachers from six schools. The results demonstrate that most school leaders support inclusive classrooms, most teachers are willing to work with SEN students, and parents of regular students accept the concept of inclusion. Actual practices of inclusive education vary, however, depending upon the perception of administrators and the will of the teachers to implement inclusive education. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the policy of the municipality may have resulted in the development of inclusive practices in schools under its jurisdiction.

This article reports on the third phase of a larger study that explored the perceptions of teachers about distributed leadership practices for inclusive education (IE) in primary schools involved in IE reform in Bangladesh. The Distributed Leadership Practice for Inclusive Education scale was developed specifically for this study to collect data. Participants for the present study were head teachers and teachers from 308 public primary schools. The results of this study indicate that teachers perceived that distributed leadership practices for IE were present in primary schools in Bangladesh. The findings indicate that teachers' perceptions about distributed leadership practices for IE have a significant positive correlation with their satisfaction about the implementation of IE policy.

Character education which is intended to love the motherland is one of the character education that must be instilled for every young generation from an early age. The purpose of this study is to find out how to instill national character (nationalism) through learning Citizenship Education in Primary Schools. The method used is the study of literature (literature study) on books and learning tools for Citizenship Education in other Primary Schools. The results showed that Citizenship Education in Primary Schools has contributed in every effort to instill national character (nationalism) through several schemes: 1) Planning to instill national character (nationalism) by incorporating the value of national character (nationalism) into the Syllabus, thematic RPP , and Citizenship Education teaching materials in Elementary Schools; 2) How to assess the inculcation of national character (nationalism) through Citizenship Education in Primary Schools by assessing the cognitive domain through tests, affective domains through teacher observation sheets and coordination with religious and sports teachers, and psychomotor domains through the process and results of the assessment; 3) The strategy of instilling national character (nationalism) through Citizenship Education in Primary Schools is through comprehensive discussions and methods.