Indian educators’ perceptions of their inclusion implementation practices in secondary schools

Abstract

Inclusive education has been touted as a strategy for providing educational opportunity in India, but little is known about whether and how Indian educators provide such opportunities. This study focused on Indian educators’ perceptions of inclusive practices in their own schools. A total of 160 teachers and 15 headteachers from randomly selected secondary schools in the Indian state of West Bengal participated in the study. Surveys were distributed to collect and analyse responses. Interviews were also used to learn more about the views of the school leaders on specific issues concerning learners with special needs. In addition, classroom observations were conducted to corroborate survey and interview data. Collected data were analysed descriptively. Findings revealed that headteachers and teachers perceived that their schools were not implementing inclusive practices.