Primary school educators' attitudes towards inclusive education
Loading...
Date
2009
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The current principles of education policies in South Africa reflect great challenges facing a society in transition. Evidently, the task undertaken by successive democratic governments since 1994 has been to address the inequalities of the past. Since as the capacity of country's building education in various ways - including Special Needs Education, Inclusive Education and Training System, in particular, the White Paper 6 (2001) attempted to promote, enhance and support the inclusion, participation and development of learners.
This study examined the attitudes of primary school educators towards inclusive education, particularly the inclusion of mentally challenged learners. The study was specifically investigated the attitudes of primary school educators towards the inclusion of mentally challenged learners in mainstream education. It also aimed to determine the category/categories of mentally challenged learners which primary school educators preferred to be integrated in the mainstream. Additionally, the study also sought to establish how the following variables associated with the attitudes of educators towards the inclusion of mentally challenged learners in mainstream education: age, grade level taught, gender, type of school, teaching experience and class size.
The study was both analytical and quantitative descriptive in nature, in which educators from primary schools in the Empangeni and Obonjeni Districts serve as accessible population. A structured questionnaire constructed according to a five-point Likert - type scale was used to collect data. Data were analysed both qualitatively and qualitatively. The statistical technique used to test the hypotheses was the Chi-square. The findings indicated that the majority of educators held negative attitudes towards the inclusion of the mentally challenged learners in mainstream education. Finally the findings revealed that the variables o£ gender, age, type of school, experience and class size have no influence on primary school educators attitude towards the inclusion of mentally challenged learners. However, the variable grade showed to have an influence on educators* attitude towards the inclusion of the mildly mentally challenged learners into mainstream education.
Ninety percent of educators indicate that educators prefer to integrate gifted learners, mild and moderately mentally retarded learners; and Underachieving learners.
Although not overahelmingly demonstrated, there is presumptive evidence that the work environment has an impact on the attitudes of the primary school educators. There is an urgent need for improvement of certain service conditions in the school setting to change the attitudes of educators. Lack of experience, lack of in-service training and lack of inspiration emerged as other factors retarding the implementation of inclusive education.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment requirement for
the Degree of Master of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and
Special Education at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2009.
Keywords
Inclusive education, Inclusive education -- educators' atittudes