Examining the attitudes and concerns of the Kenyan teachers toward the inclusion of children with disabilities in the general education classroom: A Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

The philosophy of inclusive education aims at enabling all children to learn in the regular education classrooms. It is widely believed that the successful implementation of any inclusive policy is largely influenced by teachers being positive about the expectations. Grounded in Positioning Theory, this study was conducted to examine the attitude, perceptions and concerns of Kenyan teachers toward the inclusion of children with disabilities in the regular education classrooms. The study participants were 142 Primary School teachers from 10 Primary Schools in a school district in Western Kenya deliberately selected from schools identified as actively implementing inclusive education programs. The overall findings indicate that teachers have a positive attitude towards inclusion of children with disabilities in regular classrooms. Overall, the study showed that attitudes, perceptions, and concerns of the teachers influence their acceptance and commitment to the implementation and success of inclusive education