| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of the study was to establish school factors influencing
implementation of inclusive education in public primary schools in Magumoni
Division, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The study sought to address the
following objectives: To establish the influence of material resources on
implementation of inclusive education in public primary schools, to establish the
influence of school physical facilities on implementation of inclusive education,
to determine the extent to which teachers’ perception towards learners with
special needs influence implementation of inclusive education and to determine
the influence of teachers’ professional training on implementation of inclusive
education in public primary schools. The study adopted a descriptive survey
design utilizing quantitative and qualitative approaches. The target population for
this study was 2265 participants involving head teachers, teachers and pupils. A
sample size of 335 participants, comprising of 12 head teachers, 48 teachers and
175 pupils was used for the study. The data for this study was collected using two
types of instruments; questionnaires for head teachers, teachers and pupils, and an
observation checklist. The researcher used the test retest method to estimate the
degree to which the same results could be obtained within a repeated measure of
the same concept. Correlations of 0.82 for pupils, 0.88 for teachers and 0.89 for
head teachers’ questionnaire were obtained. Quantitative data were coded and
entered in the computer for analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS) version 20. The qualitative data obtained from the checklist was analyzed
and discussed thematically to qualify the data generated by the questionnaire. The
results of the data analysis were presented using frequency distribution tables, bar
graphs and charts according to the objectives and research questions. From the
study, it was established that; the majority of the schools did not have teaching
and learning resources such as teaching aids and even if some of the teaching aids
were available, none of the schools had enough. It was further established that
majority of the schools did not have adapted desks and chairs. The majority of the
teacher respondents indicated that their schools did not have physical facilities
such as ramps, adapted toilets, adapted chairs and desks, wheel chairs, spacious
classrooms and level playgrounds. It was established that the majority of the
teachers did not have training on special needs education. The majority of the
respondents felt that they were not adequately prepared to practise inclusive
education in a mainstream school. From the findings, it was concluded that
material resources had an influence on implementation of inclusive education in
public primary schools, and many public primary schools in Magumoni division
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lacked the materials for teaching learners with special needs, the absence of
physical facilities that support the special needs education pupils has led to low
implementation of inclusive education in public primary schools in Magumoni
division, perception of the teachers towards learners with special needs does
influence implementation of inclusive education in public primary schools and
that the teachers’ professional training does influence the implementation of
inclusive education in public primary schools. The government through the
Ministry of Education should evaluate on special needs education policy on
inclusive education so as to effectively implement the inclusive programme. The
government through the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development should
consider including some special needs education units in the teacher training
curriculum and modify the curriculum to cater for some of the special needs
education pupils and especially those with low cognitive abilities. The study
recommends further research on; Effects of emergent policies on inclusive
education programme in primary schools in Kenya and impact of inclusion on the
regular learners in an inclusive classroom in public primary schools in Kenya | en_US |
