A Study of Ghanaian Early Childhood Teachers' Perceptions about Inclusive Education

Autor/inn/en	Ntuli, Esther; Traore, Moussa
Titel	A Study of Ghanaian Early Childhood Teachers' Perceptions about Inclusive Education
Quelle	In: Journal of the International Association of Special Education, 14 (2013) 1, S.50-57 (8 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1555-6913
Schlagwörter	Inclusion; Teacher Attitudes; Early Childhood Education; Preschool Teachers; Foreign Countries; Barriers; Semi Structured Interviews; Accessibility (for Disabled); Educational Practices; Special Needs Students; Knowledge Level; Teacher Competencies; Educational Resources; Faculty Development; Financial Support; Ghana + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Inklusion; Lehrerverhalten; Early childhood; Education; Frühkindliche Bildung; Frühpädagogik; Pre-school education; Preschool education; Erzieher; Erzieherin; Kindergärtnerin; Vorschulerziehung; Vorschule; Ausland; Accessibility; Zugänglichkeit; Bildungspraxis; Sonderpädagogischer Förderbedarf; Wissensbasis; Lehrkunst; Bildungsmittel; Finanzielle Förderung
Abstract	Inclusion is designed to bring special education services into the general classrooms. Research indicates that children with disabilities demonstrate better progress when learning with typically developing peers in general classrooms than they would in segregated learning environments. In inclusive classrooms, children with disabilities learn by observing their peers without disabilities. The current study explores early childhood teachers' perceptions of inclusive education in Ghana, and identifies the barriers to inclusion in that country. Purposeful sampling was used to select participants, and qualitative measures were used for data collection and analysis. Results revealed that teachers understood the benefits of inclusive education; however, due to limited resources such as teacher aides, developmentally appropriate materials, and lack of proper training on how to manage inclusive classrooms, inclusive education was a challenge to most teachers. Results also indicated that teachers needed more professional development on teaching in inclusive classrooms and on the knowledge of what constitutes quality inclusion in early childhood education classrooms. Finally, the study revealed the need for more funding in order to recruit teacher aides and purchase more developmentally appropriate materials. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	International Association of Special Education. c/o College of Education, Northern Arizona University, P.O. Box 5774, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5774. Tel: 928-523-8979; Fax: 928-523-1929; Web site: http://iase.coe.nau.edu/index3.html
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10