Implementation of inclusive education for Children with special needs in primary schools in Kasarani division Nairobi County, Kenya
Abstract
The study was on the implementation of inclusive education for children with special
needs in primary schools in Kasarani Division of Nairobi County, Kenya The purpose of
the study was to investigate how inclusive education for children with special learning
needs in public primary schools has been implemented; determine the disability types,
number of inclusive schools, available resources, support services, qualified personnel,
financial sources and changes put in place during implementation.The study employed
survey research design. The study locale was the public primary schools in Kasarani
division Nairobi County. Simple random sampling was used to obtain the sample.The
study sample wasI40 primary school teachers andiO headteachers. Aquestionnaire, an
interview guide and an observation schedule were used to collect data. The research
instruments were pretested in three schools.The findings showed that majority of the
schools were identified as regular schools with inclusive education. The main source of
finance was the government through training of teachers, provision of resource persons,
provision of facilities such as classrooms and other physical facilities as well as provision
of teaching and learning resources. Majority of the teacher-respondents had no training in
special education, However, most had attended a seminar or workshop on special needs
education. The main available teachingllearning resources and equipment were writing
materials and textbooks (for pupils and teachers)I20(86%) of them stated that, the least
available were audiovisual equipment and special aids .Majority of the schools had
appropriate desks available, but they did not have braille, wheel chairs" walkers and
crutches available. The study recommended that the government should invest more on
audiovisual learning aids tosupplement already existing facility. The study also
recommended that training of teachers in special needs should be subsidized by the
government to encourage more teachers to have such further training.