CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background to the Study
Inclusion is an educational approach and philosophy that provides all students with community membership, greater opportunities for academic and social achievement. Inclusion is about making sure that each and every student feels welcome and that their unique needs and learning styles are attended to and valued. Inclusive education happens when children with or without disabilities participate and learn together in the classes. Inclusive education is about children with disabilities, whether the disability is mild or severe, hidden or obvious, participating in everyday learning activities with the able children, lust like they would if their disability were not present.
Inclusive education is a child’s right, not a privilege, under this programme, all children with non-disabled children of their own age and have access to the general education curriculum. Including classroom practice is about making sure that children are taught in ways that suits their needs. Inclusive education has been adapted by a number of countries since recognition by the United Nations in 1994.
Teachers are the key implementers of the inclusive education programmes in the schools in which children with special needs can be accommodated and provided equal learning opportunities and support to meet their potential. But many teachers claimed not knowing about inclusive education. They think children with special needs, especially with disabilities have no place in regular schools. It was established that special education (segregation/ isolation) was for children with disabilities and specially trained teachers teach and cater for them. Therefore, this research intends to investigate the teachers’ perception, most especially the English Language of the inclusive education in the Universal Basic Education in Kwara State.
Nigeria adopted the policy of inclusion in her National policy on Education in 1998.The policy stipulates the integration of special needs students into regular classrooms and free education for exceptional students at all levels. In practice however, not all states of the federation has started the implementation of the policy. The benefits of inclusive education are numerous for both students with and without disabilities. Such as meaningful friendships, increase social relationships and network etc.
It also needs to be noted that empirical evidence of research shows that not all teachers are enthusiastic about inclusive education, for instance, Bothma, Gravette and Swart (2000, pp. 201-202) conducted a study to explore the attitudes of primary school teachers towards inclusive education. Their findings revealed that teachers have a negative attitude towards inclusive education. Those who participated in the study believed that learners with special needs can be better served in special schools or classes by specialist teachers. This skeptical attitude of teachers could be suggestive of the opinions and belief that they have about their teaching experiences and efficacy. The belief are based on the filet that teachers have tried and tested methods that have been working well for them year after year and it is on the bases of these methods that their teaching is meaningful to them. Inclusive education on the other hand unsettles their minds because it is theoretically good but lacks clear practical activities that are expected to happen in actual teaching. Vaughn and Schumm (1995, p. 264) contend that there is little empirical documented evidence that exists for the effect of fully inclusive programmes of learners who have high incidence of learning disabilities.
The uncertainty of teachers about the positive outcome of inclusive education is not unique to South Africa In Western Australia, for instance, Forlin (1998, pp. 98-99) conducted a study entitled, Teachers’ Personal Concerns about Including Children with a Disability in Regular Classrooms, and the results showed that teachers were concerned about high expectations for them to be accountable for all children in their classrooms as well as to provide quality education equally for learners with special needs. The study further revealed that regular class teachers were concerned about their own efficacy and knowledge-base if they were to be involved in inclusive education. They believed that they were not well prepared to cope with additional special needs of a child with disability if placed in their classrooms. In another study conducted in the south-eastern United State entitled, Teachers’ Views of Inclusion, Vaughn, School, Jallad, Slusher and Saumell (1996, pp.104-105) found that teachers who have not experienced firsthand positive aspects of inclusion models that provide adequate support programmes for teachers did not have positive view of inclusion and furthermore they were concerned that educational and social needs of students with and without disabilities would not be met in general education classroom despite the best effort of teachers and the good intention of those who have advocated for those programmes. They also perceived that with inclusion there will be demands to meet the needs of learners with special needs and to potentially co-teach and co-plan with other educational specialists.