To Determine the Extend to which Learning Resources Influence the Implementation of Inclusive Education in Selected Public Primary Schools in Trans - Nzoia County,Kenya

Abstract

The goal of inclusive education has not been to erase differences among learners, but to enable all students to belong to an educational community that validates and values their individuality. Therefore, inclusive education call for making children with disabilities participate fully in all activities within a regular school. This requires a change in the factors that affect its implementation such as differences in curriculum, environment, and policies for handicapped children and those for education, support services, attitudes among other things. These factors were the area of concern in this study: the study was set to find out how these factors influence implementation of inclusive education. This study was guided by theory of Gross model of educational change. This theory highlights the stages of implementing a program and the factors that affect the implementation process. (Gross, 1975).The study was conducted in Trans-Nzoia County. The target population was all the all the teachers, all head teachers and Area Education Officers in the five selected schools which makes a population of 126. Sampling was where all regular primary schools that practice inclusive education were included. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Purposive sampling was used to sample out teachers, head teachers, and education officers. The reliability and validity of the data collection instruments was tested and ensured. Data collection instruments included questionnaires and interview schedules. Frequency distribution and percentages were employed. Inferential statistics was also used involving chi-square. The study findings showed that educational resources for learners with disabilities are inadequate in most schools leading to ineffective implementation of inclusive education and therefore the government needs to pump in more funds to cater for the individual needs of learners with special needs in public primary schools. Further, the community should be involved in inclusion process for effective implementation of inclusive education. The study is expected to contribute valuable knowledge to the field of implementation of inclusive education in general. It is expected to produce unavailable knowledge on this subject.

Keywords: inclusion, special needs,special schools.