Abstract:
he purpose of this study was to assess the role of school leaders in supporting
students with physical disability in secondary schools of Shashamene Town. To
conduct this study, descriptive survey design was employed. Participants of the study
were 84 school leaders (18 school principals, 60 departments’ heads and 6
supervisors), 70 teachers, 6 PTA heads, and 12 students with physical disabilities. The
necessary data was collected using questionnaire, interview, and observation. Both
descriptive (percent and frequency) and inferential (T-test) statistical analysis were
employed. The findings of the study revealed that role of school leaders towards
supporting students with physical disabilities were low. Still they believe that only
teachers with extensive special need education experiences can be expected to deal
with students with physical disabilities and students with physical disability should be
placed in special classes designed for them because they are not profited from contact
with others students. On the other hand, practices of supports provision for students
with physical disabilities in secondary schools were unsatisfactory. Some of the
challenges that affected school leaders in supporting students with physical disability
were lack of career services/ counseling for students with physical disability, lack of
skill and training of school leaders, inadequate educational facilities, and insecure
environment in and outside schools. The finding of the study come up with the
following suggestions such as allocate necessary material and financial input,
providing career services/ counseling, providing educational support for students with
physical disability, changing negative attitude against students with physical
disability, accessing appropriate physical arrangements and providing training for
school leaders.
