PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF GIMBICHU DISTRICT IN HADIYA ZONE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the practices and challenges implementation inclusive education primary schools of Gimbichu district in Hadiya zone. Descriptive survey design was employed to conduct the study. The data were organized through quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequency, mean and standard deviation by using version 20 (SPSS) for data analysis. Qualitative data were transcribed coded and then categorized into theme and presented in a narrative form. The major tools used for data collection were questionnaires, interview, and document analysis and filed observation. The data was collected from 12 school Principals, 126 teachers, 2 special needs inclusive education experts and 4 supervisors. Simple random sampling techniques was employed to obtain the data from teachers and census sampling technique was employed to obtain data from principals, supervisors and SNIE experts. The result of the study revealed that, the following major findings were obtained. The inadequate training about special needs education teachers, lack of knowledge and awareness, lack of motivation and commitments teachers and principals, inaccessible infrastructure, lack of involvements of parents and stakeholder’s, lack of information communication technology skill of teachers and rigid and poor teaching methods are major challenges of implementation of inclusive education. Based on the findings some recommendations were suggested such as; school principals should be follow up the implementation of IE program, modifying the teaching learning methods in schools, modifying physical infrastructure, to develop schools based implementation of inclusive education strategy, allocating budget and finance, develop ongoing framework curriculum, raising awareness about IE among parents and school community and s principals work collaboratively with teachers parents and community were very strongly recommended.