Exploring inclusive education practice through the lived experiences of pupils with disabilities at Lunsemfwa primary school, Kapiri-Mposhi district.

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Date
2022-06
Authors
Ndesaula, Janet
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Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
This study was an exploration of lived experiences of learners with disabilities in inclusive school at Lunsemfwa primary in Kapiri-Mposhi District. The study used qualitative research paradigm and it used purposive sampling. A narrative design was used where by interview guides and focus group discussion were used in data collection to ensure efficiency and accuracy in data collection. The study was guided by the following research questions. a) how prepared are teachers for inclusive education? b) what lived experience on inclusive education exists among learners with disabilities? c) what strategies can be used to mitigate exclusive from school? The findings revealed that teachers were well prepared for inclusive education. This was revealed by learners who have disabilities who said that teachers were able to teach with patience, sit those with hearing difficulties in front, encouraging those who hard difficulties in reading to keep on trying and also involve parents. In addition, the study revealed that most of the learners with disabilities had good relationship with the teachers and teachers were very helpful in their learning process. The issue of repeating them by teachers was done to encourage them to put more effort and concentrate much more when learning. It was also revealed that most of the peers were not supportive to their learning except a few who were able to help others in reading. Most of these learners do not have friends because of their disabilities, peers are also scared of sharing food with them. For parental support, some parents were supportive, to the learning of their children but others were condemning them for failure to read, failure to speak properly and also failure to understand fast what the teachers were teaching. The findings also revealed that teachers need to have patience when teaching so that those learners who are slow can be able to understand and acquire the skills being taught. Additionally, the teachers need to sensitise the other peers on the difficulties that their friends have. Teachers should also teach slow and explain more if the child does not understand. Teachers should also sit those with hard of hearing in front and also encourage those with stuttering to be able to express themselves freely. Furthermore, the school administrators should introduce prep so that learners who are slow are able to study on their own and those have difficulties in reading can also have time to practice. Apart from that the administrators should also paint the school with colourful paints so that the school can look attractive. On the other hand, it was revealed that parents needed to be supportive to their children by helping them with school work and also accepting their disabilities and also work with teachers. The study recommends that: i. Teachers should help learners with difficulties in reading and writing in their free time or during prep using resource rooms so that they are not repeated regularly as that demotivates them and also encourages dropping out of school. ii. The government should provide in- service teacher training in special education to all the teachers in the inclusive schools in order to equip teachers with skills on how to handle learners with disabilities. iii. Guidance and counselling should be strengthened in all-inclusive schools so that there is full, sensitisation on disability and how learners with disabilities should be treated by teachers, peers, parents and the community as at large for this contributes to the well-being of learners with disabilities. iv. The government should provide inclusive schools with more funds in order for the infrastructures to be renovated in terms of painting and also constructing resource rooms. Furthermore, things like radio, television sets and also computers motivate learners to remain in school and learn dispute facing challenges.
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Keywords
Children with disabilities--Education (Primary)--Zambia--Statistics. , Special education--Zambia. , Children with disabilities--Education--Zambia.
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