Enhancing the Capacity of Teacher Educators and Parents for Special Needs Identification and Support

This study determined Teacher educators’ and Practising teachers’ preparedness on the identification and support skills for Special needs learners. A survey was carried out on 50 Teacher Trainers in Egerton University and 1,000 Practising teachers in various schools in 11 counties of Kenya. Desktop research was carried out in most universities in Kenya. The goal of the study was to equip university staff in the field of Teacher Education with adequate knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to enable them infuse them into their training programs in order to have their trainees acquire the same knowledge, skills, attitudes and values for their lifelong application after training. Informed teachers will make a significant difference on individual differences among learners, thus providing an all-inclusive education that benefits everyone. Findings of the study indicated that both Teacher Trainers and Practising Teachers were inadequately prepared on SNE– implying inadequate teacher training on inclusive education. The study determined that curriculum content on inclusive education in Egerton University and other sampled universities was inadequate – calling for curriculum review; requiring refresher courses for Practising Teachers and adequate facilitation to run effective inclusive education. The findings may inspire appropriate intervention initiatives to cater for special needs learners.

NA

1. Ainscow, M. (2020). Promoting inclusion and equity in education: Lessons from international experiences. Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy, 6(1), 7–16. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (2022). Supporting inclusive school leadership. Odense, Denmark. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Florian, L., & Black-Hawkins, K. (2011). Exploring inclusive pedagogy. British Educational Research Journal, 37(5), 813–828. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Government of Kenya (2018). Sector policy for learners and trainees with disabilities. Nairobi: Ministry of Education. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. UNESCO. (2020). Global education monitoring report 2020: Inclusion and education—All means all. Paris: UNESCO. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. UNICEF. (2021). Seen, counted, included: Using data to shed light on the well-being of children with disabilities. New York: UNICEF. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. World Health Organization (2023). Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities. Geneva: WHO. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study