Allport (1954) stated that not all types of contact between diverse groups lead to acceptance of each other. Tomlinson, C. A., Callahan, C. M., Romchin, E. M., Eiss, N., Imbeau, M., & Landrum, M. (1997). Journal of Research in Special and Inclusive Education, 7, (2), 104-113. As special and inclusive education are systems consisting of several concepts, events, programs, and processes, case study is a vehicle for investigating these complex social phenomena (VanWynsberghe and Khan, 2007). Education for All by 2015. B. Key words: school, inclusive education, children with the need for special social support. Vaughn, S., Hogan, A., Kouzekanani, K., & Shapiro, S. (1990). These are: Integrated Education Programme (IEP) for Children with Low Vision and Blindness; Special School as Home for Pupils with Blindness; Units for the Intellectually Disabled; Inclusive Schools with Special Education Partial Inclusion 2. These findings support the theoretical framework of the study that positive contact leads to favorable attitudes toward inclusion in a learning situation (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). International Journal of Whole schooling, 4 (1) 22-38, Kuyini, A. The Community-based Rehabilitation Programme in Ghana: In Examples of good practice in special needs education & community-based programmers. The data was analysed qualitatively and results tabulated with percentages. Another student said she was advised to stop school and concentrate on finding work because she was not coping with school work. Sharma, U. A large scale study is required to identify other possible factors or predictors of attitude. 58 Cross-National Differences in Special Education A Typological Approach, Education in the Commonwealth: Quality Education for Equitable Development, An Assessment of Ghana's Enacted Kindergarten Curriculum, Primary Education Sector Assessment and Diagnosis: A Case Study in the Republic Of Ghana, Basic education beyond the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Ghana : how equity in service delivery affects educational and learning outcomes. Citation-(RIS INCLUSIVE MODEL Partial Inclusion Students with moderate to severe disabilities are included in a regular education classroom, but are pulled for required services such as speech or occupational therapy to a more segregated setting. The general view about including children with disabilities gave in the regular classroom, gave the following typical responses: It is difficult to teach effectively in a class of over thirty students with more than one student with special needs, such as speech difficulty, sign language student and those needing braille we spend almost half of school time work on attending to these students and this is the first time some of us have students who need a lot of help to cope with everything in the class. A comparison of teachers' attitudes toward their included students with mild and severe disabilities. Favazza, P.C. Ghana's special and inclusive education is the case or the phenomenon of interest (Yin, 2012). All interviews were transcribed, and the unstructured qualitative data was coded and categorised according to the main procedures and techniques of Grounded Theory (Wesley, 2010; Kvale 1997). Department of Educational Foundations, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana. Social psychology in the 90’s. Progress has also been made on access to secondary education. Teachers fail to understand that inclusion is the bridge that brings students closer to the general education curriculum, and also gives students that special push to succeed. The lack of support from principals in the schools (Kuyini & Desai, 2006, 2009) draws attention to the type of attitudes these principals had toward the inclusion of students with special needs into regular schools. Finally, teachers appear to believe that they have had no choice about and no part in the process of inclusion in Ghanaian schools. This theory is linked to The Intergroup Contact Theory. Format), Agbenyega, J. & Wrightsman, S.L. Qualitative data was analysed using observations, conversational and textual analysis of data. These conditions are met, to a large extent, through structured intergroup encounters that emphasize commonalities between the groups (Cook, 1978) or through contact that occurs between friends (Pettigrew,1998; Turner, Hewstone, & Voci, 2007). Asia & Pacific Journal on Disability, 5 (1). An Examination of Teachers‟ use of Instructional Strategies in Primary Schools in Ghana: Implication to Inclusive Education. The Hidden Crisis: Armed Conflict and Education, EFA Global Monitoring Report 2011. Multilevel inclusive education is co-learning in regular classes of students with different classes, ages, and abilities, to … (2007). INTRODUCTION In accordance with the general social reforms, after 2002 the reforms of the school system were started. In this regard teachers are able to experiment with different techniques and strategies to ensure that all students perform. Further, the contextual realities of regular education schools including notably principals’ expectations (Kuyini & Desai, 2007; Sodak& Podell, 1994), shape the school cultures or climates for successful inclusion. History of Colonial Education in Ghana, Education du ring Self Governance, and Adaptation of Foreign Models i nto Ghana’s Educational System. Cross-cultural perspective. involved in the training of teachers for the inclusive education pilot Ghana’s special and inclusive education system is limited project. (June 3, 2008) -Inclusive education project, University of Education, Winneba. Welch, M. (2000). There is a common belief that merely assembling diverse groups of people together facilitates acceptance of each other. The variables selected for the study, (inclusive education practices, educators’ attitudes toward including students with disabilities, educators' knowledge of inclusive education practices, and principals’ expectations) when seen in the context of Ajzen’s (1985) Theory of Planned Behavior and Allport`s (1954) Intergroup Contact Theory, collectively represent the determinants of behaviors. 2. To examine why teachers implement Inclusive Education the way they do. In Table 2 most teachers were having class-size of over 35 students in which at least there is one student with disability. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Inclusive education is the most effective way to give all children a fair chance to go to school, learn and develop the skills they need to thrive. Kuyini A. Ntombela, S. (2003) the challenge of overage children in two South African primary schools. (2000), Stanovich, & Jordon, (2002) and Moberg, Zumberg, and Reinmaa (1997) stated that educator beliefs, perceptions and training should be viewed as potentially influential antecedents to their commitment toward implementing a successful inclusion policy. (2002). The purpose of this study was to examine teachers` attitudes in implementing Inclusive Education in primary and junior high secondary schools in two districts in Ghana (Bole and New Juaben). Teachers in this category are the few with some experience teaching students with disabilities supported by better classroom structures that appear to suit the needs of students. Ofori-Addo, L Worgbeyi, N. & Tay, K. (1999). Highlighting the importance of these elements, Avramidis, et al. The extension of The Theory of Reasoned Action (Theory of planned behavior) introduced a third element, the element of perceived behavioral control. Gyimah, E. K. 2010. The study will be useful in providing an understanding of how each of the study variables impact on inclusive school practices in Ghana. (2008). Cornoldi, C., Terreni, A., Scruggs, T., Mastropieri, M. (1998). It is recommended by this study that awareness-raising about disability is a good step towards an equal position of students with disabilities in the schools in particular and people with disabilities in the society in general. Such a conclusion is supported in the current study where the students requiring major and minor curriculum changes were also less favored in company with those requiring Braille and those students using sign language. Vol. Inclusive Education in Ghana: A Report for the Ghana Government, Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, Accra. Inclusive Education implementation of inclusion makes for the starting grounds to create an inclusive society, wherein changes in schools are a priority. This was evident in the limited use of instructional adaptations to meet individual needs. & Desai, I. He summarised that “Prejudice may be reduced by equal status contact between majority and minority groups in the pursuit of common goal. Remedial and Special Education, 24 (1), 2-15. Det kvalitative Forskningsintervju. These factors included physical disabilities, visual/hearing disabilities and intellectual disabilities. Retrieved from: http://ddp-ext.worldbank.org/EdStats/GHAgmrpap09.pdf (Retrieved on 2011-05-20). UNESCO, 2011. Exceptional Children, 63 (3), 405-418. Exceptional Children, 63, 269-282. The International Journal of Learning, 374 (9704), 1795-1796. UNESCO. (1997). Exceptional Children, 67, 115-135. The above utterances by a teacher interviewed is a concern showing lack of consultation with teachers, thus supporting previous studies such as (Cook, et al. Increased concern has resulted as teachers feel that they have not been given any guidelines or directives about including students with disabilities into mainstream classrooms (Ntombela, 2003, 2009, 2011). (1996). Becoming architects of communities of learning: Addressing academic diversity in contemporary classrooms. Anthony (2011), allude to the idea that positive attitudes about the inclusion of students with disabilities into mainstream classes are often dependent on the provision of adequate support services. pp 142-148. Principals’ and Teachers’ Attitudes and Knowledge of Inclusive Education as Predictors of Effective Teaching practices in Ghana. Generally, it can be assumed that inclusive education mainly depends on what teachers do in classrooms. Students with other disabilities other than mental and intellectual such as severe physical problems without disabled friendly structures and other facilities appear to force teachers to view the inclusion of such students with some apprehension. Students` responses are summarised in Table 1 below. & Odom, S.L. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Wilzenski, F. L. (1995). Comparing the effects of educational placement on the social relationships of intermediate school students with severe disabilities. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93, 369-388. In a group interview with students, they were asked to talk about learning and teaching activities in the classrooms and outside classrooms. Studies have revealed that teachers` attitudes toward students with disabilities are different, and these various differences/reasons are dependent on schools` practices of inclusion. Ntombela, S. (2011) the progress of inclusive education in South Africa. Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. In other words, are schools restructured, re-oriented and re-organised to create school norms /climates conducive for inclusive education? UNESCO, Paris. After twenty years of inclusion. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND THE CURRICULUM (i) Sub-theme 1. And are teachers implementing inclusion in any meaningful way to foster academic and social inclusion? Research shows that adolescent girls are usually unable to get an education due to factors such as poverty, gender inequality and long distances from school. The Teacher Educator, 37 (3), 173-185. Teacher attitudes in Italy. 1. To examine how Ghanaian teachers implement Inclusive Education. 41 a significant barrier to the effective implementation of inclusive education in 42 South Africa. (2000). This study recommends future research into teachers` knowledge of inclusion and government policy document on Inclusive Education. & Sharan, S. (1984). Stainback, S & Stainback, W. (1996). Vaughn, S., Elbaum, B. E., Shumm, J. S. & Hughes, M. T. (1998). 2000), and that administrators at their schools lack the understanding to effectively implement inclusive practices (Cook, et al. without disability and special educational needs in Ghana. Retrieved from Wiley Online Library. Promoting positive attitudes of kindergarten-age children toward people with disabilities. Format), Citation-(BibTeX Interpersonal and attitudinal outcomes in cooperating interracial groups. However, it was found in the study that gender did not have any significant role on teachers` attitude in inclusion. Intergroup Contact Theory is used intensively by researchers to reduce tension among groups (Brown & Hewstone, 2005; Dovidio et al., 2003; Pettigrew, 1998), and, indeed, there is impressive evidence that positive contact is associated with more favorable attitudes toward the out-group (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). The Intergroup Contact Theory states that the nature of contact between two groups determines the social acceptance / rejection of the minority group members (Allport, 1954). It is also essential to acquire an understanding of the impact of these variables on practices of inclusion. Negative attitudes of teachers were associated with large class-sizes and the presence of a student with disability in the classroom. Wilczenski, F. (1992). Reconciling context and contact effects on racial attitudes. A third student added; “As for me I have a kind and smart friend, we sit at the same desk he helps me a lot, he explains everything the teacher teaches in the classroom to me”. 3. To examine variables of educators` attitudes toward Inclusion. United States: Prentice Hall, Inc. McClenahan, C., Cairns, E., Seamus, D. & Valerie, M. (1996). The Journal of Special Education; Bensalem; 34/4, p. 203-213. 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