Teachers' attitudes towards working with students with special educational needs in mainstream classes in Egypt
Date
2008-03
Authors
Momberg, Naadia
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
Recent developments in education have focused on exploring different ways of
responding to the diverse learning needs of students. The international trend has
been to move towards an inclusive approach based on democratic principles in
education, including students with special educational needs in mainstream schools
and classrooms.
Egypt, an initial signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, has not
escaped the prominence of inclusive education on the international education
agenda. No legislation on inclusion in schools has been promulgated in Egypt.
Furthermore, information is lacking regarding teachers' attitudes towards working
with students with special educational needs in mainstream classes, despite the fact
that teacher attitude are instrumental in determining the success or failure of
inclusive education. The aim of the research, therefore, was to identify teachers'
attitudes towards inclusive education.
For the purpose of this study, a non-experimental quantitative research design with
specific reference to survey research was chosen. The population consisted of
teachers in five schools in Alexandria and Cairo and a questionnaire was designed.
Data was analysed using the statistical programme SPSS (14.0 for Windows).
Results indicate that teachers in Egypt have serious reservations about the feasibility
of accommodating students with special educational needs in their classrooms.
Curriculum development, educational support, funding opportunities, as well as the
training of teachers, need to be addressed in order to facilitate the development of
inclusive educational strategies.
Description
Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
Keywords
Teachers of children with disabilities -- Attitudes -- Egypt, Mainstreaming in education -- Egypt, Teachers -- Attitudes -- Egypt, Theses -- Education, Dissertations -- Education