Inclusive Education: Addressing the Needs of Students with Disabilities in Mainstream Schools
Abstract
The achievement of inclusive education has been shown to be dependent on providing equal education for children with disabilities to learn alongside their peers in regular schools. This study is research intended to find out how effective inclusive education is for students with disabilities as far as their academic, social, and emotional needs are concerned, and what factors enable effective inclusion to take place. Furthermore, this study examined the influence of teacher competency, support services provision, infrastructural accessibility, and inclusion practices on the learning outcomes of students with disabilities. Quantitative research methodology was adopted, and data were collected using a questionnaire from 250 teachers, head teachers of regular schools, special education teachers, and special needs assistants at regular schools. Data analysis was made by using descriptive, correlation, and multiple regression statistics analysis to evaluate the relationships between variables of this research, in which reliability and validity were examined. Social participation revealed a higher level with a mean score of 4.21 (M=4.21) than other variables. Classroom Inclusion Practice got the second highest level with a mean score of 4.18 (M=4.18), followed by teacher competency (M=4.12), Emotional Well-being (M=4.09), Academic Performance (M=4.05), Provision of Support services (M=3.95), and infrastructural accessibility (M=3.81). The result from regression analysis indicated that classroom inclusion practices accounted for the most significant effects on successful inclusion education programs (β=0.41, p<0.001), then teacher competency (β=0.38, p<0.001), provision of support services (β=0.29, p<0.001), and infrastructural accessibility (β=0.22, p<0.01). These are all the characteristics that should be included for the success of inclusive education for children with disabilities. By improving all the factors above, academic performance, social participation, and emotional well-being for children with disabilities can be successfully realized.