INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Abstract

This study was on instructional strategies for inclusive education. Three objectives were raised which included; To ascertain whether interactive Instruction strategy help in inclusive education, to ascertain whether experiential learning strategy help in inclusive education and to find out whether independent Study strategy help in inclusive education. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from selected primary schools in Uyo. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).

Chapter one

Introduction

1.1Background of the study

Inclusive classroom instruction demands pay attention from every inclusive teacher. Inclusive teachers must be able to design and use instructional methods that are following the characteristics of all students, including students with special needs (SSN). Effective instruction is that can meet predetermined learning goals, with all indicators that the needs of all students can be fulfilled according to their characteristics. An inclusive classroom is a class with a variety of characteristics, weaknesses, and strengths of students that are diverse and require teachers to be able to accommodate all student needs. For this reason, an effective learning strategy is needed that can provide all students fairly. Effective instructional strategies are a range of planned activities to achieve learning goals (J. Chitiyo and W. Brinda, 2018)

Instructional strategies consist of the use of learning methods, Instructional media, there is a sequence of times; instructional steps have been sorted systematically and rationally. The design and use of effective instructional strategies in inclusive classrooms are essential because it determines the success of learning for all students. Instructional strategies can provide an overview for teachers to be able to see the achievements and shortcomings of teachers in carrying out the learning process so that they can assess and improve learning in the next learning process (S. A. Nagro, 2018)

Inclusive education is generally considered to be a multi-dimensional concept that includes the celebration and valuing of difference and diversity, consideration of human rights, social justice and equity issues, as well as of a social model of disability and a socio-political model of education. It also encompasses the process of school transformation and a focus on children’s entitlement and access to education (Kozleski et al., 2011; Loreman et al., 2011; Mitchell, 2005; Slee, 2011; Smith, 2010; Topping, 2012).

Salend (2011) distils from the literature on inclusive education four key principles through which the philosophy of inclusion is put into practice. These are, firstly, providing all learners with challenging, engaging and flexible general education curricula; secondly, embracing diversity and responsiveness to individual strengths and challenges; thirdly, using reflective practices and differentiated instruction; and fourthly, establishing a community based on collaboration among students, teachers, families, other professionals and community agencies. Inclusive education, therefore, aims to provide a facilitative and constructive focus for improving the education of children with SEND.

Statement of the problem

But in reality, the design and use of instructional strategies in inclusive classrooms are still not well implemented by inclusive teachers. Some of the main focuses of teachers in inclusive classroom learning are still fixed on submitting the responsibilities of SSN only to special teachers (ST), so that inclusive education become two groups, without the involvement and activity of all students to learn together or collaborate to achieve instructional outcomes from various aspects. This condition is due to the lack of general teacher (GT) understanding of the characteristics of students, especially SSN who have differences with other general students (GS). The impact of this condition causes regular teachers only to use instructional methods and instructional media that focus on GS. Based on this the researcher wants to investigate the instructional strategies for inclusive education

Objective of the study

The objectives of the study are;

1. To ascertain whether interactive Instruction strategy help in inclusive education
2. To ascertain whether experiential learning strategy help in inclusive education
3. To find out whether independent Study strategy help in inclusive education

Research hypotheses

The following research hypotheses were formulated;

H1: interactive Instruction strategy do not help in inclusive education

H2: experiential learning strategy do not help in inclusive education

Significance of the study

The study will be very significant to students, teachers and the ministry of education. The study will give a clear insight on the instructional strategies for inclusive education. The result of the study will enlighten the teachers on the instructional strategies for inclusive education for the benefits of students. The study will also serve as a reference to other researcher that will embark on the related topic

Scope and limitation of the study

The scope of the study covers instructional strategies for inclusive education. The study will be limited to selected primary schools in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state

The work encountered some obstacles which served as its limitations. It was not easy getting all the materials needed for the study. Vital documents like journals, literature and other relevant materials were not easy to come by. Accessing the Internet for vital and relevant data was also not easy due to network fluctuation in the country.

Some of the target respondents exhibited poor attitude towards the work. It was difficult getting back some of the distributed questionnaires. Majority of them refused to avail themselves for interview for the fear that information gotten from them may put their job in jeopardy. To overcome this problem, the researcher had to explain to them critically the main purpose of the research as well as assuring them of their anonymity. Finance equally served as constraint to the success of the work. Carrying out the study involved a lot of money. Much was spent travelling from one community to the other in search of vital information and on printing, typesetting and binding of the research into a booklet.

The research was conducted alongside with other time demanding academic work. It was done in conjunction with classroom assignment, term papers, lectures, and examination. As a result, the researcher would not have devoted the required maximum time to the work to achieve best result if not for proper rationing of time among the time competing schedules.

 Definition of terms

Instructional strategies: are techniques teachers use to help students become independent, strategic learners. These strategies become learning strategies when students independently select the appropriate ones and use them effectively to accomplish tasks or meet goals

Inclusive education: Inclusion in education refers to all students being able to access and gain equal opportunities to education and learning

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