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

Abstract

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.