Challenges encountered by teachers in managing inclusive classrooms in swaziland

Abstract

The purpose of the study in which this paper is derived was to identify challenges encountered by teachers in managing inclusive classrooms in Swaziland. The literature review shed light on the various aspects of inclusive education from the classroom to the outside environment to the teachers involved in inclusive education. The study employed qualitative methods in which Focus Group Discussions were utilized and Thirty five (N=35) teachers were purposively sampled from primary schools in the Manzini region. Results revealed that a majority of teachers were not trained on how to teach in an inclusive class. However, the literature indicates that with proper training and resources, inclusion can be a practical and effective learning environment. It can be concluded that mainstream teachers generally lacked confidence as they attempted to include students with disabilities into classes. The study recommends that The Ministry of Education should consider increasing the availability of special needs courses, workshops and conference for teachers in primary schools who are working with students with disabilities.