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The inclusion of learners with barriers to learning and development into ordinary school settings: a challenge for Uganda
Author(s) -
Kristensen Kirsten,
OmagorLoican Martin,
Onen Negris
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
british journal of special education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.349
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1467-8578
pISSN - 0952-3383
DOI - 10.1111/j.0952-3383.2003.00310.x
Subject(s) - inclusion (mineral) , mainstream , pedagogy , mainstreaming , special education , professional development , officer , principal (computer security) , work (physics) , special needs , christian ministry , public relations , medical education , psychology , political science , sociology , medicine , social science , engineering , mechanical engineering , psychiatry , computer science , law , operating system
Colleagues in developing countries are required to meet a range of challenges when implementing educationally inclusive policies and practices. In this article, Kirsten Kristensen, clinical phychologist and senior consultant in special needs education and development; Martin Omagor‐Loican, commissioner for special needs education, careers guidance and counselling; and Negris Onen, principal education officer in the Ministry of Education and Sports in Uganda, describe work focused on addressing the needs of all learners, including those who experience barriers to learning and development, in ordinary, mainstream school settings. The authors draw upon a study of current attitudes, perceptions and knowledge about trends towards inclusion in Uganda. The findings indicate progress in the introduction and implementation of inclusive policies; improved professional development opportunities for staff concerned with special education at all levels; and relatively positive attitudes towards inclusion. The study also raises concerns, however, about the ways in which the education system is structured and managed in a country where class sizes are enormous and resources are few. The authors make a number of key recommendations for developing mechanisms, structures and capacity in support of inclusion at all levels and report positive and encouraging recent developments.