EXPLORING TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PRACTICES IN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS OF MODEL SCHOOLS

Abstract

The study aimed at exploring teachers’ experiences and practices of model schools in Pakistan. Under Federal Directorate of Education, 16 model schools have been functioning as inclusive schools since 2007 in Islamabad. These public model schools were transformed into inclusive schools with collaboration of International Development Partners, Norway. Population of the study was teachers teaching in the inclusive schools. Convenient and purposive sampling was used to collect data from the teachers. As the focus of the study was to gain in-depth understanding of experiences of teachers so it seemed justifiable to exploit qualitative approach and techniques particularly interviews. 39 teachers whose experience was at least 3 years were interviewed. Qualitative analysis based on thematic analysis reflects that teachers with inclusive classroom experiences support including students with special needs in inclusive classroom and schools. Teachers experienced that inclusive education has positive outcomes. Such experiences in inclusive classrooms not only widen teachers’ acceptance of students with special needs but also demist concerns of those teachers who are lacking in inclusive classroom teaching experiences. In addition, inclusive classroom experiences of students with and without special education needs create and build environment in which both students develop social understanding among themselves. It is concluded that teachers’ training being imparted is not adequate to teach in inclusive classroom. Therefore, teachers training institutions should incorporate a component of inclusive education course in scheme of studies. Further, the initiatives taken to transform general schools to inclusive remained unfulfilled due to lack of funds and resources available to generalcum- inclusive model schools in Pakistan.