A need analysis : teachers’ experiences of in-service training on inclusive education

Abstract

Teachers are at the forefront of education, and this comes with the responsibility of including all learners irrespective of their learning disabilities. In South Africa, every child has the right to access basic education; however, there are still children with learning disabilities excluded from the curriculum. The challenge that educators encounter is supporting learners with learning barriers with limited or no training to equip them. This study addresses a gap in the current literature on in-service training and inclusive education in South Africa. While diverse literature has dealt with teachers’ experiences of in-service training programmes and the conceptualisation of inclusive education, the majority of these studies show limited focus on in-service training programmes tailored according to identified classroom needs. In addition, very few studies have been conducted on inclusive education training programmes. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and describe teachers’ experiences of in-service training on inclusive education. The conceptual framework of the study was drawn from Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory. The purposive and conveniently selected participants enrolled in the BEd Honours (Learning Support) distance education programme participated in the study. Furthermore, the study’s data collection process involved telephonic semi-structured interviews of eight participants. The study used a thematic data analysis method and the findings were presented according to the following four themes: inclusive education, classroom challenges, the positive impact of the BEd Honours, and challenges of the BEd Honours. Participants in this study indicated that the BEd Honours is informative and necessary for professional development; however, some participants shared concerns about the limited application material in the training programme. By identifying and uncovering teachers’ needs to implement inclusive education, these findings can be used to improve in-service training programmes.