IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF LAHORE, PAKISTAN: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS.
Dr.Ibtasam Thakur
Assistant Professor,Department of Elementary and Teacher Education
Lahore College for Women University, Lahore. Ibtasam.thakur@lcwu.edu.pk
Dr. Asmaa Azeem
Assistant Professor asmaa.nouman@umt.edu.pk
Department of Special Needs Education. University of Management & Technology, Lahore
Dr. Fakhra Aziz
Associate Professor, fakhraaziz2@gmail.com
Facultyof Education,STEM Education department,Lahore College for Women University
Dr. Moafia Nadar
Assistant Professor Department of Elementary and Teacher Education(Corresponding author) Lahore College for Women University, Lahore vividmoafia@gmail.com
Saba Batool
Principal Alshoumoukh Int.Academy,sabaabid3030 @yahoo.com
Abstract
In mainstream education, all children with special needs can be included in same classes in a natural setting of classroom. The prominent issue in education is providing quality education to all students in inclusive settings and perhaps, it has been acknowledged as the most challenging way. The current study was intended to find out the problems and prospects of inclusive education being faced by public sector school teachers. The number of teachers who participated in the study was 200.Convenient sampling technique was used to collect data. For data collection researcher used two questionnaires: Standardize questionnaire (Opinion of Teachers regarding Problems faced by SWSN), Adapted questionnaire (Teachers prospects about inclusive education) used as a tool to collect data. Researcher used descriptive statistical technique to analyze the data and bar graphs for graphical representation of the results. On the basis of analysis and findings of study it was concluded that teachers were not ready to teach in inclusive environment and they were not professionally trained to manage inclusive classes. The infrastructure and environment of the classes were also not suitable for special students and the assessment or examination system was also not satisfying.
Key Words: Inclusive education, problems, prospects