Exploring Teachers' perceptions of the Implementation of Inclusive Education in a Regular Primary School: A Papua New Guinea Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers‟ perceptions of the implementation of inclusive education in one regular primary school in the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. The school was made up of twenty-five teachers and an estimate of 350 students. However only twenty teachers participated in the study. The twenty teachers were composed of one head teacher, one deputy head teacher, two senior subject teachers, five senior teachers and eleven classroom teachers. It was a qualitative study using a case study approach. The data were gathered through questionnaires, individual interviews, focus group interviews, and document analysis. The results of this study showed that (i) teachers were not fully aware of inclusive education policy and practice, (ii) poor implementation of inclusive education policy was due to lack of appropriate training and professional development, (iii) inclusive education needs to be funded separately by all levels of government.