THE ROLE OF TEACHERS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF MAINSTREAM CLASSROOMS
Abstract
Inclusive education is a vital and essential approach in today's educational system, aiming to provide equal, equitable, and quality education to all learners, regardless of their social, economic, or physical backgrounds. This study aims to analyze the role of teachers in implementing inclusive education within mainstream classrooms and to identify key factors influencing its effective implementation. A mixed-methods research design was employed, involving 100 teachers selected through a convenience sampling technique. Data collection utilized structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to gather information regarding teachers' attitudes, training, resource availability, and institutional support. The results revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between teachers' attitudes, training, and support and the successful implementation of inclusive education. Correlation analysis showed significant associations between teachers' attitudes and implementation success (r = 0.213, p < 0.05) and between teacher training and implementation success (r = 0.222, p < 0.05). Regression analysis further indicated that support (β = 0.453, p = 0.033) is a significant predictor of inclusive education implementation. However, the impact of resource availability was not found to be statistically significant, suggesting that physical resources alone are insufficient. Qualitative analysis revealed that while teachers hold positive attitudes toward inclusive education, they face challenges such as time management, classroom management, and understanding special needs. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that the success of inclusive education depends on teachers' positive attitudes, effective training, and strong institutional support. This study offers significant insights for policymakers and educational administrators, indicating that inclusive education can be effectively implemented only through teacher-centric strategies.