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Mukhopadhyay, S. (2014). Botswana primary schools teachers’ Perception of

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DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-3802.2012.01269.x

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Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs · Volume 14 · Number 1 · 2014
doi: 10.1111/j.1471-3802.2012.01269.x
Botswana primary schools teachers’ perception of
inclusion of learners with special educational needs
Sourav Mukhopadhyay jrs3_1269 33..42
University of Botswana, Botswana
Key words: Teachers, attitude, inclusive education, SENs, disabilities, Botswana, mixed-method research.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the per-
ception of primary teachers towards inclusive edu-
cation in the South Central regions of Botswana. The
research employed a descriptive survey design that
used both qualitative and quantitative research
methodology. Two hundred and seventy-three
primary teachers were drawn from a sample size of
2950 teachers and 165 schools. Multistage propor-
tionate stratified sampling was utilised to select
teachers from these three different locations:
urban, semi-urban and rural. A questionnaire that
contained both open-ended and closed items was
designed to explore Botswana primary teachers’
attitude, knowledge and skills and their views of the
perceived benefits of inclusion of learners with dis-
abilities in regular classrooms. The findings of this
study indicate that although most of the teachers
were positive towards the concept of inclusive edu-
cation they did not have a favourable attitude
towards the inclusion of learners with special edu-
cational needs (SENs) in their classrooms due to the
lack of essential knowledge and skills in inclusive
education. Nonetheless, this study also, shows that
pre-service training has a positive impact on the
attitude of teachers towards the inclusion of learn-
ers with SENs. Based on the results of this study, the
researcher suggests that the Ministry of Education
and Skill Developments of Botswana (MoESD) must
sponsor more students for pre-service training and
or upgrade the professional qualification of the
teachers in special education for them to be able to
address the learning needs of learners with SENs.
Introduction
Although the movement of inclusion of learners with
special education needs (SENs) and disabilities into main-
stream classes was initiated in western countries in 1980s
(Pijl, Meijer and Hegarty, 1997; Singal, 2005), it is a rela-
tively new concept in the Botswana education system. The
premise of inclusive education in Botswana is based on the
principle that all children regardless of ability have an equal
right to be educated, which is in line with the countries’ five
founding principles: unity, democracy, self-reliance and
development and ‘botho’ (common humanity). The nation’s
commitment towards enhancing access and equal rights of
© 2012 The Author. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs © 2012 NASEN. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK and
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA
33–42
‘education for all’ has been re-emphasised by the current
policy on inclusive education. A significant body of
research globally indicates that teachers’ attitude towards
inclusion of learners with SENs plays a critical role in the
successful implementation of the policy. Therefore, the
purpose of this study was initiated to examine teachers’
perceptions towards inclusion of learners with disabilities in
regular schools.
Education of learners with SENs’ in Botswana
Education of learners with SENs was initiated by non-
governmental organisations in Botswana (Abosi, 2000).
The first educational policy which is commonly known as
Education for Kagisano was developed in 1977 (Govern-
ment of Botswana, 1977). It recommended that every child
should have the right to education, but it was silent on the
issues of education for learners with disabilities (Govern-
ment of Botswana, 1993). The 2nd National Commission
on Education was established in 1992 to review the entire
education system in Botswana and to address the gaps.
Following the submission of its report in 1993, the Revised
National Policy on Education (RNPE) was formulated
(Government of Botswana, 1994). The RNPE recom-
mended that as far as possible, learners with SENs should
be placed in integrated settings. The RNPE remained the
major policy framework for promoting access and teacher
development for the last two decades. In 2011, in alignment
with the global trend, a comprehensive policy document on
inclusive education for Botswana has been developed (Gov-
ernment of Botswana, 2011). This policy has five goals, and
in order to implement the policy, there are 10 commitment
statements. The goals of the policy are:
• All learners will complete their basic education and
progress where possible to senior secondary or tertiary
education or to vocational training.
• Teachers will have the skills and resources to enable
children of different abilities to learn effectively.
• Out-of-school education programmes will be further
developed and strengthened to ensure the inclusion in
education and skills development of those children,
young people and adults whose needs cannot be met in
the formal system.
• Schools will be supportive and humane, establishments
which embrace and support all their learners and value
their achievements so that children will attend school
regularly and work hard at their studies.
33
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 14 33–42
• All relevant governmental, non-governmental and
private organisations will work in harmony to develop
and maintain an inclusive education system in
Botswana.
Although, this policy is specially designed to assist in
implementation of inclusive education, some of its goal are
ambiguous and may create inherent tension. For example,
the third goal seems to be not compatible with the core
philosophy of inclusive education by endorsing out-of-
school systems. This might become an opportunity for the
school system to push low-performing students into those
institutions. Simultaneously, such institutions might mush-
room in the name of government–NGO collaboration (fifth
goal), and the ‘charity model’ will prevail which is contra-
dictory to the basic tenet of inclusive education, the ‘social
model’.
With the implementation of this policy, it is expected that
the number of learners with SENs will continue to grow,
and classrooms will become more diverse than before. In
order to cater for learners with diverse learning needs,
teachers should have adequate knowledge and skills and
favourable attitudes towards inclusive education (Ivey and
Reinke, 2002; Treder, Morse and Ferron, 2000). Unfortu-
nately, there are few studies of teacher attitudes towards
inclusive education in Botswana primary schools.
Attitude of teachers towards inclusive education
in Botswana
Attitude of teachers’ towards inclusion of learners with
SENs is well investigated. A significant body of literature
revealed that a large number of demographical variables
influence teacher’s attitude (Chhabra, Srivastava and
Srivastava, 2010; Gaad and Khan, 2007). However, these
results are inconclusive and context specific. Therefore, this
section reflects on the available literature on inclusive edu-
cation in Botswana to highlight the current scenario which
will help in the implementation of inclusive education in the
country.
As mentioned previously, in Botswana, the concept of
inclusive education is based on Kagisano (social harmony)
and deeply rooted principles of ‘botho’. According to the
‘Long Term Vision for Botswana’ (Government of
Botswana, 1997)
‘Botho . . . refers to one of the tenets of African
culture . . . (it) defines a process for earning respect by
first giving it and to gain empowerment by
empowering others . . . It disapproves of anti-social,
disgraceful, inhuman and criminal behaviour and
encourages social justice for all . . . it must stretch to
its utmost limits the largeness of the spirit of all
Botswana.’ (p. 2)
Even though the society seems to be based on social
justice, historically, people with disabilities were hidden
and did not have similar social standing. Individuals
with disabilities were viewed as being weak, difficult,
34
awkward, burdensome, powerless, having no strength,
with deficits in learning and progress and unable to cope
with their normal peers; therefore should be educated in
special schools and taught by special educators. This is
assumed to have been deeply rooted in their cultural
beliefs, traditional value systems and practices and the
way they were taught or trained and eventually subsumed
into the education system. Africans in general, associate
causes of disabilities to witchcraft, juju, sex-linked factors,
God-mediated and supernatural forces (Abosi, n.d). For
example, an individual with albinism who participated in a
study carried out by Dart, Nthobatsang and Korwa et al.
(2010) beautifully described how individuals with albi-
nism are treated in Botswana
‘. . . traditionally would not be seen at the normal
community celebrations such as weddings, village
meetings and funerals. . . . . many small children will
spit on their own clothing, a practise that arises from
the belief that spitting out saliva when you see an
albino ensures that any babies that you might have
will not be albino.’ (p. 4)
This practice works against the philosophy of inclusive
education (botho) and is ‘not compatible with the principles
and policies that govern education in Botswana (Kagisano)’
(Dart et al., 2010).
Although inclusive education has been rapidly gaining cur-
rency in Botswana’s academic circles, government texts
and mass media, there is a lack of shared understanding as
to what the concept implies, since neither the government
nor academics have been able to engage critically with the
meanings and relevance of the concept in the Botswana
context. Meanwhile, empirical studies in this area have
been inadequate, and the small amount of published litera-
ture that does exist largely comprises of personal opinion
(Dart, 2006). The limited research that investigated teach-
ers’ or pre-service teachers attitude towards inclusive edu-
cation in Botswana (Brandon, 2006; Chhabra et al., 2010;
Dart, 2006; Kuyini and Mangope, 2011; Mangope, 2002)
indicate that most of the teachers in Botswana do not have
a favourable attitude towards inclusion of learners with
SENs. However, the majority of the study focused on the
attitude of secondary school teachers and did not include
other cardinal issues such as knowledge and skills and the
teachers’ personal and professional characteristics.
Method
Research design
This study employed a descriptive survey research design;
an instrument containing both closed-ended and open-
ended items was used. This is also called an intra-method
mixing (Johnson and Turner, 2003) and allows within
method triangulation (Denzin, 2010) to cross-check data for
the internal consistency (Denzin, 1978). The rationale for
using this approach was based on the fact that the word
‘inclusion’ means different things to different people. The
approach allowed the researcher to capture the multidimen-
sional aspects of social life through both quantitative and
© 2012 The Author. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs © 2012 NASEN
 Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 14 33–42

qualitative information. It provided the researcher with a Table 1: Personal and professional background of
diversity of responses through rich description of educators’ the teachers
perceptions of inclusive education and experiences of Number and %
teaching learners with SENs. Moreover, two different types Gender
of data gave a holistic picture and enhanced the validity and
Female 216 (79%)
integrity of the findings.
Male 57 (21%)
Participants Hold post of responsibility
Multistage proportionate stratified sampling was utilised to Yes 38 (14%)
select teachers from these three different locations (urban, No 235 (86%)
semi-urban and rural) of the south central region of Age range
Botswana. There are 165 schools government aids schools
20–25 19 (7%)
in this region, and the sample size consisted of 2950 teach-
ers (Ministry of Education and Skills Development, 2008). 26–30 43 (16%)
Thirty-five schools were randomly selected (18 rural, nine 31–35 55 (20%)
urban and eight semi-urban). A total of 350 questionnaires 36–40 85 (31%)
were distributed to teachers which comprised 11.8% of all >40 years 71 (26%)
primary teachers in the south central regions. Out of 350 Location of the school
participants, 284 (81.14%) questionnaires were received
Urban 78 (28%)
back from the participants. Eleven questionnaires were
excluded from analysis because of missing information, and Semi-urban 70 (26%)
ultimately 273 (78%) questionnaires were used for actual Rural 125 (46%)
analysis. Table 1 displays details about the participants. As Teaching experiences
the researcher personally distributed and collected ques- 1–5 years 70 (26%)
tioners through a follow-up visits, it enhanced the response 6–10 years 47 (17%)
rate.
11–15 years 37 (14%)

Instruments 16–20 years 56 (20%)

A two-part questionnaire was designed based on an in-depth >20 years 63 (23%)
literature review (Brandon, 2006; Chhabra et al., 2010; Grade level/class taught
Dart, 2006; Mangope, 2002; Sharma and Desai, 2002). Part Lower 102 (38%)
one of the questionnaire consisted of two sections. Section Mid 101 (36%)
1 focused on gathering data on the general academic and
Upper 70 (26%)
professional background of the participants. It had eight
items covering the profession, post of responsibility, Level of education
gender, age range, educational qualifications, teaching PTC 66 (24%)
experience, class/grade taught and location of the school. In Diploma primary Ed 111 (44%)
section 2, participants’ beliefs, knowledge and skills and Diploma sped 32 (11%)
perceived benefits of inclusive education were captured BEd sped 20 (7%)
using open-ended questions. Part two of the questionnaire
BEd PriEd 44 (16.12%)
consisted of 18 Likert-type statements designed to gather
information on attitudes towards inclusive education,
knowledge/skills of the teachers and perceived benefits of
inclusive education. instrument. The Cronbach reliability coefficient for the
Likert scale of the instrument was found to be 0.88.
The questionnaire also contained open-ended questions to Data collection
gather information on teachers’ experiences of teaching Permission to carry out the research was sought from and
learners with SENs, knowledge and skills and their beliefs granted by the research division of the MoESD. After
about inclusive education. The Likert-type statements were obtaining permission from the school head, 10 question-
selected based on review of literature and modified slightly, naires were distributed randomly to 10 teachers personally
particularly in terms of making the wording in the original by the researcher. Each questionnaire contained a cover
scales suitable for the subjects in this study. This question- page to inform the participants about the study and to
naire was given to academics, researchers and a practising request that participation in this survey was voluntarily. The
teacher. They were requested to rate each of the items as questionnaires were collected from the teachers on a sub-
‘relevant’ or ‘not relevant’ for the study, and based on their sequent visit. Each questionnaire was given a number which
opinion the questionnaire was further modified. This added was entered into SPSS system.
face validity of the instrument. The survey instrument was
pilot tested on 50 in-service students-teachers who had Data preparation and analysis
experience of teaching in primary schools in Botswana. The The information captured in the survey was coded and
results of the pilot test were used to find the reliability of the entered in the worksheet of SPSS, version 20 (IBM Corp.,

© 2012 The Author. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs © 2012 NASEN 35
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 14 33–42
2011). Likert-type scale consisted of 18 statements. The
statements were either positive or negative. The positive
statements were scored as ‘1’ for ‘strongly disagree’ and ‘6’
for ‘strongly agree’. The negative statements were coded in
reverse fashion (‘1’ = strongly agree; ‘6’ = strongly dis-
agree). Various descriptive and interpretive statistical pro-
cedures were utilised to analyse and interpret the data
derived from the survey instrument. The responses col-
lected through open-ended items were transcribed into MS
Excel 2010 and then entered into AllasTi5.5 (ATLAS.ti
Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin, Germany)
following the appropriate protocol. Content analysis
(Lincoln and Guba, 1985) was used to summarise answers
to three open-ended questions. The purpose of the qualita-
tive analysis was to augment and cross-check quantitative
data.
Results
Out of 273 respondents, 81% (n = 221) were regular teachers,
and 19% (n = 52) were qualified as special educators. The
majority 79% (n = 216) of the respondents were female with
only 21% (n = 57) being male presumably this broadly
reflects the make-up of the Botswana’ teaching population. It
was interesting to observe that out of 38 (14%) teachers who
hold the post of responsibility as senior teacher advisors
learning disabilities (STALD), only 11 were qualified as
special educators, and the remaining 27 teachers were pro-
moted to be STALD without any formal training. For analy-
sis in this study, the mean attitude scores of each subscale
were obtained, and a t-test and/or one-way analysis of vari-
ance (ANOVA) was conducted on each of the variable
characteristics to investigate whether the demographic vari-
ables affected the attitudes of teachers towards inclusion of
learners with SENs in regular schools. The mean and stan-
dard deviations of each item are given in Table 2.
Teachers’ attitude towards inclusive education
In order to measure the attitudes of teachers, a subscale
consisting of nine items was used. Three items were nega-
tively polarised, and six items were positively polarised.
The higher score indicated favourable attitudes towards
inclusion of learners with SENs in regular schools, whereas
the lower score indicated unfavourable attitudes. The total
score analysis of all the 273 respondents indicated an
overall mean of 3.15 on all the nine statements on the
attitude subscale. This indicated that the overall attitude fell
closer to the middle of the response scale in which 1 indi-
cated unfavourable attitudes towards SENs, and six indi-
cated more positive attitudes towards SENs. A mean of 3.15
indicated an attitude towards inclusion as falling between
‘tend to disagree’ to ‘tend to agree’ but leaning towards
‘tend to disagree’.
The mean attitudinal scores of male (M = 3.14, SD = 1.03)
and female teachers (M = 3.17, SD = 1.03) were calculated;
t-test was run; it yielded non-significant differences
between two means in this subscale. However, this finding
should be used cautiously given the fact that only 57 male
teachers took part in this research. The mean and standard
deviation of teachers who hold positions of responsibility
36
were M = 3.23, SD = 1.0, whereas those who did not hold
positions of responsibility were M = 3.13, SD = 1.01. Post
of responsibilities also did not influence the attitudinal
score significantly. Since the majority of the teachers who
held special education positions were not qualified as
special educators, this finding was expected. Table 3 dis-
plays attitudinal scores along with the demographical
variables.
One-way ANOVA was used to analyse variables such as
location of schools, grade taught, experience in teaching
learners with SENs and education qualifications. Except
educational qualifications, other variables did not influence
the attitude of teachers towards inclusion of learners with
SENs. Of the total number of participants, 66 (24%) had an
education level of the primary teachers certificate, 111
(41%) had a diploma in primary education, 32 (12%) had a
diploma in special education, 20 (7%) had a bachelor in
special education, and 44 (16%) hold a bachelor’s degree in
primary education. A one-way ANOVA between the mean
scores yielded a significant difference between the means
on the attitude scores (F(5, 267) = 79.67, P < .05). This
means teachers who graduated with a diploma and/or
degree in special education had significantly more favour-
able attitudinal scores than teachers who had other educa-
tional qualifications. This finding clearly indicates that in
order to implement inclusive education policy in Botswana,
more teachers should be trained in the area of special
education.
To gain insights into the teachers’ attitude(s), textual analy-
sis of participants’ responses to open-ended questions was
used to complement the quantitative information. Through-
out the transcripts of educators, attitudinal barriers were
highly visible in teachers’ responses. Their responses were
prefaced by phrases like ‘they are a burden’, ‘I don’t have
time’, ‘increased workload’ and ‘they should go to special
school’. The participants expressed frustrations about the
workload they have to contend with in primary schools.
Their displeasure was reflected in the following remark:
‘We are teaching large classes, it’s a lot of work. You have
to make sure that all children are catered for. This is not
easy.’
Teachers also complained about high student ratio. In order
to emphasise the issue one of the teachers said:
‘Student teacher ratio is not favourable. We teach
large numbers of students. Having a child with
disability is real problem. It is impossible to give
equal attention to all students.’
The following excerpts could best illustrate the issues of
‘lack time’.
‘It is sometimes very hard to work with such kinds of
students. Because they take more time to teach. I
really hate to have these kinds of students in my class.
They need much attention and time, so it is not easy to
teach them in a regular class.’
© 2012 The Author. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs © 2012 NASEN
 Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 14 33–42

Table 2: Participants responses on each item, means and standard deviation

Strongly Tend to Tend to Strongly
Statements agree agree agree disagree Disagree disagree Mean Std. Dev.
Attitude towards inclusive education
Learners with SENs should be given equal opportunity 69 77 28 34 47 18 4.12 1.64
function in a regular classroom 25.3% 28.2% 10.3% 12.5% 17.2 6.6%
The individual needs of majority of learners with 74 73 37 21 38 30 2.87 1.72
disabilities can be addressed adequately by a regular
27.1% 26.7% 13.6% 7.7% 13.9% 11.0%
education teacher
Parents of children with SENs prefer to have their 42 79 27 30 49 46 3.62 1.76
child placed in an inclusive classroom setting. 15.4% 28.9% 9.9% 11% 17.9% 16.8%
I am concerned that including learners with SENs will 78 69 49 20 38 19 2.73 1.68
increase my workload. 28.6% 25.3% 17.9% 7.3% 13.9% 7.0%
Learners with SENs should not be taught only in 74 65 40 30 38 26 2.89 1.68
special education classes 27.1% 23.8% 14.7% 11% 13.9% 9.5%
Most students with SENs (regardless of the level of 55 60 43 26 36 53 3.31 1.81
their disability) can be educated in regular schools
20.1% 22% 15.8% 9.5% 13.2% 19.4
in Botswana
I do not have sufficient time to undertake the 61 88 31 34 31 28
responsibility of educating learners with SENs in the
22.3% 32.2% 11.4% 12.5% 11.4% 10.3% 2.89 1.64
regular classroom
Learners with SENs should be taught by special 55 76 40 31 45 26
education teachers only 20.1% 27.8% 14.7% 11.4% 16.5% 9.5% 3.04 1.64
Parents of learners with SENs do not require more 55 89 51 14 45 19 2.86 1.56
support services from teachers than parents of
20.1% 32.6% 18.7% 5.1% 16.5% 7.0%
typically developing learners
Perceived benefits of inclusive education
Learners with SENs can learn social skills from 68 93 35 23 37 17 4.29 1.56
students without disabilities in the regular classroom 24.9% 34.1% 12.8% 8.4% 13.6% 6.2%
The challenge of a regular education classroom 35 89 35 35 62 17 3.81 1.55
promotes academic growth among learners with
12.8% 32.6% 12.8% 12.8% 22.7% 6.2%
SENs.
Learners with SENs develop higher self-esteem when 58 74 25 22 56 38 3.78 1.8
included in regular school 21.2% 27.1% 9.2% 8.1% 20.5% 13.9%
Inclusive education is useful for students without 74 78 66 22 24 9
SENs, because having students with SENs as
friends, they can learn social acceptance and 27.1% 28.6% 24.2% 8.1% 8.8% 3.3% 4.47 1.37
tolerance towards differences
Knowledge and skills
I have adequate knowledge and skills to teach learners 24 57 20 23 57 92 4.12 1.80
with SENs in regular class. 8.8% 20.9% 7.3% 8.4% 20.9% 33.7%
I can give adequate appropriate attention to all students 28 50 33 35 70 55 3.89 1.71
in an inclusive classroom. 10.3% 18.3% 12.1% 12.8% 25.6% 20.1%
If one of my learners with SENs is unable to 31 49 38 33 92 30
remember the information given in a lesson, I know
11.4% 17.9% 13.9% 12.1% 33.7% 11.0% 3.28 1.60
how to increase his/her retention in the next lesson
I know collaborative strategies needed for working 27 56 23 24 113 30 3.15 1.62
with other colleagues in inclusive classrooms 9.9% 20.5% 8.4% 8.8% 41.4% 11.0%
If a student becomes disruptive in my classroom, I feel 35 56 42 43 45 26
assured I know some techniques to redirect his/her
12.8% 20.5% 15.4% 15.8% 16.5% 9.5% 3.90 1.48
behaviour

© 2012 The Author. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs © 2012 NASEN 37
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 14 33–42

Table 3: Participants attitude towards inclusive The data demonstrated that some of the regular teachers
education, mean, standard deviation, t or F-test were open to ideas and the values of inclusive education and
n Mean SD t/F Sig (P) saw inclusive education as an opportunity for learners with
Gender
SENs to socialise with peers.
Female 216 3.17 1.03 t = -.171 .864
Teachers’ knowledge and skills
Male 57 3.14 1.04 In order to determine the teachers’ knowledge and skills,
Hold post of responsibility five items were used. The higher the score the better the
Yes 38 3.23 1.23 t = .508 .612 knowledge and skills. The mean score of this subscale was
No 235 3.13 1.00 found to be 3.67, which falls between 3 and 4 (tend to
Age range
disagree – tend to agree) indicating that respondents were
not confident with their knowledge and skills for inclusion
20–25 19 2.94 0.87 F = 2.38 .052
of SENs in regular classrooms. One-way ANOVA was con-
26–30 43 3.16 1.06 ducted to find the influence of the demographic variables.
31–35 55 3.35 1.02
36–40 85 3.28 1.14 Apart from educational qualifications, other variables did
>40 years 71 2.87 0.87 not influence the mean score on knowledge and skills. The
Location of the school
mean scores indicated that teachers who were graduated
with a diploma and or degree in special education had
Urban 78 2.98 0.91 F = 1.81 .165
significantly higher scores than teachers who had other
Semi-urban 70 3.29 1.20 educational qualifications. It could be interpreted from the
Rural 125 3.17 0.99 findings that teachers’ educational qualifications influence
Teaching experiences in the development of knowledge and skills of the partici-
1–5 years 69 2.94 0.90 F = 2.05 .087 pants, Therefore, more numbers of teachers should be for-
6–10 years 48 3.28 1.07
mally trained in the area of special education. Other
variables such as location of schools, grade taught and
11–15 years 37 3.33 1.14
experiences in teaching did not influence the attitude scores.
16–20 years 56 3.34 1.05 Table 4 displays participants’ scores on knowledge and
>20 years 63 2.99 1.01 skills subscale along with the demographical variables.
Class taught
Lower 102 3.17 1.03 F = .224 .800 In order to probe into teachers’ knowledge and skills, the
Mid 70 3.09 1.01
teachers’ response to open-ended questions were analysed.
The following statements capture the teachers’ level of
Upper 102 3.20 1.06
knowledge and skills:
Level of education
Primary Teacher’s 66 2.73 .69 F = 79.67 .000* ‘I was not trained in special education, so I ignored
Certificate the child and simply referred the child to a special
Diploma PriEd 111 2.77 .70 school for children who are deaf.’
Diploma sped 32 4.82 .37
‘It is difficult to teach pupils with learning disabilities,
BEd sped 20 4.73 .28
if you are not trained in special education to deal with
BEd PriEd 44 2.70 .79 such students. Since they need special attention and
* considered significant at p < .05. normally they work at their own pace.’

‘It is really difficult to teach them mostly if you have

Teaching students with disabilities was perceived to be a
burden since it creates more demands on the part of the
teachers. This is something that teachers were not prepared
to undertake. It seemed that teachers prefer to have learners
without disabilities because they did not demand additional
attention, preparation and time outside the teachers’
‘normal’ scope of work.
In sharp contrast to the negative attitudes recorded, there
were some teachers who had positive attitudes towards
inclusive education. One positive statement made by a
teacher was:
‘In the initial stages learners without disabilities treat
those with disabilities differently. They end up
segregating them, but ultimately things normalise.’
not been trained for them. But with patience and
tolerance I ended up having a small knowledge on
how to assist them.’
One of the participants recommended, ‘Teachers should be
taught how to handle pupils with disabilities’. The data
suggested that adequate training in inclusive education was
a critical prerequisite for teachers to function effectively in
order to implement inclusive education successfully. Lack
of knowledge and skills such as sign language and Braille
appeared to be the serious concerns for teachers. This was
revealed in the following comments:
‘We do not have enough knowledge and skills to
manage SENs in the regular classroom.’

38 © 2012 The Author. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs © 2012 NASEN
 Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 14 33–42

Table 4: Knowledge and skills mean, standard professional and personal background were used as inde-
deviation, t or F-test pendent variables. The overall mean score of the five items
n Mean SD t/F P was found to be 4.09. This means that teachers perceive the
Gender
benefit of inclusion of learners with SENs. An independent
t-test was used for dichotomous variables such as profes-
Female 216 3.62 1.03 t = -1.38 .169
sion, gender and post of responsibilities, and ANOVA was
Male 57 3.85 1.04 used for other independent variables such as age range,
Hold post of responsibility educational qualifications, teaching experiences, grade-
Yes 38 3.48 1.11 t = -1.01 .270 taught and locations.
No 235 3.70 1.10
Age range
Similar to the other two subscales, the educational qualifi-
cations is the only variable that influenced the teachers’
20–25 19 3.74 1.06 F = 0.307 .873
perceived benefit towards inclusion of SENs in regular
26–30 43 3.75 0.90 schools. The mean scores of teachers who were graduated
31–35 55 3.76 1.15 with a diploma (M = 4.82; SD 1.10) and those with degrees
36–40 85 3.63 1.17 (M = 4.42; SD = 1.11) in special education had significantly
>40 years 71 3.58 1.12 more favourable attitudinal scores than teachers who had
Location of the school
other educational qualifications. One-way ANOVA was run,
and the difference was found to be significant (F = 5.31,
Urban 66 3.58 1.21 F = 0.457 .634
d.f. = 5, 267, P < .05). Other variables such as location of
Semi-urban 111 3.65 1.13 schools, grade taught, years of teaching experience and
Rural 32 3.73 1.02 experience in teaching learners with disabilities did not
Teaching experiences influence the perceived benefits scores. Table 5 displays the
1–5 years 69 3.57 1.02 F = .452 .771 benefits of inclusive education along with demographical
6–10 years 48 3.77 1.21
variables.
11–15 years 37 3.70 1.10
In order to gain an insight about the issues of inclusion,
16–20 years 56 3.77 1.08 teachers were asked to give their opinion about the inclu-
>20 years 63 3.59 1.13 sion of types of categories of disability; the opinions of
Grade level/class taught teachers differed. The majority of teachers preferred learn-
Lower 102 3.65 1.08 F = .203 .816 ers with a learning disability (64%) to those with any other
Mid 101 3.64 1.10
disability. Teachers reported less preference for learners
with physical disabilities (44%), deafness or blindness
Upper 70 3.74 1.14
(19%) and emotional problems (10%). The reason for these
Level of education preferences for learners with a learning disability was
Primary Teacher Certificate 66 3.42 1.03 F = 11.87 .000* expressed as ‘it is easy to manage and accommodate’.
Diploma primary Ed 111 3.44 1.04 Mobility impairment was the category next most frequently
Diploma sped 32 4.65 0.77 endorsed by teachers. It emerged from the data that learners
BEd sped 20 4.52 0.66
with mobility impairments did not create serious demands
on the part of teachers in the lines of instructional accom-
BEd PriEd 44 3.41 1.17
modation. The least preferred categories were visual or
* considered significant at p < .05. hearing disabilities and students with emotional disorders.
Participants of the study believed they could not effectively
accommodate these learners in regular classrooms. It could
‘We don’t know how to communicate with children be deduced from the data that teachers seemed to prefer
with hearing impairment, we don’t know sign selective inclusive practice rather than the fully inclusive
language.’ model.
‘I lack skills, it really worries me, as I would not want
a child I feel for her, as I do not have the experience However, not all the teachers were positive about the ben-
to teach her (sic).’ efits of inclusive education. Their reasons expressed
concern about including SENs in regular classrooms and
Perceived benefits of inclusive education their statements were dominated by negativity about inclu-
Teachers’ perceived benefits of inclusive education have sive education. Teachers gave reasons such as ‘inclusive
been recognised as positive factors in inclusive education education disadvantages the normal students’, ‘SENs
(Clough and Nutbrown, 2004). In this section, participants’ consume all the teaching time’, ‘I do not have enough time’,
responses to the perceived benefit subscale were used. ‘I have to finish the syllabus objectives before exam’ and
There were four items in that subscale. ‘They will drop my class pass rate I am being judged by the
pass rate’. This is an interesting comment raised by teachers
Teachers’ score on the subscale of perceived benefits sub- and education policies including the current one is silent
scale was used as a dependent variable, and the participants’ about such practical issues. It is important to underscore

© 2012 The Author. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs © 2012 NASEN 39
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 14 33–42

Table 5: Perceived benefits of inclusive education, benefits of inclusion of learners with SENs in Botswana’s
mean, standard deviation and t/F test primary schools. Apart from educational qualifications, no
n Mean SD t/F P relationship was found between Botswana teachers’ atti-
Gender
tudes, knowledge and skills and perceived benefits of inclu-
sive education and their demographic variables (age,
Female 216 4.04 1.17 t = -1.16 .246
gender, post of responsibilities, location, grade taught and
Male 57 4.25 1.21 years of experience). Teachers who were formally trained as
Hold post of responsibility special educators possessed a more positive attitude
Yes 38 3.87 1.30 t = -.508 .612 towards inclusion of these learners. These positive attitudes
No 235 4.12 1.16 could be attributed to the skills and knowledge they had
Age range
acquired during their formal training. The results of this
study were consistent with the results of the previous
20–25 19 3.98 1.11 F = .549 .700
studies done by other researchers in other countries (Ali,
26–30 43 3.99 1.03 Mustapha and Jelas, 2006; Loreman, Forlin and Sharma,
31–35 55 4.16 1.08 2007). It was also found that most of the teachers preferred
36–40 85 4.21 1.22 to include learners with a learning disability over other
>40 years 71 3.97 1.30 categories of learners with SENs, and teachers felt that this
Location of the school
group of learners were easy to manage. This finding is in
agreement with the study carried out by Gaad and Khan
Urban 78 4.11 1.30 F = .314 .731
(2007). Participants of their study also preferred to include
Semi-urban 70 3.99 1.24 learners with learning disabilities.
Rural 125 4.13 1.07
Teaching experiences Consistent with other research, Chhabra et al. (2010) in
1–5 years 66 4.02 1.12 F = 0.215 .930 Botswana, Agbenyega (2007) in Ghana, Kuyini and
6–10 years 111 4.09 1.12
Mangope (2011) in Botswana and Lifshitz, Glaubman
and Issawi (2004) in Israel and Palestine, this research
11–15 years 32 4.00 1.10
also found that teachers do hold unfavourable views
16–20 years 20 4.18 1.12 towards inclusion of learners with SENs in regular class-
>20 years 44 4.13 1.39 rooms. The findings of this study indicate that these are
Grade level/class taught positive relationships between teachers’ educational quali-
Lower 102 4.11 1.23 F = 0.413 .662 fications and knowledge and skills in managing learners
Mid 101 4.01 1.14
with SENs in regular classrooms. It could be attributed to
the fact that teachers who underwent diploma and/or
Upper 70 4.17 1.17
degree studies in special education took more courses in
Level of education the subject and underwent 14 weeks of compulsory teach-
PTC 66 4.08 1.19 F = 5.316 .000* ing practice designed to enhance their knowledge and
Diploma primary Ed 111 3.92 1.20 instructional strategies needed to work with students with
Diploma sped 32 4.81 .80 disabilities. Although others educators took only an intro-
BEd sped 20 4.48 .74
ductory course in the area of special education, and did
not go through teaching practice in the area of special
BEd PriEd 44 3.66 1.28
education, therefore they were not well equipped to work
* considered significant at p < .05. with SENs.

Although teachers had an overall negative attitude towards

that MoESD need to take cognisance of practicing teachers
and resolve such issues. It appears that negative attitudes are
rooted in the lack of knowledge and skills of meeting
the learning needs of students with disabilities in regular
classrooms. This was apparent in the comments of one
participant:
‘I found no benefit, more so I don’t have the
knowledge and skills of what it entails, If only I was
familiar with the concept may be to some extent I
would dream to try it (sic).’
Discussion
In this study, the researcher sought to examine the attitude
and knowledge and skills as well as their views of perceived
inclusion of learners with SENs in regular classrooms, it
was interesting to find that teachers perceived the benefits
of inclusive education in a broader manner. The partici-
pants were of the opinion that enhancing opportunities
and gaining acceptance through inclusion would develop
independence and socialisation skills for learners with
SENs. In addition, inclusive education would offer
more chances to participate in a variety of school activi-
ties, enhance self-image and be a better preparation for the
real world. They did not find any negative impact on typi-
cally developing children in inclusive education. It is
believed that through inclusive education; typically devel-
oping children increase their sensitivity to others and
understand human diversity. This reflects findings from
research in other contexts (Farrell, 2000; Katz and
Mirenda, 2002).

40 © 2012 The Author. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs © 2012 NASEN

Conclusion and recommendations
The study indicates that although teachers understood
the benefits of inclusive education, they did not possess
a favourable attitude towards inclusion of learners with
SENs in their own classes and lacked adequate know-
ledge and skills in teaching learners with SENs in regular
classrooms. However, this could be attributed to the
lack of knowledge and skills in teaching SENs. The pre-
dominant factor that played a significant role in attitude,
knowledge and skills is the formal training in special
education.
The current inclusive education policy in Botswana reas-
sured the nations’ commitment to provide equal opportu-
nities to all its citizens. One of the goals of the policy is:
‘Teachers will have the skills and resources to enable
children of different abilities to learn effectively’. The
findings of this research clearly indicate that although
teachers have accepted the concept philosophically, they
lack the knowledge and skills required to cater for the
needs of learners with diverse educational needs. There-
fore, the process of implementation is not going to be
easy. Inclusion of learners with SENs in regular schools is
a complex activity that needs extraordinary commitment
by all stakeholders (Mukhopadhyay, 2009). It is equally
important to underscore that inclusive education is multi-
dimensional and highly context specific. Nonetheless, the
mixed method of data collection and analysis elicited
richer information about the teachers’ conceptualisation of
inclusive education than only quantitative research would
have revealed.
However, this study has inherent limitations. The study
focused only on teachers’ self-reported information; the
researcher had to rely on what the participants reported. The
researcher did not capture the school and classroom obser-
vations to understand the process and practices of inclusive
education in Botswana. Future studies should use multiple
methods of data collection from multiple stakeholders to get
a holistic picture.
The findings of this study have several implications. These
implications are relevant to, and should be addressed by
policy-makers and teacher education universities and col-
leges. First, training opportunities at both initial teacher
training and in-service training need to be developed to
include requisite knowledge and skills to teach learners
with SENs. Second, regular teachers should take more
special education courses during their pre-service training,
and the teacher training programme must incorporate
practical training to cater to the needs of learners with
diverse educational needs and their families. It is,
however, the opinion of the researcher that in order to
implement inclusive education in Botswana, the general
and special education programmes at institutions of higher
learning must emphasise and encourage special and
general educators to work collaboratively. This would
enhance their skills to teach in regular schools and equip
them with better instructional strategies to work with
learners with SENs.
© 2012 The Author. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs © 2012 NASEN
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 14 33–42
Address for correspondence
Sourav Mukhopadhyay,
Department of Educational Foundations,
University of Botswana,
Pvt. Bag 00702,
Gaborone,
Botswana.
Email: mukhopa@mopipi.ub.bw.
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