Placement of Children with Special Needs in education; support levels and challenges: A case of Uasin Gishu County

Abstract

The study assessed Placement of Children with Special Needs in Education; support levels and Challenges in Uasin Gishu County in Rift Valley province. The objectives of the study were: to establish the relationship between availability of assessment tools and appropriate placement; to determine the relationship between training of assessors and appropriate placement; evaluate the level of awareness and support offered by relevant stakeholders in placement of children and propose strategies that would enhance placement of children with Special Needs. The study adopted the theory of Planned Behaviour that relates to intention of behavior. A descriptive survey design was employed for the planning and execution of the study. Stratified, Simple Random and Purposive sampling techniques were used in choosing the sample size. The target population which is also the sample for the study included Education Officers, assessors at the Education Assessment and Resource Centres (EARCs), Affected Parents and Special Needs Education Teachers. The research instruments used to collect data were questionnaires, interview schedule and Observation checklist. Data collected was analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The study findings revealed that the level of awareness, the assessment tools and inadequate stakeholders support is minimal. If this trend continues the support for Children with Special Needs in Education will continue to be a challenge. The study findings are expected to benefit educational planners in recommending for allocation of more resources for training, in-service and equipping the centres for better performance, enhance sensitization of parents and general public about the functions and value of assessment centres. It is further hoped that the findings of the study will bring about greater awareness with regard to the value of the assessment centres