TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing the special education professional development needs of northern Malawian schoolteachers
AU - Hughes, Elizabeth
AU - Chitiyo, Morgan
AU - Itimu-Phiri, Ambumulire
AU - Montgomery, Kristen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 NASEN
PY - 2016/6/1
Y1 - 2016/6/1
N2 - This research examines special needs education professional development needs among both general and special education schoolteachers in northern Malawi. A semi-structured questionnaire with open and close-ended questions was used for the research. Quantitative and thematic analyses were conducted to determine the extent to which teachers believe that students with disabilities should be educated together with students without disabilities, the importance of professional development for teaching students with disabilities, prioritised professional development needs regarding special education knowledge, and self-identified needs for successful special education classrooms. Results indicate that teachers are generally in favour of inclusive practices and identify a high need for special education professional development. Participants identified training and resources to teach students with visual impairments or auditory impairments as a high priority. Participants noted a need for improved infrastructure, more educational materials, and recognition by the government for work in special education.
AB - This research examines special needs education professional development needs among both general and special education schoolteachers in northern Malawi. A semi-structured questionnaire with open and close-ended questions was used for the research. Quantitative and thematic analyses were conducted to determine the extent to which teachers believe that students with disabilities should be educated together with students without disabilities, the importance of professional development for teaching students with disabilities, prioritised professional development needs regarding special education knowledge, and self-identified needs for successful special education classrooms. Results indicate that teachers are generally in favour of inclusive practices and identify a high need for special education professional development. Participants identified training and resources to teach students with visual impairments or auditory impairments as a high priority. Participants noted a need for improved infrastructure, more educational materials, and recognition by the government for work in special education.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84977073885&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84977073885&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1467-8578.12128
DO - 10.1111/1467-8578.12128
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84977073885
SN - 0952-3383
VL - 43
SP - 159
EP - 177
JO - British Journal of Special Education
JF - British Journal of Special Education
IS - 2
ER -