Children with Disabilities in Early Care in Ghana

This study examined the experiences of teachers who teach 4- to 8-year-old children with special needs in Ghanaian public school classrooms. Also examined were the management strategies put in place to assist the children in dealing with their unique situations. A team of five researchers interviewed 68 teachers who teach children with special needs. Results indicate that a majority of the teachers support inclusion of children with special needs in their classrooms but were concerned about the lack of appropriate resources for proper instruction. In addition, participants indicated that about 60% of children with special needs did not want to participate in group work. The most challenging issues for the teachers involve difficulty getting some of the children to follow basic instructions and also getting parents to participate in the education of their children with special needs. This study recommends parent-teacher associations advocating for the participation of parents in schools in Ghana. The study additionally recommends employing special education teachers, nurses, and social workers to assist teachers in Ghanaian classrooms.