ATTITUDE OF REGULAR TEACHERS ON INTEGRATION OF MENTALLY CHALLENGED LEARNERS IN SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN UPLANDS ZONE LARI DIVISION KIAMBU DISTRICT, KENYA

ABSTRACT

The research project aimed at establishing the attitude harbored by regular

primary school teachers towards integration of mentally challenged persons in regular

primary schools.

Out of the four major categories of disabilities that people do suffer, children with

mental challenges suffer most in negligence and segregation from the mainstream

education than any other category of disability. This has been due to the attitude

harbored by the teachers in incorporating these children in mainstream education.

According to research findings, it was established that majority of respondents

agreed with most of the research questions, only a few of the questions did respondents

disagree with.

It was therefore concluded that majority of the respondent who were teachers

expressed a positive attitude towards integration of mentally challenged learners in most

of the areas covered by research and only a few of the research areas did receive a

negative attitude expression from the respondents.

The researcher therefore recommended incorporation of skills and knowledge of

handling mentally challenged learners in teacher training curriculum to ensure that every

teacher leaving college has necessary skills and knowledge for handling these learners.

Due to their positive attitude expression towards integration of mentally

challenged learners in regular school, regular teachers should be inducted with necessary

skills and knowledge for handling these teachers.

On research areas that received a negative attitude express10n from the

respondents, teachers should be sensitized on the need to accept, help and advocate for

the educational needs of these children.