INVESTIGATING IMPLEMENTATION OF SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION POLICY GUIDELINES: A REFLECTION ON REGULAR TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES WITH LEARNERS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MALAWI

Abstract

The National Special Needs Education Policy Guidelines (NSNEPG) in Malawi were established because of Government‟s commitment to ensuring full participation in education for all school aged learners with special educational needs. The guidelines were developed to facilitate the effective implementation of inclusive strategies and promote the inclusion of learners with special educational needs, thereby fostering a more inclusive community. This study aimed to investigate the implementation of NSNEPG by reflecting on the experiences of regular teachers with learners with Hearing Impairment in two public Secondary Schools designated as resource centres in South West Education Division (SWED) of Malawi. A qualitative phenomenological research design was employed, utilising a purposeful sampling technique. The study involved 11 regular teachers, 32 students and 2 head teachers who participated in interviews, focus group discussions and class observations. Thematic data analysis was used to analyse the collected data. The findings of the study revealed a lack of awareness among most teachers regarding NSNEPG, with many not having seen or read the guidelines. Additionally, it was discovered that the teachers lacked adequate training and preparation to effectively implement the NSNEPG. Despite, the teachers‟ unawareness and varying levels of training, including some receiving none, they employed similar strategies to support learners with hearing impairments. However, most of the strategies used were found to be ineffective in achieving inclusive education. The study also identifies several challenges faced by regular teachers, including communication difficulties with the learners, a lack of skills and knowledge to provide support in the classroom, including inadequate teaching and learning resources and insufficient time to effectively teach these learners with special needs. These findings highlight the necessity for teachers to be fully aware and thoroughly prepared (preservice and in-service) to implement Special Needs Education (SNE) and inclusive education policies. It also calls for a review of the of the policy guidelines to enhance their impact on changing classroom practices.