Researchers concur that Inclusive Education is an effective practice for maximizing the academic success of students with a learning disability. The philosophical basis of Inclusive Education maintains that all children, regardless of their physical, mental, emotional, psychological, cognitive, ethnic, or socioeconomic disposition, should receive access to education in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) alongside their non-disabled peers. Current research revealed that education stakeholders are often challenged with successfully implementing Inclusion due to the many barriers faced. Addressing barriers to Inclusion is critical to the enhancement of the quality of education provided and educators’ efficacy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the apparent barriers to Inclusive Education in Bahamian public schools and provide recommendations for effectively addressing such challenges in an effort to facilitate successful inclusion. This was achieved by exploring the contributing factors discouraging educators from supporting the idea of inclusion. Fifty public educators (5 special educators, 5 reading specialists, 20 primary and 20 high school educators) from a major city were randomly selected to participate in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed via open coding. Field theory was used as a lens through which to understand how educators’ decisions and behaviours are determined by the strength of conflicting ‘field forces’ in their organizations. Key findings revealed that (a) lack of specialized training, (b) lack of resources, (c) large classroom sizes, and (d) teachers’ attitudes posed significant hindrance to the possibility of successful inclusive education programmes. In an effort to ensure the successful implementation of inclusive education throughout public schools, the government of The Bahamas must prioritize the nation’s budget to accommodate the infrastructure, human and technical resources, training, and initiatives required to not only promote societal awareness of inclusive educations’ significance, but to enhance the efficacy of the practice in all public schools. Education policy makers must consider the needs and challenges of all stakeholders (educators, administrators, students, and parents) if inclusion is expected to be a future success.

Author: Norrisa Newton

Published in: Canada International Conference on Education, 2024

• Date of Conference: 23-25 July, 2024
• DOI: 10.20533/CICE.2024.0057
• Electronic ISBN: 978-1-913572-65-5
• Conference Location: Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada