Barriers of Integrating Students with Disabilities into Inclusive Education Schools in Yemen

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the main barriers to integrating students with disabilities in inclusive education schools in the Republic of Yemen. The study sample consisted of 176 male and female teachers selected from three governorates (Sana'a, Ibb, and Taiz). The researchers prepared a questionnaire for gathering data regarding the barriers to integrating students with disabilities. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, and for data analysis, mean scores, standard deviations, and one-way ANOVA were used. The results of the study showed that the teachers reported very high level of financial barriers to implement inclusion programs as well as high level of inclusion barriers related to pre-inclusion planning, curriculum, teachers, physical environment, diagnosis and admission, and students with disabilities themselves. While the barriers related to attitudes towards students with disabilities and their integration were found to have a moderate level. The results of the study also showed no significant differences in the barriers to integrating students in inclusive schools from the teachers' perspective based on the variables of governorate (Sana'a, Ibb, and Taiz) and school gender segregation (males, females, and mixed schools).