Content uploaded by Ogbu. Eke
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Ogbu. Eke on Oct 24, 2021
Content may be subject to copyright.
EFFECT OF INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF N.C.E
YEAR ONE HEARING IMPAIRED STUDENTS IN CHILD FRIENDLY SCHOOLS
BY
OGBU, EKE EKEPh.D
ekeogbu@yahoo.com (07031131538)
DEPARTMENT OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
ALVAN IKOKU FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, OWERRI, IMO STATE
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of Inclusive classroom on academic achievement of NCE year
one hearing impaired students in Child Friendly Schools. The study adopted a quasi-
experimental design. Specifically a pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design. Two
research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. The sample was made up of 51 hearing
impaired NCE students. The instrument for this study was 25 items multiple-choice Child
Friendly Schools achievement test. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the three
research questions while ANCOVA was used to test the hypothesis at p<0.05. The result
revealed that students taught in an inclusive classroom had a higher academic achievement gain
score than those taught in a special class.. Based on the findings some recommendations were
made which include that, relevant tertiary institutions commissions should make relevant laws
that will prompt tertiary institutions to adopt inclusive classroom and inclusive education and
lecturers and other relevant staff in institutions of higher learning should work in collaboration
in order to create inclusive environment in the classroom.
Introduction
Countries all over the world subscribe to the notion that all children/individuals have the right to
education irrespective of their race, gender, nationality, disability and etc. This universally
accepted notion have made many of the world countries to be signatory to international
agreements that try to give the above notion a legal backing. They include the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons (1971), Rights of Disabled Persons
(1975), World Program of Action Concerning Disabled Persons (1982) adopted by the United
Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), the
United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
(1993) and UNESCO's Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action (1994). These treaties
form a strong basis for international legal standards on disability and function as critical
documents providing persons with disabilities the right to education. These treaties also try to
abolish discrimination against people with disabilities (Kokkala, 2006). United Nations Standard
Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993) emphasizes
principle of equal primary, secondary and tertiary educational opportunities for children, youth
and adults with disabilities, in an integrated settings. These have brought about inclusive
education.
Inclusion, in education refers to an educational model in which special needs students spend
most or all of their time with non-special (general education) needs students. It arises in the
context of special education with an individualized education program (Maimuna, 2014). It is
built on the belief that it is more educationally effective for students with special needs to have
socially interactive mixed experience. This will help them to be more successful in social
interactions which is an aspect of education. Also this will lead to further success in life. Schools
with inclusive classrooms do not believe in separate classrooms. This is because persons with
disabilities do not have their own separate world so they have to learn how to be
involved/interact with other students without disabilities. This will bring about collaboration and
understanding among students with disabilities and with those without disabilities. This will help
to remove stereotypes that individuals with disabilities are been subjected to while making
individuals without disabilities to have empathy and understanding with those with disabilities.
Inclusive education also is based on the tenets of individualized learning. It is a classroom
instructional procedure where every learner’s learning styles and pace of cognition, assimilation
are considered and capture in the teaching and learning process.
Individuals learn in various ways and paces. It is commonly believed that most people favour
some particular method of interacting with, taking in, and processing stimuli or information. This
is seen as a cognitive, emotional, characteristics and physiological factors that serve as relatively
stable indicators of how a learner perceives, interacts with, and responds to learning environment
(Ogbu,2017). To enable all individuals to develop in terms of academic, social, and physical
abilities schools should create inclusive and student-friendly environment. Teachers should use
various teaching methods and instructional resources that capture various learning styles of all
the individuals in the classroom. These are the guiding principles of inclusive classroom.
Researchers have validated the fact that academic potential of individuals grow effectively when
it is based on social and emotional potentials (Smith, 1998, Thomas, 2004 &Farid, 2014).
However, in Nigeria the majority of individuals with special needs do not attend school or they
are enrolled in special schools which keep them away from the society (Omede, 2015). To
provide special needs individuals with quality education in regular schools, especially in tertiary
education it is necessary for school policies and practices to properly accommodate all
individuals with diverse disabilities and education needs. In Nigeria education policy makers are
dragging their feet on introducing policies that will encourage individuals with special needs to
be enrolled in public schools and tertiary institution, may be because they are not yet convinced
of the great educational benefits this will bring to individuals with special needs. Based on that,
this work is set to provide empirical evidence on the effect of inclusive classroom on academic
achievement on NCE year 1 hearing impaired students on Child friendly course Edu221. To
effectively and practicaly drive a functional inclusive classroom, it should be based on Social
Learning Theory and Observational Learning Theory.
For Social learning theory by Albert Bandura (1977)in the school setting, all students are
expected to learn academic concepts as well as behavioral skills. Because both of these areas
often times are potential barriers for disabled students, they can develop low self-esteem issues
which hinder them socially (Mark, Lucheia&Amy, 2012). With an inclusive class experiences,
special need learners, like the hearing impaired will learn socially accepted attitudes that will
help them to adequately adjust in the school environment and the society. It is important that
academic content and social skills are addressed within the classroom.
Albert Bandura (1977) developed the social learning theory which states that learning, both
cognitively and behaviorally, takes place through the observation, modeling, and imitation of
others (Ogbu, 2018). The main characteristic of the social learning theory, is the centrality of
observational learning, a causal model that involves an environment- person- behavior system,
cognitive contributions, and self-efficacy and agency Mark, Lucheia& Amy, (2012). This theory
proposes that academic and behavior modeling takes place through verbal instruction, live
modeling by a person, and symbolic modeling through four steps: attention, retention,
reproduction, and motivation. Inclusive classes hinge on this theory because disabled peers can
observe their nondisabled peers and their teachers and then imitate them both academically and
behaviorally. Advocates of inclusive classroom believe in integrating students with disabilities
into a learning community that mimics a mini society: that through this learning community
students with disabilities are able to interact with their peers and develop friendships. When
included in the regular classroom, special needs students (the hearing impaired) have the
opportunity to see their peers’ working habits, and they can model those habits and behaviors
with the reflect their own. For example, when a student sees a peer being praised for his/her hard
work, the student learns to try that behavior with the hope of pleasing the teacher and being
praised also (Miller, 2011). This plays into the observational theory, where students with special
needs can watch the correct behavior and model that desired performance.
In Observational learning theory, students with special needs (learning impaired) can learn not
only desired behaviors from their peers through social interaction, they can also learn
academically within their learning community. Cooperative learning involves social interaction
amongst the learners, and it is the key to educational thinkers such as Piaget and Vygotsky
(Slavin, 2009). Using social interaction and active experiences in learning helps learners to
disseminate knowledge to one another. Even students with special needs (hearing impaired) can
offer educational knowledge to their peers; if the students learn that they can teach others and
learn from others, and then they will feel a sense of belonging, pride, and responsibility. Peer
learning helps students to build effective listening and communication skills (Harding, 2009).
Several studies have indicated the positive effect of inclusive classroom on academic
achievement of special needs students. Dessemontet, Bless, and Morin (2012) conducted a study
comparing the academic progress of students with intellectual disabilities (ID) who were served
within an inclusion setting as opposed to a special school setting. Their findings indicated that
the included learner made slightly more progress in literacy skills than learners in special
schools. Based on the findings the study concluded that inclusion in general education classroom
is an appropriate alternative to an education in separate settings for primary pupils with
intellectual disabilities who require extensive support in school.
Research by Chitiyo, Makweche-Chitiyo, Park, Ametepee, and Chitiyo (2011) examined the
correlation between positive behavior support (PBS) and academic achievement in special
education students in an inclusive class and special class. The study found that the use of PBS to
address behavior problems led to an increase in academic achievement. The study also found out
that gender is not a significant factor between positive behavior and academic achievement of
special needs students in inclusive class and that of special class
Classroom teachers play crucial roles in inclusive classroom. .As a result of the inclusive
education movement, classroom teachers have become significantly more involved in the
education of individuals with disabilities. The attitude of the class teacher towards students has a
major impact on the success of all students, particularly those with special needs. Classroom
teachers must be able to perform different skills, such as: being innovative in providing equal
education opportunities for all students, individualizing instruction for all in the inclusive
classroom; advocating for inclusive classroom and so on. In fact classroom teachers control
educational programs for all students (Smith et al., 1998).
Studies suggest (Mkpa, 2013, Ogbu 2018, Ogbu, Ibebuike& Okafor 2017) that the quality of the
teacher contributes more to learner achievement than any other factor such as class size, class
composition, or background. This is to say that the knowledge, beliefs and values that a teacher
has help in creating an effective learning environment for all students, making the teacher a
critical influence in inclusion education and the development of the inclusive classroom.
European Commission Communication for Improving the Quality of Teacher Education (2007)
states that teachers need to have the full range of subject knowledge, attitudes and pedagogic
skills to be able to help young people to reach their full potential by responding to specific needs
of each student applying a wide range of teaching strategies. In the same vain the goals of
teacher education in Nigeria include among others:
(a) produce highly motivated conscientious and efficient classroom teachers for all levels of
educational system
(b) encourage further the spirit of enquire and creativity in teachers
(c) provide teachers with the intellectual and professional background adequate for their life
assignment and make them adaptable to changing situations.
Also the National Commission for Colleges of Education Minimum Standard Guideline (20
14) highlighted that higher education institutions have an important role to ensure that their
teacher education courses are based upon solid evidence and good classroom practice.
Though some institution of higher education have not yet embraced inclusive classroom as
one of its guiding principle for academic practices (FGN, 7).
Though the goals of teacher education were well articulated and lofty, these goals may not be
well achieved, without its student adequately understanding, appreciating and passing the
course offered in this programme that addressed the above goals. Child Friendly Schools
(CFS) is one of such courses. But the result of this course (CFS) for the hearing impaired
students of Special education, AlvanIkoku Federal College of Education has been quite poor.
As the result of the course for three sessions (2015-2017) indicated; 42%, 40%. & 43% pass.
The observed poor performance of hearing impaired students on CFS course may be
attributed to a number of factors, one of which may be excluded classroom instructional
procedures which is the common practice for teaching the hearing impaired.
Co-teaching is a model used in inclusive classroom. Recent developments in inclusive education
and classroom have promoted access of learners with exceptionalities to public schools and
institutions of higher learning. Co-teaching is introduced as a means for improving effective
instructions in inclusive classroom (Cook and Friend, 1995). Co-teaching is applied to increase
and support the inclusion of learners with disabilities, and usually includes one general education
teacher and one special needs education teacher (Mastropieri and Scruggs, 2006). One of the
advantages of co-teaching is that specific viewpoints and approaches of general and special
educators are merged to reproduce unique teaching strategies that would not occur if one of them
were absent (Friend, Reising, and Cook, 1993).
Co- teaching has several definition by Cook and Friend (1995) as an organized arrangement
were two or more professionals delivering substantive instruction to a diverse, or blended, group
of students in a single physical space. Moreover, Cook and Friend (1995) elaborate on four key
components of this definition. The first one is that co-teaching involves two or occasionally more
educators, one of which is a general education teacher and the other is a special educator. The
second part of our co-teaching definition specifies that the educators deliver substantive
instruction which means that both professionals are involved actively in the instruction of
students.
Third, the educators teach a diverse group of students, including students with disabilities. The
last component clearly indicates that in co-teaching the instruction is delivered primarily in a
single classroom or physical space. Still it does not preclude the possibility of occasionally
separating groups of students for instruction that involves considerable activity with possible
high levels of noise and distraction. Cook and Friend (1995) also assert that when co-teaching is
integrated in an inclusive classroom that it will help to enhance the academic achievements of
students with disabilities or special needs
Theory and practice of child friendly schools is a compulsory course offered by NCE students of
colleges of education in Nigeria (National Commission for Colleges of Education, 2013). The
course introduces students to child Friendly Schools (CFS), its underlying assumption and key
principles from which the main characteristics of a Child Friendly Schools (CFS) are derived. It
discusses CFS models as being holistic and based on a concept of quality education that is multi-
diamentional and concerned with the total need of the child as the central focus and beneficiary
of all education decision. Quality is conceptualized not merely as a good teaching method and
learning outcome but also includes considerations of health and nutrition status of learners. It
also includes adequacy of available facilities, services and supplies, as well as levels of safety
and protection afforded by the learning environment. These are important not simply as a means
of supporting good teaching and promoting learning achievement but also as goals in their own
right and valid indicators of quality education from a child right perspective.
From the overview of CFS course one can attest its importance in the teacher education. But the
poor performance of hearing impaired students in CFS courses, prompted the researchers to use a
different approach in teaching the CFS course to hearing impaired students, using inclusive
classroom
The general purpose of the study was to determine the effect of inclusive classroom on academic
achievement of NCE year one hearing impaired students on Child Friendly course.
Specifically, the study intended to determine the effect of inclusive classroom on hearing
impaired students on Child Friendly Course.
Research questions
The following research questions guided the work:
1. What is the difference on inclusive classroom and exclusive classroom on NCE year one
hearing impaired students on post-test achievement scores in Child friendly schools?
2. What is the difference between the post-test mean of Child Friendly Schools scores of male
and female on NCE year one hearing impaired students (on CFSAT) taught in Inclusive
classroom and Exclusive classroom.
HO1 tested at 0.05 level of significance was formulated for the study;
HO1: There is no significant difference in the Post-test mean achievement scores of NCE year
one hearing impaired students taught Child Friendly Schools using Inclusive classroom and
Exclusive classroom.
Method
The design of this study is quasi-experimental. Specifically, it used pre-test, post-test, non-
equivalent control group design. The use of the design is justified by the fact that intact classes
that were not equivalent were used.
The population of this study consisted of all the year one NCE hearing impaired students of
Department of Special Education, AlvanIkoku Federal College of Education, Owerri totaling 51
students (fifty one) in the 2017/2018 academic session
The sample consists of fifty one students, for this quasi-experiment the fifty one members of the
class were divided in to groups, using their matriculation registration serial number. This sample
was purposively selected. The classes’ population distribution is 26, and 25. The experimental
sample (N= 26) while the control sample (N=25).
Child Friendly School Achievement Test (CFSAT) was used for data collection. The (CFSAT)
is a 20- item multiple test developed by the researcher using CFS past question papers and Child
Friendly School text books. The content taught in the lessons were derived from the course
outline of Child Friendly School Course.
The research instruments alongside with the purpose of the study, research questions, research
hypothesis and lesson plans were face validated by two experts in the Department of
Measurement and Evaluation and two expert from Department of Curriculum studies, School of
Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. The instrument, Child Friendly
Schools Achievement Test (CFSAT) was subjected to trial testing outside the study area. Kuder
Richardson (KR-20) was used to determine the reliability of the Achievement Test which was
0.75.
Two instructional classroom approaches were employed for this study. The first approach was
the use of inclusive classroom while the second was the exclusive classroom. The two
approaches were identical in terms of content coverage, time and mode of evaluation. The only
difference was in inclusive classroom individualized and differentiated teaching strategies were
employed while exclusive class room used the traditional teaching method. Inclusive classroom
group was used for the experimental (treatment group) while the exclusive class group was used
for the control group. CFSAT was administered to the entire group as a pre-test before the
treatment commenced and as a post-test at the end of the treatment. The teaching lasted for four
weeks. After the completion of the teaching of the Child Friendly Schools, CFSAT was again
re-administered (the paper colour of the CFSAT was changed). The researchers carried out the
task of administering of the achievement test both at the pretest and posttest.
Topics on Child Friendly Schools were taught by the researchers to group “A” based on the
course outline, and with the teaching strategies that are involved in inclusive classroom. Group
“B” was also taught by the researchers based on the same Child Friendly Schools course outline
but in an exclusive classroom only for the hearing impaired students. The same NCE year one
course outline was used for all the groups. The scores obtained from the pre-test and post-test
were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions while
Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was employed for testing the hypothesis.
Results
Results obtained from the analyzed data were presented below based on the research questions
and hypothesis.
Table 1
Post-test mean scores and Standard deviation scores of NCE year one hearing impaired
students on Child Friendly School when taught in an Inclusive classroom and Exclusive
classroom.
Type of
classroom
Number
of
Students
Types of Test Mean
Gains
Pre-test Post test
´
X
S.D
´
X
S.D
Inclusive
classroom
Exclusive
classroom
26
25
17.3
16.72
5.21
4.10
40.31
30.44
5.7
4.46
23.01
13.72
The data presented on Table 1 indicated that hearing impaired NCE year one students taught in
an inclusive classroom had a mean score of 17.3 and a standard deviation of 5.21 in the pre-test
and a mean of 40.31 and a standard deviation of 5.7 in the post-test with a pre-test post-test gain
of 23.01. The data also showed that hearing impaired NCE year one students taught Child
Friendly School in hearing impaired exclusive classroom had a mean score of 16.72 and a
standard deviation of 4.10 in the pre-test and a mean score of 30.44 and a standard deviation of
4.46 in the post test, making a pre-test posttest gain to be 13.72
Table 2
Post –test mean achievement score and Standard deviation scores of hearing impaired NCE
year one Students in Child Friendly School achievement test due to Classroom types and
gender.
Classroom
type
Types
of test Gender
Male Female
No. of
Student
Mean
gain
No. of
students
Mean
gain
´
X
S.D
´
X
S.D
Inclusive
classroom
Pretest 12 17.0
2
4.36 23.09 14 17.01 5.14
Post-
test
12 40.1
1
4.11 14 40.07 4.67 23.06
Exclusive
classroom
Pretest 10 16.6
4
4.22 14.53 15 16.53 4.39
Post-test 15 31.17 4.03 15 30.08 4.03
13.5
The data presented on the Table 2 indicated that the male students in the inclusive classroom
experimental group had a mean score of 17.02 and a standard deviation of 4.36 in the pre-test
while in the post-test, the males scored a mean score of 40.11 and a standard deviation of
4.11,making a pretest-posttest gain of 23.09. The result also shows that the female students in
the inclusive classroom experimental group had a mean score of 17.01 and a standard deviation
of 5.14 in the pre-test of experimental group which is lower than that of male students in the pre-
test of experimental group, while the female students also had a mean score of 40.09 and a
standard deviation of 4.67 in the post-test of the experimental group, with pretest-posttest
achievement mean score of 23.06 which is lower than that of the male students in the post-test
score in the inclusive classroom experimental group.
The data presented on Table 2 also indicates that male students had a mean score of 16.64 and a
standard deviation of 4.25, with achievement mean score gain of 14.53 in the pre-test-posttest of
the control group which was lower than the pre-test of the experimental group, while in the post-
test, the male students had a mean score of 31. 17 and a standard deviation of 4.03 which was
lower than the experimental group. The result also shows that the female students had a mean
score of 16.53 and a standard deviation of 4.39 in the pre-test of the control group which is
higher than that of the male students score in the pre-test of the control group, while the female
students had a mean score of 30.08 and a standard deviation of 4.03 with achievement gain of
13.6 which is higher than that of the male students in the post-test of the control group.
Table 3
Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for Child Friendly Schools Test mean achievement
scores of students when taught in an Inclusive classroom and Exclusive classroom.
Sources of
Variation
Type II sum
of square
Df. Mean sum
of square
F. Significance
Correlated model 5932.991a2 2966.496 142.590 .000
Intercept 3674.011 1 3674.011 163.662 .000
Pre-test 408.541 1 408.541 18.199 .000
Type of class room 4876.773 1 4876.773 216.685 .000
Error 1728.559 48 22.449
Total 86684.000 51
Corrected total 7681.550
a. R square = .776 (adjusted R squared = 0.768)
The data on Table 3 shows that classroom type (Inclusive and Exclusive) is a significant factor in
the mean achievement scores of the hearing impaired students on the Child Friendly Schools
Achievement Test, this is because the p-value of 0.00 is less than 0.05. This result rejects the null
hypothesis which states that there is no significant difference between the mean achievement
scores of hearing impaired students in Child Friendly Schools Achievement Test when taught in
an Inclusive classroom and exclusive classroom. Thus, this implies that there was a significant
difference between the mean achievement scores of hearing impaired students in Child Friendly
Schools Achievement Test when taught using the Inclusive classroom education and exclusive
classroom.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
The research findings based on the data presented are interpreted and discussed below:
Result from Table 1showed the effects of classroom types (inclusive and exclusive) on NCE year
one hearing impaired students’ achievement in Child Friendly Schools and that the mean
achievement scores of the students in the experimental group were higher than that of the mean
achievement scores of students in the control group. This result revealed that classroom type was
a significant factor on hearing impaired students’ achievement in Child Friendly Schools. Thus,
it was confirmed that hearing impaired students taught Child Friendly Schools in an inclusive
classroom performed better than those taught in an exclusive classroom.. The findings of this
study seems to support the findings of previous studies (Dessemontet, Bless & Morin, 2012; &
Mark, Lucheaa& Amy, 2011) that confirmed that the use of inclusive classroom enhanced
academic achievement of physically challenged students. This was further confirmed by the
result in Table 2, the data revealed that statistically gender is not a significant factor in academic
achievement of hearing impaired male and female students taught in an inclusive and exclusive
classroom. The finding is in consistent with Chitiyo, Makweche-Chiive, Park,
Amatepee&Chitiyo (2011) who found that gender did not play significant roles on physically
challenged students’ academic achievement when taught in an inclusive classroom. This may be
as a result of some of the skills that are incorporated in inclusive classroom which include team
teaching, differentiated instructions, individualized learning and other constructive strategies.
Also, the data on Table 3 show that the class types (inclusive and exclusive) is a significant
factor in the mean achievement scores of hearing impaired students in Child Friendly Schools
Achievement Test. This indicates that we reject the null hypotheses which state that there is no
significant difference between the mean achievement scores of NCE year one hearing impaired
students in Child Friendly Schools Achievement Test when taught in an inclusive and exclusive
classroom. This result is consistent with (Dessemontet, Bless & Morin, 2012; & Mark,
Lucheaa& Amy, 2011) the argument is based on the fact in an inclusive classroom, both
physically challenged and non -physically challenged students work together to prompt, monitor
and evaluate each other, while working towards group goals, which enhances their academic
achievement (Dessemontet, Bless & Morin, 2012; & Mark, Lucheaa& Amy, 2011).The findings
of this study revealed that inclusive classroom has positive influence on hearing impaired
students’ achievement in Child Friendly Schools..
Recommendation
Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made:
1. Efforts should be made by relevant policy makers for tertiary institutions in Nigeria like
National University Commission (NUC), National Commission for Colleges of Education
(NCCE) to make relevant laws that will prompt tertiary institutions to adopt inclusive classroom
and inclusive education.
2. Authorities in tertiary institutions should mount training for their academic staff on how to
teach in an inclusive classroom.
3. Lecturers and other relevant staff in institutions of higher learning should work in
collaboration in order to create inclusive environment in a classroom.
4. There should be curriculum adaptation to upgrade the quality of inclusive classroom. This is
because the current curriculum was developed on the basis of examination-oriented principles
and discipline-centered educational traditions. This makes it difficult for students with special
needs like the hearing impaired to adequately benefit from curriculum.
References
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Cook, L. and Friend, M. (1995). Co-teaching: Guidelines for creating effective practices. Focus
on Exceptional Children, 28(3), 1-16.
Commission of the European Communities (2007) Communication from the Commission to the
Council and the European Parliament: Improving the Quality of Teacher Education.
Chitiyo, M., Makweche-Chitiyo, P., Park, M., Ametepee, L. K., &Chitiyo, J. (2011). Examining
the effect of positive behavior support on academic achievement of students with
disabilities. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 11(3), 171–177.
Dessemontet, R.S., Bless, G. & Morin, D. (2012). Effects of inclusion on the academic
achievement and adaptive behavior of children with intellectual disabilities. Journal of
Intellectual Disability Research, 56 (6), 579–587.
Farid, S. (2014) Academic achievements of students with special needs in inclusive education.
A case study of one primary school in Azerbaijan. Masters’ thesis department of Special
Education. Faculty of Educational Sciences. University of Oslo.
Harding, S. (2009). Successful inclusion models for students with disabilities require strong site
leadership: Autism and behavioral disorders create many challenges for the learning
environment. International Journal of Learning, 16(3), 91-103.
Kokkala, H. (2006). Five Years after Dakar. In H. Savolainen, M. Matero and H. Kokkala (Eds.).
When All Means All: Experiences in Three African Countries with EFA and Children
with Disabilities (1-18). Helsinki: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. Development Policy
Information Unit.
Mark, A. L., Lucheia, G. & Amy, L. (2012). Special needs students’ inclusive classrooms: the
impact of social interaction on educational outcomes for learning with emotional and
behavioural disabilities. European Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 1(5), 54-69,
Maimuna, S. I. (2014). Inclusive education in Nigeria. National Journal of Inclusive Education.
2(1) 43-49.
Miller P. (2011), Theories of Developmental Psychology, (5th ed.) New York : Worth Publishers
Mkpa, A. M. (2015). Nigerian education in 21st century: Issues and challenges. Journal of
Agricultural and Science Education, 1 (1) 1-20
Ogbu, E. E. (2018). Effect of jigsaw and Know-what-learn strategies on senior secondary two
students’ academic achievement and motivation in reading comprehension. A PhD thesis
of School of Education MichealOkpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Abia State
Thomas, G. Vaughan, M. 2004. Inclusive Education. Readings and reflections. Glasgow:
Open University Press.
UN (1975), Declaration in the Rights of Disabled Persons, New York, United Nations.
UN (1982), World Program of Action Concerning Disabled Persons, New York, United Nations.
UN (1989), United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, New York, United Nations.
UN (1993), The Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities. New York, United Nations.
UNESCO (1994), The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs
Education, UNESCO, Paris.
UNESCO (1990), World Declaration on Education for All, Jomtein. Paris: UNESCO
UN (2006) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - Article 2. New York:
.