General Education Teachers Perceptions Of Inclusive Education In Trinidad And Tobago

Teacher perceptions of inclusive education can have a significant impact on the educational opportunities for students with disabilities. Teacher perceptions will ultimately affect the manner in which teachers teach students with disabilities in their classrooms, namely, the way in which teachers offer the appropriate instruction for this population. This phenomenological study focused on general education teacher perceptions’ of inclusive education in Trinidad and Tobago. Research on inclusive education in Trinidad and Tobago suggested that this country has many challenges in creating a successful inclusive environment for students with disabilities but there has been limited insight into the experiences of teachers in these settings. Through in-depth interviews with ten general education teachers from pre-kindergarten and elementary school in Trinidad and Tobago, more detailed understanding was offered on their perceptions of inclusive education and their beliefs of the challenges that are impacting the current model of inclusive education. Data were transcribed, coded, analyzed, and member checked. Key findings from the data revealed that teachers in this study held positive perceptions of inclusive education but believed that improvement was needed in terms of training, and structure. Further, findings revealed that participants believed that societal constraints, infrastructure, governmental input, parent involvement, and teacher training, parent education and education for everyone on disability significantly impacted successful implementation of inclusive education in Trinidad and Tobago. Implications for policy and future research on inclusive education in Trinidad and Tobago are discussed