Teachers’ Perspectives On Inclusive Education For Children With Disabilities

Abstract

Inclusive education has emerged as a central policy priority across the globe, driven by international 
commitments such as the Salamanca Statement and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with 
Disabilities. Despite widespread legislative endorsement, the translation of inclusive principles into everyday 
classroom practice remains uneven, and teachers continue to occupy the frontline of this transition. This review 
synthesises three decades of empirical and conceptual literature examining teachers' lived experiences, the 
challenges they encounter, and the instructional and organisational strategies they adopt when educating children 
with disabilities in mainstream and resource settings [1]. Drawing on a systematic meta-analytic approach, the 
review consolidates findings from more than one hundred and twenty peer-reviewed studies spanning diverse 
geographic, economic and policy contexts. The synthesis reveals recurring themes of inadequate pre-service and 
in-service training, insufficient material and human resources, large and heterogeneous class sizes, ambivalent 
or negative attitudes toward disability, and fragmented collaboration between general and special educators. At 
the same time, the literature documents a growing repertoire of adaptive strategies, including differentiated 
instruction, peer-mediated learning, assistive technology integration, and co-teaching models, that mitigate some 
of these constraints [2]. The review further identifies methodological patterns, geographic imbalances and 
conceptual gaps in existing research, and proposes an integrated framework linking teacher preparation, school
level support structures and policy enforcement to sustainable inclusive practice. The findings carry implications 
for teacher education curricula, school leadership, and policy design aimed at achieving equitable, quality 
education for all learners regardless of disability status [3].