DOI: https://doi.org/10.59595/ajie.04.1.4
Deepshikha Singha
a Research Associate, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
(Received 27 March 2016, Final revised version received 30 September 2016)
The main purpose of this paper is to present the specific dilemma and challenges experienced by teachers while practicing early education inclusion of young children with disabilities in the context of preschools and primary schools in Lucknow district of Uttar Pradesh, India. The paper attempts to bring to light the important contextual realities of early education teachers‟ attitudes and practices towards inclusion of young children with disabilities. Examining the contextual realities of early education inclusion in schools of the capital city of Uttar Pradesh has implications to press forward the policy and programme level improvements to widely promote early intervention and early education inclusion at the State level. Based on the findings of this study, the paper presents an outline to counteract the existing indifference among teachers to include children with disabilities in early education settings. The paper is based on qualitative research design and the methods used included open-ended interview of teachers and observation in selected school settings. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data from interviews and observation.
Key words: Disability, Early education inclusion, Exclusion, Inclusive Policy, Teaching