Effectiveness of the Inclusion of Teachers with Disabilities in the Teaching and Learning Situation in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Schools

The study sought to establish the effectiveness of the inclusion of teachers with physical disabilities in the teaching and learning situation in Bulawayo Metropolitan province schools. It was guided by the theoretical framework of Bronfenbrenner’s social ecological systems theory. The mixed methods approach with case study were used to enable an in-depth exploration of purposively snowballed Bulawayo Metropolitan province schools. Questionnaire and interview were employed for generating interim and thematic analyzed data. This study revealed that teachers with disabilities were given minimal opportunities by schools thereby affecting their inclusion and effective curriculum implementation. Negative attitude, limited teaching aids, lack of funds and discrimination, stereotyping and stigmatization were some of the main challenges diluted the effectiveness of the inclusion of teachers with disabilities in the teaching and learning situation in schools. The study recommended that there is need for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to revise and review the education policy on the inclusion of teachers with disabilities in the teaching and learning and provide clear guidelines on how to accommodate them. It is recommended that there is need to cultivate and nurture positive attitudes towards the inclusion of teachers with disabilities to stakeholders such as school Heads, teachers without physical disabilities, students and parents in order to achieve the effective inclusion of teachers with disabilities in Zimbabwean schools. There is need for the teachers with disabilities to be given due recognition and equal rights in accessing all school facilities to achieve their effective inclusion in the teaching and learning situation.