Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to find out the impact of teachers’ attitudes on the performance
of students with disabilities: A case study of Group Scolaire Saint Dominique Gihara,
in Kamonyi district. The study aimed at identifying the nature of the attitudes teachers hold
towards inclusion of the students with disabilities, to establish whether or not teachers’
attitude affect students’ performance, assessing factors that influence teachers’ attitudes
towards students with disabilities, possible modalities of improving teachers’ attitudes. The
study was conducted on the population of 95 participants. The study used purposive sampling
to select 45 teachers, 48 students and 2 head teachers. The study employed descriptive survey
design. The research study used the following research instruments: questionnaire, interview
guide to collect data from the respondents. The study employed descriptive statistics to
analyze the data obtained. Quantitative data was analysed and presented using descriptive
statistics such as frequency distribution, tables and percentages. Data collected from the
questionnaires was coded and analysed using statistical package for social sciences
(SPSS).Qualitative data collected from the interview guide and focus group discussion was
presented in narrative form. The study found out that inclusion of the student with disability
is desirable practice, it was established that the impact of teachers’ attitudes positively
affected the performance of the students with disabilities, teachers’ attitude is influenced by
factors like: training, motivation, expectation, insufficient teaching and learning resources.
The study highlighted on some of the modalities of improving teachers’ attitude such as
provision of adequate training in Inclusive and Special Needs Education, close collaboration
with the parents of the students with disabilities so that teachers can get clear information
regarding the children background and providing them with adequate teaching and learning
resources.
