William Nketsia

Bio: William Nketsia is an academic researcher from University of Sydney. The author has contributed to research in topics: Inclusion (education) & Thematic analysis. The author has an hindex of 8, co-authored 34 publications receiving 159 citations. Previous affiliations of William Nketsia include University of Western Sydney & University of Jyväskylä.

Pre-service teachers’ views on inclusive education in Ghana

Abstract: Pre-service teacher training has been identified as one of the key factors in the promotion of inclusive education. In this study, 200 final-year pre-service teachers from three colleges of education in Ghana were surveyed about their views and knowledge on inclusive education and special educational needs (SEN). The results showed that almost all of the participants had been introduced to the concept of inclusion during their studies. However, only one-third felt highly, or somewhat, prepared to teach children with SEN. The level of knowledge and feelings of self-efficacy were highest among those pre-service teachers who had personal experience of supporting children with SEN during their practicum. The participants tended to prefer those inclusive instructional strategies that were easiest to apply in general education classrooms. Significant differences in the outcomes were found between the three colleges studied indicating strong effects of the teacher education model applied in each college.

Extending social protection to persons with disabilities: Exploring the accessibility and the impact of the Disability Fund on the lives of persons with disabilities in Ghana:

Abstract: In many low-income countries, persons with disabilities are consistently denied access to essential services, contributing to a high incidence of poverty among them. The Goal 1 of the Sustainable D...

Teacher Educators' Views on Inclusive Education and Teacher Preparation in Ghana.

Abstract: Introduction The 1994 World Conference on Special Needs Education in Salamanca, Spain, declared that although children, the youth and adults have differing characteristics, interests, abilities and learning needs, they must all have access to regular education, through child-centred pedagogy, that is capable of meeting their special educational needs (SEN). The Salamanca Statement reaffirming the right to education of every individual, as enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and committing to the 1990 World Conference on Education for All (EFA)--called upon countries to adopt inclusive education as a matter of law or policy (UNESCO, 1994). The Salamanca Statement has been a considerable source of influence in the formulation of local educational policies and has rekindled Ghana's commitment to improve the access, quality and provision of equal educational opportunities for all children, including those with disabilities. In particular, the Education Strategic Plans (ESP) of 2005 to 2015 and 2010 to 2020 have decreed inclusive education as the most appropriate educational provision for students with disabilities, with the goal of achieving an inclusive education system by 2015 (Government of Ghana, 2012, 2003). The recently drafted inclusive education policy of Ghana is founded on the premise that every child has the right to education. This policy therefore seeks inclusive education for all persons with mild as well as severe SEN at all levels of education (Ministry of Education [MOE] 2013). A recent review of the status of the inclusive education system in Ghana (Ametepee & Anastasiou, 2015), however, found that ESP (2003-2015) targets have not been met, that only three percent of children with disabilities in Ghana receive any form of education, that the remainder fails to attend and that those who attend are without support. The establishment of an inclusive education system across Ghana has lagged because of barriers facing students with disabilities, such as schooling costs, lack of adequate transportation, unavailability of curriculum support and the absence of trained teachers (Singal et al., 2015). Others explanations include lack of effective teacher training and an inadequacy of clear inclusive policies embracing specific inclusive and child-centred strategies such as co-teaching, consultative services and peer-assisted strategies (Ametepee & Anastasiou, 2015). Notwithstanding, the curricula at the primary and junior high school levels in Ghana encourage the adoption of child-centred approaches (Ampiah, 2008). However, recent studies have shown that the experiences of students with disabilities in mainstream settings are unfavourable; they sit idly and do not understand taught lessons (Singal et al., 2015), and their SEN are inadequately met due to teachers' limited competence in adaptive teaching practices (Agbenyega & Deku, 2011; Alhassan & Abosi, 2014; Kuyini & Desai, 2009; Kuyini & Mangope, 2011). Similar studies across other developing countries have shown that participatory, child-centred teaching pedagogies, activity-based learning, problem-solving approaches, child-to-child activities and group work are non-existent in mainstream classrooms (Arbeiter & Hartley, 2002; Johnstone & Chapman, 2009). The prevailing practice of teachers' adoption of teacher-centred strategies that keep disabled children away from school in developing countries has been attributed to high student-teacher ratios, a lack of resources and support services for pupils with impairments, inadequate pre-service and in-service training for teachers (Le Fanu, 2013; Singal et al., 2015) and little emphasis on inclusive instructional strategies in initial teacher education programmes (Johnstone & Chapman, 2009). The lack of adoption of inclusive and child-centred strategies might also reflect a lack of knowledge on the part of teachers. The didactic approach of disseminating knowledge from teacher to students fails to take into account the SEN of students and contradicts the pedagogies required for providing equitable and accessible education for all (Forlin & Sin, 2010). …

Experiences of primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy across the trajectory of diagnoses in Ghana.

Abstract: Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a non-progressive disorder of posture or movement caused by a lesion to the developing brain that results in functional limitations. The diagnosis of CP can vary from one child to another, causing family stress because of vague and unknown outcomes of the disorder. Although there are negative attitudes in Ghanaian societies towards primary caregivers and children with disabilities, fewer attempts have been made to understand their experiences. Objectives: The main aim of this study was to explore the experiences of primary caregivers across the trajectory of the diagnosis (before, during and after) of CP in the setting of a tertiary hospital. Method: Using Social Capital Theory as framework, 40 primary caregivers of children with CP, who were receiving treatment at a major referral hospital in Ghana, were interviewed about their experiences before, during and after diagnosis. Results: The results that emerged from the thematic analysis were discussed as follows: experiences before diagnosis, experiences during the diagnosis and experiences after the diagnosis. Particularly, participants discussed their inability to access essential services such as education for their children with CP. Conclusion: In light of systemic challenges faced by participants and their children with CP, the need for health policymakers to prioritise the public education about CP, promoting the well-being of caregivers and other implications of the study have been discussed.

‘There is family tension, but they understand…’: familial and sibling relationships following the diagnosis of cerebral palsy in children in Ghana

Abstract: The challenges faced by parents raising children with cerebral palsy (CP) have been well explored in the literature. However, little attention has been paid to the experiences of parents raising ch...

社会研究方法基础 = The Basics of Social Research

Abstract: Part I: AN INTRODUCTION TO INQUIRY. 1. Human Inquiry and Science. 2. Paradigms, Theory, and Research. 3. The Ethics and Politics of Social Research. Part II: THE STRUCTURING OF INQUIRY: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE. 4. Research Design. 5. Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement. 6. Indexes, Scales, and Typologies. 7. The Logic of Sampling. Part III: MODES OF OBSERVATION: QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE. 8. Experiments. 9. Survey Research. 10. Qualitative Field Research. 11. Unobtrusive Research. 12. Evaluation Research. Part IV: ANALYSIS OF DATA:QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE . 13. Qualitative Data Analysis. 14. Quantitative Data Analysis. 15. Reading and Writing Social Research. Appendix A. Using the Library. Appendix B. Random Numbers. Appendix C. Distribution of Chi Square. Appendix D. Normal Curve Areas. Appendix E. Estimated Sampling Error.

わかりやすい障害者の権利条約 : 知的障害のある人の権利のために = Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities

Abstract: The present report is submitted in response to General Assembly resolution 61/106, by which the Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto. As requested by the Assembly, a brief overview of the status of the Convention as at 3 August 2007 is presented. The report also contains a brief description of technical arrangements on staff and facilities made necessary for the effective performance of the functions of the Conference of States Parties and the Committee under the Convention and the Optional Protocol, and a description on the progressive implementation of standards and guidelines for the accessibility of facilities and services of the United Nations system. Recent efforts of the United Nations and agencies to disseminate information on the Convention and the Optional Protocol are also described.

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Abstract: Disability is a dynamic concept than varies in each individual, depending on the situation and the resources available. The World Health Organization (1) has tried to classify the consequences of illness at three levels: (1) impairment, defined as any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function; (2) disability, defined as any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being, and (3) handicap, defined as a disadvantage for a given individual resulting from an impairment or a disability that limits or prevents the fulfillment of a role that is normal (depending on age, sex, social and cultural factors) for that individual.

Developmental expectations, personality stereotypes, and attitudes towards inclusive education : Community and teacher views of Down syndrome

Abstract: Knowledge about Down syndrome and attitudes towards the educational inclusion of children with Down syndrome were examined in a sample of 2,053 people from the community and a group of 538 experienced teachers. Although both groups displayed reasonably accurate knowledge about Down syndrome and its developmental consequences, they significantly underestimated the average life expectancy for a person with the syndrome. In both groups, a positive stereotype of children with Down syndrome as particularly affectionate and happy was evident. Despite recognising the educational, social, and emotional benefits of inclusive schooling, only around 20% of each group believed that the regular classroom was the best setting for children with Down syndrome. The findings suggest that accurate knowledge and positive, but realistic, expectations are important for enhancing the acceptance of individuals with disabilities within their schools and communities.