The Practice of Using Appropriate Curriculum for Students with Intellectual Disability in two Primary Schools of Gondar City

Abstract

 The aim of the present qualitative case study is to explore teachers’ current practice of using appropriate curriculum for students with intellectual disabilities (SwID) in special classes of primary schools in Gondar city. The study involved six special needs education teachers using purposive sampling. The data collected through interviews, classroom observations and document review were analyzed using thematic analysis technique. The analysis revealed four major themes: Conceptualization of curriculum for SwID, the kind of curriculum content being offered, preference of functional curriculum to the academic curriculum and challenges teachers faced during curriculum implementation. Teachers’ limited knowledge and skills in adapting curriculum for SwID and consecutivelythe absence of adapted curriculum for SwID were found to be the major challanges. Implications for practice and recommendations were forwarded including the need for arranging a series of short term training for these teachers to help children with intellectual disabilities that they have the right to quality education using appropriate curriculum.