Mainstreaming of Children with Special Needs into Public Secondary Schools

The concern of this study is the presumed inability of the students with special needs to move about in the classroom, and also within the school environment without any restraints bearing in mind, their physical challenges. It is assumed that this inability may be the reason for such problems as isolation, labeling, and neglect of these students by the regular students and teachers; which could also lead to their psychological and emotional trauma. Another concern of the study is the presumed perception of students with special needs about themselves, due to the fact that some parents of students with special needs abandon their wards; and are also ashamed to identify with them. The society also looks down on these students, and regards them as liabilities to environment. Nigeria is a society where children with special needs are considered as negligible for schooling. With the issues raised, there is need to determine the challenges facing the schools where mainstreaming is being implemented; and what could be done to improve the programme.