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Inclusive education is a process of adjusting the home, school and the larger community to accomm... more Inclusive education is a process of adjusting the home, school and the larger community to accommodate persons with special needs. In respect to preschool learners, it is a means by which centers accommodate all learners regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic challenges. UNICEF notes that some 150 million children with disabilities lack access to child care services, schools, recreation and other social services, and are likely to remain illiterate and untrained, ultimately unable to join the labor force. Children with special needs are still perceived negatively by society. Most of the learners with special needs do not enroll in preschool centers in Nyamira North Sub-county and if enrolled, they drop out before the year ends as per the report from Education Office. The study aimed at finding out whether availability of teaching and learning resources influenced implementation of inclusive education in preschool Centers in Nyamira North sub-county. Efforts have been made to integrate the learners with special needs although the programme has encountered a lot of challenges; policies have been put in place to provide for the achievement of universal education and the realization of vision 2030. However, Inclusive education experiences a pyramid of challenges at preschool level in the world and Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The target population was 134 head teachers in 134 preschool centers, 402 preschool teachers, 12 Education officers and 938 preschool parents in Nyamira North Sub-county. Sample size was 40 preschool centers and 40 head teachers which were randomly sampled to represent 30% of the centers. Further, 134 preschool teachers and 270 preschool parents were sampled through stratified random sampling and 12 Education Officers sampled by census sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires and observation checklists. Descriptive statistics of means, percentages and weighted averages was used in analyzing the data. Findings revealed that there were inadequate teaching and learning resources at preschool centers in Nyamira North sub-county. 78 percent of the respondents revealed that inadequate resources affected the implementation of inclusive education. The study recommends that adequate teaching and learning resources should be provided to ensure effective implementation of inclusive education and more funds to be allocated for procuring teaching and learning materials for Special Needs Education (SNE) learners. Background of the Study According to Owoko (2010), the term resources refers not only to teaching methods and materials but also the time available for instruction, the knowledge and skills of teachers acquired through training and experience. Teaching pupils with special needs in the inclusive classroom deviates from the " regular " programme. Pupils with special needs may require more instruction time, other learning methods and professional knowledge. This can be achieved by an increase in resources or by rearranging available resources. Children with special needs are not required to meet the classroom standards rather the classroom meets the individual needs of all children (Bargsma, 2000). Puri and Abraham (2004) argues that school management and teachers should make efforts to identify and attend to learners with special learning needs for instance dietary needs especially preschool .

Inclusive education is a process of adjusting the home, school and the larger community to accomm... more Inclusive education is a process of adjusting the home, school and the larger community to accommodate persons with special needs. In respect to preschool learners, it is a means by which centers accommodate all learners regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic challenges. UNICEF notes that some 150 million children with disabilities lack access to child care services, schools, recreation and other social services, and are likely to remain illiterate and untrained, ultimately unable to join the labor force. Children with special needs are still perceived negatively by society. Most of the learners with special needs do not enroll in preschool centers in Nyamira North Sub-county and if enrolled, they drop out before the year ends as per the report from Education Office. The study aimed at finding out whether availability of teaching and learning resources influenced implementation of inclusive education in preschool Centers in Nyamira North sub-county. Efforts have been made to integrate the learners with special needs although the programme has encountered a lot of challenges; policies have been put in place to provide for the achievement of universal education and the realization of vision 2030. However, Inclusive education experiences a pyramid of challenges at preschool level in the world and Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The target population was 134 head teachers in 134 preschool centers, 402 preschool teachers, 12 Education officers and 938 preschool parents in Nyamira North Sub-county. Sample size was 40 preschool centers and 40 head teachers which were randomly sampled to represent 30% of the centers. Further, 134 preschool teachers and 270 preschool parents were sampled through stratified random sampling and 12 Education Officers sampled by census sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires and observation checklists. Descriptive statistics of means, percentages and weighted averages was used in analyzing the data. Findings revealed that there were inadequate teaching and learning resources at preschool centers in Nyamira North sub-county. 78 percent of the respondents revealed that inadequate resources affected the implementation of inclusive education. The study recommends that adequate teaching and learning resources should be provided to ensure effective implementation of inclusive education and more funds to be allocated for procuring teaching and learning materials for Special Needs Education (SNE) learners. Background of the Study According to Owoko (2010), the term resources refers not only to teaching methods and materials but also the time available for instruction, the knowledge and skills of teachers acquired through training and experience. Teaching pupils with special needs in the inclusive classroom deviates from the " regular " programme. Pupils with special needs may require more instruction time, other learning methods and professional knowledge. This can be achieved by an increase in resources or by rearranging available resources. Children with special needs are not required to meet the classroom standards rather the classroom meets the individual needs of all children (Bargsma, 2000). Puri and Abraham (2004) argues that school management and teachers should make efforts to identify and attend to learners with special learning needs for instance dietary needs especially preschool .