Mainstream versus Special Needs Educators: Comparisons of Knowledge Levels towards Their Roles and Responsibilities in Supporting Inclusive Education (Guru Arus Perdana berbanding Guru Pendidikan Khas: Perbandingan Tahap Pengetahuan terhadap Peranan dan Tanggungjawab dalam Menyokong Pendidikan Inklusif)

Abstract

With inclusive systems requiring major transformation and metamorphosis to educators’ traditional responsibilities, extensive shifts to these “inclusive roles” are becoming a problem for both mainstream and special needs educators who find themselves in dexterous, multifaceted, overlapping and clashing responsibilities. This study examined and compared the knowledge levels of 608 mainstream and special needs educators across Malaysia towards their roles and responsibilities in supporting inclusive education in Malaysian primary schools in three stages, namely the pre-transition during transition, and post-transition stage. Questionnaire was constructed to collect data, and the data obtained was analysed descriptively. Findings indicated a general lack of knowledge among mainstream educators and special needs educators in all stages of the transition process, which is symptomatic that both groups of educators are beyond their capabilities, competencies and incontrovertibly their skills and knowledge in inclusive education. Furthermore, findings revealed that the special needs educators are marginally more knowledgeable in supporting inclusion as compared to the mainstream educators at all stages of inclusive transitions. The findings implicate that the transformation from traditional roles to modern inclusive job roles interfere with the comparison in knowledge levels between both mainstream and special needs educators and the lack of role clarity may be related to self-depreciating feelings and self-reports of lower confidence in their knowledge ability.Keywords: Inclusive Education, Roles and Responsibilities, Mainstream Educators, Special Needs Educators, Educators’ Level of Knowledge Dengan sistem inklusif yang memerlukan transformasi besar dan metamorfosis kepada tanggungjawab tradisional pendidik, peralihan yang luas kepada "peranan inklusif" ini menjadi masalah bagi pendidik arus perdana dan pendidikan khas yang mendapati diri mereka berada dalam tanggungjawab yang pelbagai aspek, bertindih dan bertentangan. Kajian ini mengkaji dan membandingkan tahap pengetahuan 608 pendidik arus perdana dan berkeperluan khas di seluruh Malaysia terhadap peranan dan tanggungjawab mereka dalam menyokong pendidikan inklusif di sekolah rendah Malaysia dalam tiga peringkat, iaitu tahap pra-peralihan semasa peralihan, dan pos-peralihan. Soal selidik dibina untuk mengumpulkan data, dan data yang diperoleh dianalisis secara deskriptif. Penemuan menunjukkan kurangnya pengetahuan umum di kalangan pendidik arus perdana dan pendidik berkeperluan khas dalam semua peringkat proses peralihan, yang menunjukkan bahawa kedua-dua kumpulan pendidik berada di luar kemampuan, kecekapan dan keterampilan dan pengetahuan mereka dalam pendidikan inklusif. Selanjutnya, penemuan menunjukkan bahawa pendidik berkeperluan khas lebih sedikit berpengetahuan dalam menyokong kemasukan berbanding dengan pendidik arus perdana pada semua peringkat peralihan inklusif. Penemuan ini menunjukkan bahawa transformasi dari peranan tradisional kepada peranan pekerjaan inklusif moden mengganggu perbandingan tahap pengetahuan antara pendidik arus perdana dan keperluan khas dan kurangnya kejelasan peranan mungkin berkaitan dengan perasaan yang rendah diri dan keyakinan rendah yang dilaporkan tentang kemampuan pengetahuan mereka.Keywords: Pendidikan Inklusif, Peranan dan Tanggungjawab Guru, Guru Arus Perdana, Guru Pendidikan Khas, Tahap Pengetahuan Guru