PERSPECTIVES OF TEACHERS ON THEIR ROLE AS AGENTS OF CHANGE FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN KAZAKHSTAN

Successful implementation of any educational reform requires teacher support. Teachers are the main stakeholders who implement these reforms. In this process, they encounter many diverse obstacles, and they need to be efficient to overcome them. An agent of inclusion is an important role that teachers play to support not only children with special educational needs but also fellow teachers who implement inclusive education in Kazakhstani schools. Agents of change can encourage other educators to overcome struggle with inequalities and inequities in education. The current study examines if teachers at urban schools in Northern Kazakhstan are ready to become agents of inclusion in their schools and what actions should be taken by teachers to implement inclusive education in mainstream schools successfully. The central research question guiding this study asks how do teachers in urban Kazakhstani schools understand their roles as agents of change for inclusive education? A qualitative research design was used to conduct the study, with data collected through semi-structured interviews with seven teachers. Findings reveal that teachers lack proper understanding of inclusive education concept. First, some of the participants believe that there are some barriers on their way of becoming agent of change as they do not have experience working with students with special educational needs. Second, teachers associate inclusive education only with students with special educational needs due to mental or physical disability; they did not mention any other diverse students’ characteristics. Thus, teachers lacking knowledge and support in identifying and teaching students with special educational needs. Teachers in North Kazakhstani schools need access to training on questions of inclusive education. Keywords: inclusive education, agents of change, teacher’s attitudes, teachers’ collaboration, students with diverse needs in educatio