Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.5, No.16, 2014 126 Inclusive Education and the Life Skills of Senior Secondary School Students with Special Needs in Northern Cross River State, Nigeria David, Bassey Enya Department of Educational Foundations Guidance and Counseling, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria davidbassey.enya@yahoo.com Nanjwan, Josephine Dasel Department of Vocational and Special Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria joenajwan@yahoo.com Amalu, Melvina N. Department of Educational Foundations Guidance and Counseling, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria Abstract Inclusion in education is an approach to educating students with special education needs. Inclusion is therefore the meaningful participation of students with special needs in the general educational process. The study aimed at investigating whether inclusive education influences positively or negative the life skills such as academic, vocation, socio-economic and emotion of students with special needs in the research area. Two hundred (200) subjects drawn from the area with the aid of stratified research designed and simple random sampling technique constituted the sample of the study. Independent t-test statistic was employed to analyze the data generated from the administration of an appropriate designed and developed questionnaire. Inclusive education and life skills of students with special needs questionnaire (IELSSSNQ) by the researchers. This embrace hypothesis tested pointed at significant and positive impact of inclusive education on vocational, academic and socio-economic life skills of students with special needs while the reverse was the case for their emotional life skill in the area. The results were discussed exhaustively and useful conclusion was made which in turn enabled the researchers to make useful recommendations for the beneficiaries of the study. Keywords: inclusive, education, life-skills students, special need INTRODUCTION The primary aim of education is to develop all round aspects of human nature so that, the person may be able to use his talents to the maximum capacity or potentiality. Most discussions of inclusion concentrate on special students who are a heterogeneous group. Disability is defined as a social question, as lack of opportunity to play a part in society. Their school behavior may be frequently inappropriate. Some have sensory or physical disabilities. The purpose of the study was to examined to extent does inclusive education imports on the life skills of students with special needs in the study area. Generally, persons with disabilities in developing countries are among the poorest of the poor. Great attention should be paid to them in major development programmes. This is so as the Millennium Development Goals themselves (MDGs) cannot be attained unless they are taken into account. Infact, to be frnk, students with special needs are seen as being mad, frustrated, sick, emotionally and generally, disabled by member of the society. Inclusion in general education allows special students to interact with their peers and reduces the effects of labeling. The general education teacher should contribute to the success of student with special needs to achieve vocation, academic, socio-economic and emotional life skills by participating in their assessment, programme planning and placement decisions. Lynch & McCall (2010) stated that, when students with special needs are members of general education classrooms, they remain with their peers and they are not segregated from the normal activities of the classrooms. The research area I s vulnerable to the issue of disabilities because of its vegetation and topography as well as its poor socio-economic backgrounds. Only senior secondary school students with special needs are used in the study as they can easily read, understand and explain the items or questions on the questionnaire. This study is carried out to investigate the extent to which inclusive education impacts or influences the life skills of the students with special needs in the Northern Cross River State of Nigeria. Concerted efforts will be made to ensure that, justice is made to the purpose of the study. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Although most states in Nigeria are in agreement with the concept of Education for all (EFA), inclusion in the fullest context remains far from a practical reality or priority for a number of states like Cross River State which