Preparing preschool teacher candidates for inclusion: impact of two special education courses on their perspectives

Successful implementation of inclusive practices depends mainly on teachers' attitudes towards children with special needs and their inclusion, and teachers' willingness to work with children with special needs in their classrooms. Experiences teacher candidates have during pre‐service stage might influence their perceptions towards children with disabilities and their inclusion. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of two special education courses on (1) preschool teacher candidates' general attitudes towards inclusion, (2) their willingness to work with children with significant intellectual, physical and behavioural disabilities within inclusive classroom settings and (3) their level of comfort in interacting with children with disabilities. A four‐part survey was administered to participants four times throughout the study, once before and after each course. The survey package included (1) a demographic information form, (2) the Opinions Relative to the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities Scale, (3) an adapted version of the Teachers' Willingness to Work with Children with Severe Disabilities Scale and (4) the Interaction with Children with a Disability Scale. The results showed that both special education courses positively influenced teacher candidates' attitudes, willingness and comfort levels. However, impact of the second course focused on helping teacher candidates learn and apply instructional strategies to work with children with disabilities in inclusive classrooms was much larger. Implications of the study findings in relation to future research and practice are discussed.     

Attitudes of Slovene teachers towards the inclusion of pupils with different types of special needs in primary school

Numerous studies show that a successful implementation of inclusion of children with special needs (SN) largely depends on the teachers’ positive attitude towards it. The empirical research that is presented in the main part of the article analyses attitudes of a representative sample of Slovene teachers (n = 1360) regarding four domains of impact (impact of inclusion on pupils with SN, on peers, on teachers and on the classroom environment). In this, we controlled the role of the following two relevant characteristics of the sample: the category of SN (physical impairments, mild intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties and behavioural/emotional disorders) and the category of professional expertise of teachers in working with pupils with SN. We applied the Impact of Inclusion Questionnaire. The results show that teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion are determined by the type of SN the integrated pupils have. In the case of pupils with physical impairments, teachers expressed the highest level of consent and the lowest in the case of pupils with behavioural and emotional disorders. Our study shows that besides the type of SN, teachers’ professional expertise in working with pupils with SN is another important factor that determines the level of agreement with inclusion. It turned out that the teachers who had taken part in different forms of education and training had a more positive attitude towards all domains of impact.     

Inclusion of children with special educational needs and disabilities in physical education: A systematic review and meta-analysis of teachers’ attitudes

Research shows that teachers' attitudes toward physical education are associated with positive pupil outcomes. However, there is limited robust synthesis of evidence regarding teachers' attitudes toward working with vulnerable learners in physical education, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This mixed methods systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizes the research evidence on teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of children SEND children in physical education. Results indicated that teachers have largely favorable attitudes toward the inclusion of children with SEND in physical education, and that experience working with children with SEND was positively associated with such favorable attitudes. Further quantitative and qualitative synthesis also revealed that several different factors affect teachers’ attitudes – namely, knowledge and preparation, years of teaching experience, direct experience working with SEND children, type and degree of SEND, and collaboration and teaching support.     

Factors related to teachers' attitudes towards the inclusive education of students with severe intellectual disabilities in Riyadh,Saudi

In Saudi Arabia, the majority of students with severe intellectual disabilities are still educated in special schools that do not meet their unique needs for interaction with their typically developing peers in public schools settings where they could improve social, communication and academic skills. One of the most significant obstacles to inclusion of this group of students is teachers' perspectives regarding inclusive education for this category of students. As a result, this study examined teachers' perspectives regarding the inclusion of students with severe intellectual disabilities using a quantitative approach. In addition, this study also examined the relationship between teachers' perspectives regarding the inclusion of students with severe intellectual disabilities and current teaching position, training, teacher's levels of education, previous teaching experience with any kind of disabilities in inclusive settings, grade level being taught, teacher's gender and whether they have a family member with a disability. Three hundred and three teachers responded to the Opinions Relative to inclusion of Students with Disabilities (ORI: Arabic version) survey, including 161 males and 139 females, and three non‐specified gender. A two‐way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), a one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and an independent t‐test were used to answer the research questions. The findings of the study indicate that teachers have slightly negative perspectives towards the inclusive education of students with severe intellectual disabilities. Significant factors regarding teachers' perspectives towards the inclusion of this group of students included their current teaching position, previous teaching experience with students who had any kind of disability in inclusive settings and the teacher's gender.     

Student teachers’ attitudes towards the inclusion of children with special educational needs in the ordinary school

Given that research has suggested that the successful implementation of any inclusive policy is largely dependent on educators being positive about it, a survey was undertaken into the attitudes of student teachers toward the inclusion of children with special needs in the ordinary school. The sample was comprised of 135 students who were completing their teacher training courses at a university School of Education. The analysis revealed that the respondents held positive attitudes toward the general concept of inclusion but their perceived competence dropped significantly according to the severity of children's needs as identified by the UK “Code of Practice for the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs”. Moreover, children with emotional and behavioural difficulties were seen as potentially causing more concern and stress than those with other types of special needs. Finally, the survey raised issues about the breadth and quality of initial teacher training in the UK. Nevertheless, the recommendations provided at the end of this paper regarding teacher training are applicable beyond the UK context.     

Pre-service education and attitudes towards inclusion: the role of the teacher educator within a permeated teaching model

This study examines the role of teacher educators working within a permeated teaching model in Northern Ireland, and student teachers' attitudes towards special educational needs (SEN) and inclusion. A cohort of 125 student teachers representing eight subject areas responded to a survey exploring attitudes towards issues relating to inclusive education. Interviews conducted with the subject teacher educators examined their beliefs about inclusion, personal efficacy and the extent to which the outworking of a permeated model was an effective method of programme delivery. The findings indicate that while student attitudes towards the philosophy of inclusion were generally positive, those of the teacher educators were not necessarily reflected in the views of their subject group. The research evidenced a lack of uniformity in approach in promoting inclusion and inclusive practices across subjects, suggesting that the use of a permeated model did not always provide equity of student experience when selection of course content was the choice of the individual subject tutor. Teacher educators identified lack of personal knowledge, time restrictions within the pre-service programme and lack of resources as the main barriers to effective practice in supporting student teachers' learning in SEN and inclusion.     

Investigating the attitudes of head teachers of Cypriot primary schools towards inclusion

This paper reports the results of a study that has been carried out for the first time in Cyprus, with the aim of exploring the views of head teachers on inclusion. Data were collected by means of questionnaires and a focus group meeting; 185 head teachers participated in this study. The findings indicated that overall, head teachers held positive attitudes towards inclusion of children with disabilities. The relationship among the head teachers' background factors, such as sex, administration experience, contacts with people with disabilities, possession of postgraduate titles in special education and attitudes towards inclusion were reported. This study has brought out that head teachers held overall positive attitudes towards inclusion. The findings are meaningful to the understanding of the effects of inclusion and entail various implications to facilitate it.     

Forty years later,a systematic literature review on inclusion in physical education (1975–2015): A teacher perspective

The first objective of this work is to systematically list the international studies about the inclusion of students with disabilities in physical education (PE) from the teachers' perspective. Sixty studies met our selection criteria and are listed. The second objective is to analyse the content of the literature according to the inductive and thematic approach of Thomas and Harden (2008). Our thematic analysis highlights: a) the factors that influence PE teachers' positive or negative attitudes and predispositions towards the inclusion of students with disabilities and b) the factors that can positively influence the inclusion of students with disabilities in PE classes, according to the teachers' representations. Based on these sets of factors, we propose some adapted PE training content for PE teachers. These training content proposals form the basis of research perspectives.     

Thai preschool teachers' views about inclusive education for young children with disabilities

It is generally assumed that preschool teachers play a crucial daily role in the inclusion of young children with a disability in education settings. In many countries, however, there are little available data to inform such a view. Part of a larger project with 528 preschool teachers from northern Thailand, the aim of the study reported here was to examine Thai preschool teachers' views of inclusive education for young Thai children with disabilities. Twenty preschool teachers with a range of attitudes to the inclusion of young children with a disability were interviewed about their views and five themes developed from the interview analysis. Those themes were the current situation, teachers' knowledge and expertise, teachers' attitude towards inclusion and disability, collaboration, and challenges for future inclusion.     

Student teachers' attitudes and beliefs towards using ICT within inclusive education and practice

The areas of education inclusion and digital inclusion have recently received growing interest from the research community while addressing the wider concern of social inclusion, but little research has been carried out exploring the relationship between the two areas. Central to both areas, this paper presents a study that investigated student teachers' attitudes towards using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for equality as part of inclusive education and practice, and explored the extent to which it is important that student teachers are prepared for both education and digital inclusion. The study focused on the attitudes of student teachers who had taken a new reformed course on inclusive education and practice within a Scottish University. Results from the study showed that student teachers' attitudes towards using ICT for teaching and learning were strongly positive, and were also strongly positive towards inclusive education. Their attitudes towards inclusive practice and using ICT for inclusive practice were slightly less positive. This seemed to result in ICT being used less in terms of inclusive education and more from the perspective of accessibility to the curriculum. The study provided evidence that the impact of ICT as part of inclusive practice is not well understood by student teachers and that student teachers' attitudes towards digital equality do not feature highly in inclusive practices. Consequently, greater attention to ways in which ICT is used for inclusive purposes is needed in Initial Teacher Education and in education policies in order to improve student teachers' preparedness for education inclusion.     

Inclusion of preschool children with autism in Sweden: attitudes and perceived efficacy of preschool teachers

This pilot study examined the relations among preschool teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of children with autism and perceived self‐efficacy, as well as demographic characteristics such as teachers' work experience and educational background. The cohort consisted of 21 participants who had degrees in preschool education and worked with children with autism in general preschool/kindergarten settings in central Sweden. Data were collected using the Autism Attitude Scale for Teachers, the Teacher Efficacy Scale and a demographic survey. In general, findings revealed that preschool teachers held positive attitudes towards children with autism, and this was significantly related to the number of credits in special education taken during pre‐service education. However, teachers showed neutral attitudes towards the inclusion of children with autism into general preschool classrooms. No relations were found between teachers' perceived self‐efficacy and attitudes towards inclusion, although a relationship was found between participation in in‐service training and efficacy to make decisions. Implications concerning early childhood education professional development and supervision are discussed.     

Investigation and comparison of Turkish and American preschool teacher candidates’ attitudes towards inclusion of young children with disabilities

Inclusion of young children with disabilities into general education classrooms is a common practice that has been implemented for many years in developed countries around the world and many developing countries have been creating and implementing laws and regulations to support inclusive education in early years. Although extant literature includes a commonly agreed definition for inclusion, the implementation of inclusive practices varies across countries. A critical factor for successful implementation of inclusive practices is teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion of children with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to compare Turkish and American pre-service preschool teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion of young children with disabilities and their willingness to work with children with severe behavioural, physical, and cognitive disabilities. A total of 123 pre-service teachers participated in the study. The results showed that pre-service teachers across two countries had similar attitudes towards inclusion and their attitudes were positive. Additionally, both groups of pre-service teachers reported more favourable attitudes towards working with children with severe physical disabilities than those who have severe cognitive and behavioural disabilities. Implications for future research and practices are discussed.     

A Survey into Mainstream Teachers' Attitudes Towards the Inclusion of Children with Special Educational Needs in the Ordinary School in one Local Education Authority

Attitudes of mainstream teachers towards the inclusion of children with special needs in the ordinary school were surveyed soon after the release of the Green Paper. The survey was carried out in one Local Education Authority in the south-west of England and the sample comprised of 81 primary and secondary teachers. The analysis revealed that teachers who have been implementing inclusive programmes, and therefore have active experience of inclusion, possess more positive attitudes. Moreover, the data showed the importance of professional development in the formation of positive attitudes towards inclusion. In particular, teachers with university-based professional development appeared both to hold more positive attitudes and to be more confident in meeting the IEP requirements of students with SEN. The role that training at both pre-service and post-service levels has in the development of teachers' support for inclusion is discussed.     

Including Learners with Intellectual Disabilities: stressful for teachers?

Since 1994 the demand to educate learners with special needs within mainstream classrooms in South Africa has continued to grow and the implementation of inclusive education is in the final process of legislation. The result has been that an increasing number of learners with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, are being included in mainstream classrooms. International research indicates that it is especially the acceptance of learners with intellectual disabilities that seems to raise the most sensitive issues for teachers within inclusive classrooms. This research study was designed to investigate the stressors related to the specific situation of including a learner with an intellectual disability in mainstream classrooms and the subsequent stress levels of teachers in the Gauteng and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. The design and methodology of this study was a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Fifty-five teachers were purposefully selected to complete a questionnaire focusing on the effect of potential stressors on teachers when including a learner with an intellectual disability. In-depth structured interviews were conducted with 10 of these teachers. This project is highly significant as policies of inclusion rely on teachers' acceptance of them, belief in their worth, and ability to cope. An understanding of the conditions that are likely to cause teachers most stress during inclusion will allow for more appropriate teacher training and for more focused support to teachers in inclusive classrooms.     

What is the reality of ‘inclusion’ for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties in the primary classroom?

Abstract

Current education policy is oriented towards including children with special educational needs in mainstream classrooms. Hitherto they have been, on the whole, educated in special schools. Children with special educational needs include those who are physically disabled, those with learning difficulties and those with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is the inclusion of this last group which is raising problems in mainstream classrooms. The article draws on psychoanalytic concepts in order to examine the reality of inclusion for three primary-age children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Observational material is presented which shows the impact of inclusion policy on the children, their teachers and their learning support assistants. There is also discussion of the work of the behaviour support teacher, whose job is to reduce exclusions and help schools to become more inclusive.     

Early childhood teachers' understanding of inclusive education and associated practices: reflections from Greece

This paper focuses on Greek regular and special preschool teachers' understanding of inclusion; their views about the engagement of children with disabilities in typical day routines/activities; and their preferred strategies for facilitating children's engagement in classroom activities. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 77 teachers (45 regular and 32 special educators) drawn from 47 preschool mainstream settings in Greece. The analysis revealed that teachers hold conflicting and restrictive beliefs about inclusive education. Further, the teachers' accounts indicated that most of the children with disabilities were experiencing significant difficulties in their engagement during free-play as well as structured/semi-structured activities. Lastly, teachers identified a range of strategies that they deployed for promoting children's involvement in classroom activities. The paper concludes by highlighting the need to shift away from a narrow individualistic-deficit assumption of disability towards a socio-constructivist conceptualisation of ‘diversity’ and the establishment of genuinely inclusive school cultures.     

'I wasn't trained to work with them': mainstream teachers' attitudes to children with speech and language difficulties

Approximately one-eighth of early school-aged children in the UK have speech and language difficulties. Many such children are now being educated in mainstream settings. However, there is a dearth of up-to-date and valid research that considers UK (student) teachers' attitudes towards such children. Two hundred and sixty-eight trainee teachers (PGCE students) from Manchester were given two questionnaires, containing both closed and open questions, to measure their attitudes towards and experiences with children with speech and language difficulties. A range of attitudes was expressed and most concern was around the issues of resources (both time and knowledge based). Most teachers were positive about their expectations of such children. Attitudes were not significantly related to teachers' gender, teaching type/subject, previous knowledge of someone with speech and language difficulties or experience of children with such difficulties. Views on the educational placement for children with a range of communication difficulties varied. The authors consider that two-pronged action is needed to facilitate an improvement: a greater focus on the inclusion debate (not specifically tied to this group of children) and also additional knowledge and resources.     

Children's Attitudes and Behavioural Intentions Towards Peers with Disabilities

This study used the theory of reasoned action to investigate determinants of primary school children's attitudes and behavioural intentions towards peers with physical disabilities. The influence of children's own attitudes toward working with peers with physical disabilities in regular classes and subjective norms provided by their teachers, principals, and parents were used to predict behavioural intentions to befriend and interact with classmates with physical disabilities. The participants were 143 fourth and fifth grade primary school students, their mothers, teachers, and school principals. The students completed an attitude questionnaire and a behavioural intention scale. Their parents, teachers, and principals completed a similar disability attitude questionnaire. The results supported the predictions made by the theory of reasoned action. Children's own attitudes towards the inclusion of peers with disabilities was the strongest predictor of behavioural intentions to interact with a classmate with a physical disability. The attitudes of teachers, principals, and parents were also significant predictors of intentions. However, only the attitudes of parents and school principals accounted for any more variance than children's attitudes alone. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of developing whole class interventions to promote the social integration of children with physical disabilities.     

Teachers' attitudes towards integration / inclusion: a review of the literature

On the assumption that the successful implementation of any inclusive policy is largely dependent on educators being positive about it, a great deal of research has sought to examine teachers' attitudes towards the integration and, more recently, the inclusion of children with special educational needs in the mainstream school. This paper reviews this large body of research and, in so doing, explores a host of factors that might impact upon teacher acceptance of the inclusion principle. The analyses showed evidence of positive attitudes, but no evidence of acceptance of a total inclusion or ‘zero reject’ approach to special educational provision. Teachers' attitudes were found to be strongly influenced by the nature and severity of the disabling condition presented to them (child-related variables) and less by teacher-related variables. Further, educational environment-related variables, such as the availability of physical and human support, were consistently found to be associated with attitudes to inclusion. After a brief discussion of critical methodological issues germane to the research findings, the paper provides directions for future research based on alternative methodologies.