The Factors Related to Teacher Attitudes Toward Inclusive Schools

For the last two decades, systems of education have been shifting special education teaching practice away from segregated classes to inclusive schools (Reiser & Secretariat, 2012; Sharma, Loreman, & Forlin, 2012; UNESCO, 1994). Despite much success, this shift has not come without its challenges. Research has found teachers’ attitudes and beliefs about students with exceptionalities influence their inclusive pedagogy (Avramidis & Norwich, 2002; MacFarlane & Woolfson, 2013; Scruggs & Mastropieri, 1996). This paper examines the current literature on teacher attitudes and beliefs towards inclusion as well as the process of teacher change. It is concluded that despite unfavourable attitudes, when teachers have training and support paired with authentic experiences, attitudes can shift and inclusive pedagogy adopted.

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Teacher’s Attitude And Peer Acceptance To Children With Special Needs In Inclusive Primary Schools

10.31227/osf.io/b4y93 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Marlina - Marlina

Keyword(s):

Special Needs ◽

Teacher Attitudes ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Peer Acceptance ◽

Educational Background ◽

Survey Method ◽

Children With Special Needs ◽

Full Time ◽

Students With Special Needs ◽

Inclusive Schools

The success of inclusion of children with special needs in inclusive schools largely depends on teachers’ attitudes towards students with special needs and their knowledge on how to properly educate them. Regular teachers have different views about the inclusion of students with special needs. The type and level of the children’s disabilities affect teachers’ willingness to accommodate students with special needs and effective classroom management. The research used descriptive survey method to know the attitude and level of peer acceptance to children with special needs in Padang inclusive schools, West Sumatera, Indonesia in year 2015. The subjects of research consist of 150 regular school teachers and special education teachers who worked full-time in inclusive schools and 85 children with special needs that had been identified with the Kit of Identification Children with Special Needs. The data were collected with teacher attitudes and sociometric nomination scales. The results show that teacher attitudes on integration are not related to teaching experience, teacher educational background is positively related to their attitudes, and teachers’ teaching experiences are related to attitudes. Other findings indicate that the level of peer acceptance in children with special needs is largely in the category of being ignored and even rejected by their peers.

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