Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Special Educational Needs: A Study with Future Teachers

INTERNET RESOURCES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND INCLUSION

Background: Zambia, like any other country that is concerned with the rights to education of all learners, has prioritized inclusive education. Inclusive education is a fundamental right recognized by national and international policies. For example, Article 69 of the United Nations (2016) General Comment CRPD/C/GC/4 stresses the need for inclusive teacher education across all educational levels. In this context, our study investigated secondary school science teachers’ sources of knowledge about inclusion and explored the lived experiences of learners with special education needs in an inclusive setup in Kitwe district, Zambia. Specifically, the study explored secondary school science teachers’ sources of knowledge about inclusion and the lived experiences of some learners with Special Education Needs (SEN) in expanding their capabilities in an inclusive setup in Kitwe district, Zambia. Methods: A qualitative case study design was employed, involving 12 participants: six science teachers and six learners with special education needs. These participants were purposively selected from three secondary schools recognized as successful inclusive schools in Kitwe district, located in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires. Thematic analysis was applied to analyse the collected data. Findings: The study indicates that teachers’ main sources of knowledge about inclusive education include pre-service training and in-service training through Continuous Professional Development (CPDs), seminars and workshops, literature, internet, and knowledge from other people through research. Further, the study indicated that most learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN) were determined, strong, full of self-esteem and resilient because of some positive attitudes and help they were receiving from some teachers and fellow pupils. However, they were constrained by their families’ economic and financial status and the school environments, among them. As such, learners were not availed with complete freedom to make meaningful choices due to the above structural challenges which would not help to boost their capabilities. These findings underscore the need for deliberate programs to enhance the practical application of inclusive education principles both at school and the entire community. Conclusion: Drawing from the study’s insights, the following conclusions can be drawn; secondary school science teachers’ main sources of knowledge about inclusive education include pre-service training and in-service training through CPDs, seminars and workshops, including literature, internet, and knowledge from other people through research. Economic and financial status and the school environment are among the constraints that make it difficult for learners with special education needs to realise their full potential in an inclusive setting. Our findings highlight the importance of deliberate programs to apply inclusive education principles both at home and in schools. The study, therefore, recommends collaborations between the schools and stakeholders, including the communities as being crucial to realizing the full potential of learners with special educational needs in inclusive settings.

Inclusive education (IE) has widely been recognised as a philosophy to facilitate the goal of Education for All (EFA) worldwide. One important aspect of IE is that it can serve as one of the most pragmatic strategies to respond to student diversity in developing countries (Ainscow and Miles, Developing inclusive education systems: How can we move policies forward? Available at http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/COPs/News_documents/2009/0907Beirut/DevelopingInclusive_Education_Systems.pdf, 2009). Bangladesh, as part of the developing world, has undertaken several initiatives including policy reforms, awareness creation and teachers’ professional development for addressing inclusivity in regular schools. In particular, in secondary education, the IE initiative is being implemented through government development projects such as Teaching Quality Improvement in Secondary Education (TQI-SEP). Teachers have been trained on various aspects of IE including pedagogical knowledge, curriculum flexibility, and disability and diverse learning needs under TQI-SEP largely since its adoption in 2005. Research, however, has identified the ‘pessimistic views’ of teachers as one of the major hindrances to IE in secondary education in Bangladesh (Khan, Critical Literacy: Theories and Practices 6(2):102–118, 2012). In this chapter, our aim is to better understand the factors embedded in the views of secondary teachers regarding the inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in regular classrooms. Based on a semi-structured, one-on-one interview approach, we collected data from 15 purposively chosen teachers from 5 secondary schools in Dhaka city. Following a general inductive thematic analysis procedure, we found that although most of the teachers held favourable views on the inclusion of students with SEN, they seemed to lack the pedagogical knowledge of IE, which resulted in inadequate provision of pragmatic teaching practices. We also found a generally sympathetic view rather than a spirit of access and equity in the responses of the majority of the teachers in relation to the need for IE for students with SEN. We discuss the findings in line with other studies as to how secondary education teachers can be better prepared for addressing more in-depth inclusive practices in their classrooms.

Introduction. With the increasing number of students with special educational needs (SEN), the Ukrainian system of mathematics teacher education faces significant challenges, particularly the insufficient knowledge and practical skills required for effective teaching in inclusive classrooms. The study of international models and practices is of particular importance for the Ukrainian education system. It not only enables the identification of effective strategies and approaches for organizing inclusive mathematics education but also supports the modernization of professional training for future mathematics teachers in the context of inclusive education. Purpose. The purpose of the study is to analyze contemporary international models and practices of inclusive mathematics education in general secondary schools, with a focus on improving the professional preparation of future mathematics teachers in higher education institutions. Methods. To achieve this aim, general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, concretization, comparison, classification, generalization) were applied, allowing for a comprehensive examination of international models and practices in inclusive mathematics education. Results. The findings indicate that mathematics teacher training should explicitly incorporate issues related to the implementation of inclusive practices. The role of mathematics and mathematics education in the formation and development of personality has been substantiated. It has been emphasized that new approaches, models, and effective practices should be introduced into mathematics teaching within inclusive education. Several models for implementing inclusive education, including mathematics instruction, have been presented and compared. Such international experience can be adapted and partially integrated into Ukrainian practice, as well as serve as a foundation for modernizing the professional preparation of future mathematics teachers. It is concluded that international experience reveals a wide spectrum of models and practices in inclusive mathematics education, which combine adapted teaching methods, differentiated approaches, extensive use of digital technologies and platforms, and strategies for collaboration with specialists in psychological and pedagogical support. Originality. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the analysis, comparison, systematization, and conceptual justification of international experience in inclusive mathematics education within the context of modernizing mathematics teacher preparation. It also lies in a transformational approach that translates international practices into specific, well-founded, and ready-to-implement recommendations for the Ukrainian education system. Conclusion. International practice demonstrates a systematic and multi-component approach to inclusive mathematics education, offering diverse models and effective strategies. Among them, the European multi-track model is particularly relevant for Ukraine, as its flexibility allows for the combination of different forms of learning while addressing individual student needs. The most effective framework for implementing inclusive education is Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which emphasizes flexibility and the adaptation of both content and teaching methods. The international models highlighted in this study can be adapted to Ukrainian realities. Some models, such as the “pull-out” and “cluster” approaches, are already partially implemented in Ukraine through the organization of resource rooms. Effective inclusive mathematics education is impossible without close collaboration between teachers and assistants, as well as the continuous professional development of educators. The process of professional training for future mathematics teachers is crucial, as it shapes their inclusive competencies and readiness for teaching in inclusive classrooms. In this context, modernizing teacher education programs requires the inclusion of specific components and specialized modules on inclusive education. These should address not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills, such as task differentiation, the use of digital tools, and effective collaboration with representatives of psychological and pedagogical support for children with SEN. Future research should focus on developing methodological materials for university lecturers that integrate inclusion-related issues into courses on general methods of teaching mathematics in secondary schools.

The article substantiates the relevance of the study of the problem of personal and professional self-determination of high school students with special educational needs. The degree of elaboration of the problem is analyzed, the results of research of the problem of professional self – determination of senior pupils in the conditions of inclusive education are presented. The aim of the article is to study the psychological features of the choice of profession by high school students with special educational needs. Research methods: theoretical – analysis of psychological and pedagogical sources on the researched problems, generalization and systematization of data on the choice of profession of high school students with special educational needs; empirical – the method «Motives for choosing a profession», «Questionnaire to identify the readiness of students to choose a profession» (VB Uspensky) and the method «Readiness to choose a profession» (adaptation of AP Chernyavskaya). The study involved 25 high school students with special educational needs and 25 high school students who do not have health problems. The results of the study showed that high school students with special educational needs who study in an inclusive education have a well-developed need to choose a profession. Characteristically, most of them have a clear idea that they are going to realize their potential in the professional sphere. Professional self-determination of children with special educational needs should be carried out comprehensively, involving various specialists and parents in this process. It is necessary to adjust the professional plans of high school students with special educational needs according to their abilities throughout the career guidance period. The task of the career counselor is to establish the most appropriate for people with special educational needs types of work corresponding to their knowledge and skills. Career guidance should take into account the personal wishes of each person and be based on the most careful assessment of professional aptitudes and, of course, the medical diagnosis of the subject of professional choice.

In the last years, as a consequence of inclusive policies, the number of children with special educational needs in Romanian primary classrooms has increased. In this context primary school teachers face numerous challenges when teaching children with special educational needs in their classrooms. It is assumed that regular education teachers are the critical agents in this process of inclusion. Their attitudes toward the inclusion of children with special educational needs in regular classrooms is especially important for the success of inclusionary efforts. Teacher self-efficacy has also an essential role when addressing diverse learners. In this study we examine the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and teacher attitudes toward the inclusive education. Data were collected from 126 Romanian in-service primary school teachers that have in their classrooms students with special educational needs. There is a significant positive correlation between primary school teachers’ perceived self-efficacy and their attitudes towards inclusive education. Younger primary school teachers have more positive attitudes towards children with special educational needs and inclusive education. Those primary school teachers that have attended more special education courses appear to have less positive attitudes and are less willing to accept students with disabilities in regular classrooms. Practical implications of teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy in inclusive classrooms are discussed.

The relevance of the topic is due to modern trends in the development of the educational sphere not only in our country, but also in the world as a whole, in particular, reform processes that should ensure unhindered access to education for every child, regardless of their characteristics and needs. In domestic conditions, inclusive measures are actively being implemented, which create the need to develop modern approaches to the educational process for children with special educational needs. Regulatory and legal changes in the system of regulation of educational activities require teachers and educational institutions to provide an inclusive space that would take into account the special needs of students, which, in turn, requires continuous improvement of methodological and organizational methods of work. At the same time, taking into account modern problems, in particular, the lack of trained teachers to work in inclusive conditions, it is worth developing measures that would contribute to improving the qualifications of teachers and specialists who work with children with special educational needs. Also, the practice of foreign countries confirms the importance of introducing effective models and strategies for adapting them to domestic educational conditions. Therefore, this study is extremely relevant, as it requires a comprehensive approach to optimizing educational services for children with special educational needs, taking into account modern trends in the field of education in Ukraine. The purpose of the study is to reveal the importance of providing psychological assistance in the process of adapting children with special educational needs in institutions with inclusive education. In the process of writing this article, the following methods were used: analysis and synthesis, generalization, system method, logical, dialectical, generalization method. It was found that psychological assistance should be based not only on the internal capabilities of the child, the purpose of which is to determine specific areas of its development, but also on support in the manifestations of independence, the fight against problems in personal development, solving current tasks of learning and socialization, and should also include the development of psychological literacy of the subject of psychological assistance. It was determined that the effectiveness of psychological assistance to children with special educational needs lies in the fact that in the process of developing a theoretical scheme of assistance it is necessary to: perform a psychological examination and analyze the dynamics of the child's development; clearly establish the factors that influenced the emergence of problems in learning and socialization of the child; overcome the identified problems in the psychosocial development of children, reduce the risks of problems of adaptation to learning; ensure the timeliness of prevention of deviations in development; form active cooperation in educational activities aimed at improving the child's personality; develop the social skills of all participants in psychological assistance.

This article explores the theoretical and practical aspects of inclusiveness and diversity in education, focusing on attitudes toward individuals with special educational needs (SEN). The authors substantiate principles of equal access to education, gender equality, the rights of persons with disabilities, and cultural diversity, aligning them with the Sustainable Development Goals and the strategic priorities of the European Union. To address the research objectives, the following methods were employed: analysis of scientific literature on inclusive education and educational equality; media monitoring of various aspects of tolerant and intolerant attitudes toward individuals with disabilities across different countries; a comparative approach to examine best practices in teacher training across European nations; a questionnaire survey to identify cases of discrimination or inclusion in schools; and mathematical-statistical methods to process quantitative survey data. The article presents the findings of a study conducted among 240 future primary school teachers at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University (Ukraine) regarding their readiness to embrace diversity and apply innovative technologies in inclusive classrooms. It also highlights the university’s strategy for collaboration with schools and communities to promote inclusion and educational equality. Additionally, it explores the implementation of student exchange programs and international initiatives that enhance the professional experience of future teachers, as well as the support for social initiatives fostering an inclusive culture, as exemplified by the Pomeranian University in Słupsk (Poland). The article emphasizes the crucial role of mentoring in education and the need to support children from diverse social and ethnic backgrounds, including migrants, students with special educational needs, and national minorities. It also presents examples of pedagogical innovations that foster inclusivity and various barriers to access – mental, physical, informational, educational, and psychological – implemented in teacher training programs in Ukraine and Poland. The article explores several approaches to enhancing future teachers' infomedia literacy in the context of inclusion and diversity by analyzing media materials and online sources. Examining methodological case studies helps identify common trends and innovative strategies in teacher training, which can be adapted and integrated into educational practices across different countries.

In 2009, the UN-Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was incepted in Germany. Since then, all pupils have the right to education, for which the states are obliged to provide inclusive school-systems. Pupils have the right to attend mainstream schools independent of their physical or cognitive predisposition. On order to support all pupils, teachers have to be able to adapt lessons to their diverse needs. Consequently, teacher training has to be structured to prepare future teachers for that task. Numerous scholars have therefore investigated what are the prerequisites for successful inclusion, and there seems to be a consensus that positive attitudes towards inclusion and the ability to work in a team are essential for inclusion to be successful. These should be addressed during teacher training. In the context of inclusive education, co-teaching is defined as the joint delivery of instruction by a teacher for General Education (GE) together with a teacher for Special Educational Needs (SEN). For the context of this study, this constellation is called multi-professional co-teaching. The object of this study is to evaluate, whether teacher trainees working with a partner of a different discipline develop more positive attitudes and more elaborate knowledge/beliefs about inclusion than teacher trainees working in a team with a partner of the same discipline. For that purpose, a newly designed seminar for teacher trainees for GE and for SEN was evaluated to assess its effect on teacher traineesO attitude, collaboration skills, and beliefs about inclusive education. The seminar has three different episodes: i) a theoretical episode to introduce teaching techniques suitable for groups of different learners as well as different forms of co-teaching, ii) a practical episode in which teacher trainees plan and conduct lessons for inclusive classes in co-operation, iii) and a reflective episode to discuss newly acquired knowledge on a meta-level. During the practical episode, teacher trainees worked in multi-professional teams (i.e.one teacher trainee for GE and one for SEN) or in mono-professional teams (two teacher trainees for GE or two teacher trainees for SEN). Attitude and collaboration skills were assessed at three different testing times: before the seminar (t1), after the theoretical episode (t2), and after the practical episode (t3) with the help of questionnaires. Beliefs were assessed at two testing times: before the seminar (T1) and after the practical episode (T2). To assess beliefs, teacher trainees created concept maps to visualize their subjective definition of inclusive education. Questionnaires were analyzed quantitatively applying inference statistical methods; the concept maps were analyzed qualitatively performing a summarizing, inductive, qualitative content analysis of the propositions. Additionally, the structures of the maps were analyzed applying graph-theoretical calculations. Results indicate that all teacher trainees significantly improve their collaboration skills during the practical episode. Furthermore, teacher trainees working in multi-professional teams develop more positive attitudes towards inclusion than teacher trainees working in mono-professional teams. Also, they expand their subjective conceptualization of inclusion to include aspects like differentiation, individualization, and support; aspects that do not appear in the concepts of members of mono-professional teams. Therefore, this seminar form appears to be a suitable means to prepare teacher trainees for inclusive education. Consequently, it is recommended to implement it in the training curriculum for future teachers.

The relevance of the topic is in characterizing the neuropedagogical aspect of mental and pedagogical techniques in teaching children with special educational needs. The article contains the theoretical analysis of the elaborations on this topic, the definition of the concept «inclusive education», the chief principles of teaching students with limited capabilities; the neuropedagogical aspect of mental and pedagogical techniques in teaching children with special educational needs. The understanding of the concept of inclusive education has been studied, the literary sources on this topic have been summarized. On the basis of the findings it has been concluded that it is essential to critically review traditional approaches in the neuropedagogical aspect of mental and pedagogical techniques in teaching children with special educational needs. The author of the article remarks that in the context of vocational training for teachers' educational activity there might be efficient the techniques of teaching children with special educational needs, contributing to the better integration of children with special educational needs into the educational process. The system forming foundation of the inclusion is the postulate of acknowledging the capabilities of each student. Consequently, educational process must be arranged so that fully reveal the educational needs of each child.

This study addresses the potential of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy as a developmental and corrective support tool for children with special educational needs (SEN) in Kazakhstan. While ABA has been widely studied internationally, its application within Kazakhstan’s inclusive education framework remains limited, creating a gap between global scientific evidence and national practice: methodologyand Methods. The research employed a theoretical-methodological review, analyzing international behavioral science literature and Kazakhstan’s national classification of SEN learners. Sources were selected to evaluate how ABA principles can be adapted for three SEN groups: children with psychophysical impairments, children with specific learning difficulties and behavioral-emotional problems, and children experiencing socio-cultural, linguistic, or economic barriers. Results. The review established that ABA has a strong evidence base in autism, intellectual disabilities, and behavior regulation, while also demonstrating promising applications in speech and motor impairments, learning disorders, and culturally diverse populations. Despite this relevance, ABA remains underutilized in Kazakhstan due to limited professional training, insufficient contextual adaptation, and misconceptions about its scope beyond autism. Scientific novelty. The study contributes to the expansion of ABA knowledge by contextualizing it within Kazakhstan’s SEN classification system and inclusive education agenda. It extends the global discourse by demonstrating ABA’s applicability not only as a clinical intervention but also as a pedagogical framework adaptable to diverse learner needs. Practical significance. The findings underscore the necessity of localized ABA models, culturally responsive implementation, and integration of behavioral strategies into teacher training programs. This approach can strengthen inclusive practices and improve developmental and learning outcomes for children with SEN in Kazakhstan.

Inclusive education (IE) is underpinned by the values of equality, participation, developing and sustaining communities, and respect for diversity. It was asserted that through social participation in ordinary education settings, students with special educational needs (SEN) would benefit in academic performance and psychosocial adjustment. However, students with SEN in IE not only were poor in self-image, but also showed negative social relationships. Research in the West suggested that the efficacy of IE depends partly on the attitudes of teachers and students. This study was conducted to investigate the core value, attitude and sentiments regarding IE among students and teachers in Hong Kong. A questionnaire comprising items on sociodemographic characteristics and measuring instruments was designed for data collection. Participation was voluntarily and anonymous. A total of 107 teachers, 91 students with SEN, and 458 students without SEN in an institute of higher education responded to the online questionnaire survey. The data revealed that teachers and students with and without SEN were generally supportive of the core values of IE. In general, negative sentiments about people with disability were low and attitudes towards IE was positive among the three groups of respondents. Teachers obtained the lowest score on attitudes towards IE, though they were less negative in sentiments about people with disability. Expectedly, students with mild disabilities were considered more suitable for IE than students with more severe disabilities. Regardless of severity of disabilities, intellectual disabilities, mental and emotional problems, and ADHD were more commonly considered not suitable for IE. Ironically, mental and emotional problems and ADHD were the most common disabilities among students with SEN. Implications of the findings were considered.

This article provides a response to some of the issues raised by Anne Pinney’s summary, published in the September issue of BJSE, of the Audit Commission’s report on statutory assessment and Statements of Special Educational Needs. In developing her critique, Lani Florian, lecturer in special and inclusive education at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education and Editor of the Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, asks a series of important and challenging questions. Can the broad notion of ‘special educational needs’ complement ideas about ‘areas of need’ or ‘categories of handicap’ and enable young people with severe, complex or long–term disabilities to have their needs met? Is SEN funding fairly distributed, among pupils with special educational needs in particular and across the education system in general? Should the relationship between the processes of formative and statutory assessment and Statements of Special Educational Needs be reconceptualised? Can the protection offered by the Statement be maintained in association with the development of good inclusive practices? And if there is to be a move away from provision designed to address children’s individual difficulties, what forms of thinking, procedure and practice will enable staff to develop new ways of meeting the needs of all learners? I hope that the questions raised by this article will stimulate other commentators to contribute to the debate about our responses to special educational needs in the pages of BJSE

The research on the adaptation of children with disabilities in general education institutions is topical, as the education of children with special educational needs provides helps them to acquire a profession and become self-sufficient. The aim of this work was to develop subjects adaptation techniques for primary school pupils with special educational needs. The teachers’ attitudes to inclusive education were determined through the Attitudes Towards Inclusion Scale (AIS Scale). The Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) Scale was used to establish the teachers’ effectiveness in implementing inclusive practices. The Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale (CIES) was used to study concerns about inclusive education, while the intention to teach in an inclusive classroom was identified through the Intention to Teach in Inclusive Classroom Scale (ITICS). The impact of general education alongside ordinary children on children with special educational needs was determined through Stott’s Observation Charts. The techniques proposed in this study involve the use of different methods, tools, technologies by teachers that are required for the adaptation and correction of subjects. It is necessary to take into account the individual capabilities of pupils with special educational needs, as well as to meet the educational needs of ordinary pupils. It is worth to further work on finding new methods and techniques for adapting curricula to the inclusive educational environment based on new advances in pedagogy and innovative technologies.

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:9.0pt">The field of education greatly benefits from inclusive education, which is praised for acknowledging and valuing student diversity and individual needs. Kosovo, as a newly independent country, went through major reforms, particularly in the realm of education, which is marked, among others, by initiatives that anticipate fostering and promoting inclusive education. Initiatives and programs throughout the country were designed and initiated to promote and advocate for inclusivity in the education system. To foster inclusivity, assistants for students with special educational needs were introduced to enable students with special needs to be part of regular education. Thus, in this study, the experiences of assistants for students with special educational needs in Kosovo are explored. This study employed semi-structured interviews to collect data and utilized thematic analysis to identify key themes and topics. The participants in the study included nine assistants for students with special education needs, reflecting diverse perspectives and experiences in the field of inclusive education. The following themes and topics were identified as the main findings of this study: (a) joy, excitement, and pride with the work; (b) individualized education plan (IPE); (c) lack of resources and guidelines; (d) (lack of) cooperation with parents and families; (e) united in unity: the power of collegial support; and f) promoting and advocating for inclusive education.</span></p>