Quality of Inclusive Preschool Classrooms: Predictive Variables

Abstract

Preschool inclusion is an issue that has become more prominent and is frequently targeted in the literature in recent years. Previous studies regarding preschool inclusion were conducted with teachers, typically developing children, and children with disabilities as well as about how the inclusive practices could be more effective and which variables would affect the quality of preschool inclusion. Recently, the concept of “quality” in inclusive preschool becomes one of the current issues in the field. The quality of the inclusion is examined as the process quality, structural quality, and global quality it is influenced by several factors such as experience and education of teachers, teacher/child ratio and knowledge of teachers related to implementation of inclusive practices. The purpose of this study, which utilized correlational screening model, was to reveal the variables which predict the overall quality of inclusive preschool classrooms in Turkey. The data were collected by Teacher Information Form, Student-Teacher Relationship Scale, Opinions Relative to Integration of Students with Disabilities, and Abilities Index in 47 preschool classrooms as well as the third researcher assessed the quality of the classrooms by using Inclusive Classroom Profile. To test the predictive value of all variables, a stepwise regression model was used. Analyses showed that the overall quality of the inclusive preschool classrooms was predicted by the teachers’ opinions regarding inclusion, having courses related to preschool inclusion, and teachers’ relationships with their students. The results are discussed in the framework of the existent literature and suggestions related to implications and future research are offered.