Inclusive Education Scale Research Articles

Primary School Teachers’ Attitudes, Perceptions and Self-Efficacy Regarding Students With Special Educational Needs: A Comparative Study of the Education Systems in Slovenia and Kosovo

The purpose of this paper is to explore teachers’ attitudes, perceptions and self-efficacy regarding students with special educational needs in Slovenia and Kosovo, as well as to identify the similarities and differences between the two education systems in terms of inclusive practices. Quantitative data were collected from a sample of teachers working in grades 1–5 of primary schools in Slovenia (n = 258) and Kosovo (n = 255). The data were gathered using the Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education scale and the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practice scale and analysed using SPSS version 21.0. The findings indicate higher means of samples in both Slovenia and Kosovo in negative sentiments, attitudes and perceptions regarding inclusive education, while statistically significant differences were identified in attitudes and other factors, such as age, gender or teaching experience with students with special educational needs. Teachers in Slovenia and Kosovo scored higher in self-efficacy, which is negatively correlated at a significant level with sentiments, attitudes and perceptions regarding inclusive education.

Identifying Cambodian teachers' concerns about including students with disabilities in regular classrooms: Evidence from a nationwide survey

AbstractThis study examined teachers' concerns about including students with disabilities (SWDs) in regular classrooms and identified the background variables that were significantly associated with their concerns. A total of 1008 primary school teachers from 236 schools across all 25 provinces and cities in Cambodia participated in the study. The Concern about Inclusive Education Scale (CIES) was used as a research instrument. Descriptive statistics, a principal component analysis, reliability tests, Pearson correlation coefficients and a multiple regression analysis were used for data analysis. The result of the principal component analysis confirmed a four‐factor model for the CIES. The study found that Cambodian teachers had high levels of concern about including SWDs in regular classrooms. They expressed the deepest concerns about the inadequate availability of special education instructional materials and teaching aids, the lack of knowledge and skills required to teach SWDs, the increased workloads and the challenges of providing equal attention to all students. The experience of inclusive education training, years of teaching in regular classrooms, and experience of teaching SWDs were significantly associated with their concerns about inclusion. The findings were discussed with practical implications for improved policy and practice to address Cambodian teachers' concerns and promote their inclusive practices.

Profiles of attitudes toward inclusive education among Chinese in-service teachers: their relationships with demographic factors and organizational commitment.

The increased diversity of students (e.g., students with special educational needs) has presented teachers with unprecedented challenges. Teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education play a crucial role in teachers' organizational well-being. However, existing studies mostly explored attitudes toward inclusive education based on a variable-centered approach. This study used a person-centered approach to identify teachers' attitude profile membership and explored the relationships of attitude profiles with demographic factors (i.e., gender, years of teaching experience, subject taught, and in-service training) and organizational commitment. Nine hundred and seventy-two in-service teachers from forty-nine inclusive education schools in Beijing responded to the Revised Multidimensional Attitudes toward Inclusive Education Scale and the Organizational Commitment Inventory. Latent profile analyses, multinomial logistic regression, and univariate analysis of variance were used to analyze data. The results revealed four attitude profiles: involuntary participation, behavior avoidance, neutral, and proactive involvement. Years of teaching experience and in-service training were significant predictors of teachers' latent profile membership. Teachers belonging to the involuntary participation profile showed the highest levels of maladaptive commitments to inclusive education schools. Teachers belonging to the proactive involvement and the behavior avoidance profiles showed higher levels of adaptive commitments. However, teachers belonging to the neutral profile had the lowest levels of adaptive commitments. The theoretical contributions, practical implications, and limitations are discussed.

TEACHERS’ SENTIMENTS, ATTITUDES AND CONCERNS ABOUT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND SELF-EFFICACY FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICES

The present study explores Greek teachers' attitudes and sentiments about inclusive education and their overall self-efficacy in instructing students with disabilities. Further aims of the study are: (i) to determine the degree to which teachers' sentiments, attitudes, and concerns towards inclusion can be a predictive factor for teaching self-efficacy and (ii) to investigate the extent to which demographic variables and occupational profile are related to attitudes, perceptions, and concerns of inclusion and teachers' self-efficacy. 165 Greek teachers responded to (1) The Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale Revised [SACIE-R]) (Forlin et al., 2011), (b) Teaching Students with Disability Efficacy Scale - TSDES (Dawson & Scott, 2013). The findings showed a positive correlation between teachers' self-efficacy for implementing inclusive practices and their attitudes, sentiments, and concerns regarding inclusive education. Greek educators are in favour of inclusive education, feeling positive about it and acting like positive role models. Self-efficacy is predicted by their attitudes, perceptions, and concerns which are influenced by demographic factors. The regression analysis indicated that self-efficacy in the effective adoption of inclusion is correlated with teachers' attitudes and perceptions. Results may help shape the curriculum for teacher preparation programs to further support inclusive education.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu/0538/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Inclusive education in Portugal: Exploring sentiments, concerns and attitudes of teachers

AbstractThis study examines Portuguese teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education and how teachers' self‐efficacy towards inclusion and other sociodemographic and professional variables relate and predict teachers' attitudes. In total, 539 Portuguese teachers participated. Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education scale, Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices scale and a sociodemographic questionnaire were used to collect data. The results indicate that teachers' attitudes towards inclusion were generally positive. However, teachers‐related variables (e.g., teachers' self‐efficacy, teaching experience, previous training, and knowledge about educational laws and policies) influence teachers' attitudes in a complex and dynamic way. Implications for policies, practices and research are presented.

Factors affecting the attitudes of principals of saudi general education public schools toward the inclusion of students with disabilities

BackgroundResearch has indicated that the attitudes of principals toward students with disabilities may affect the success of the implementation of inclusive programs in schools. This study was designed to address a gap in the research regarding Saudi principals’ attitudes toward inclusion. Relationships between attitudes and a number of variables were analyzed (i.e., gender, years of experience, level of school, type of student disability, personal relationships with individuals with disabilities). Methods and procedureThe study sample was drawn from the 600 public general education elementary, middle, and high schools with special education programs in Riyadh (n = 366 schools) and Jeddah (n = 234 schools) in Saudi Arabia. Each of the principals of these schools for AY2022/2023 was sent an email invitation to participate. A total of 403 respondents (67.17% response rate) successfully completed Bailey’s (2004) Principals’ Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education (PATIE) scale via electronic survey link. Results and outcomesOverall, the research found that Saudi principals of public general education schools have positive attitudes toward inclusion. The factors of training in special education, personal experience with individuals with disabilities, and years of experience as principal were found to be significant in regard to more positive attitudes. Conversely, the variables of gender, level of school, and type of student disability were not found to correlate with more or less positive attitudes. Conclusions and implicationsWhile the findings of the study bode well for the implementation of inclusion in Saudi public schools, certain limitations exist, including that the study sample was entirely drawn from the two largest cities in the country. In addition, the Saudi Ministry of Education has created an incentive plan that provides financial bonuses to principals at public schools who implement inclusive and special education programming in their schools. This indicates that the target population of this study might be more inclined to be positive toward inclusion than their colleagues at private schools. The findings have implications for expanding special education training in university teacher education programs and the creation of public awareness programs designed to improve understanding of disabilities and how inclusion positively impacts society as a whole.

Psychometric properties of principals’ attitudes toward inclusive education (PATIE) scale: Arabic version

BackgroundInclusive education is critical for the successful integration of students with disabilities into general education schools, and principals’ attitudes play a crucial role in this process. Despite the recognized significance of attitudes, there remains a gap in understanding these attitudes among principals in Arabic-speaking regions concerning inclusive education practices. This study aims to bridge this gap by validating and assessing the reliability of the Arabic version of the Principals’ Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education (PATIE) scale.MethodsTo measure these attitudes in the Arab region, the current study validated and assessed the reliability of the Arabic version of the Principals’ Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education (PATIE) scale using a sample of 391 principals from schools that have in place inclusion programs for students with disabilities. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to validate the scale’s structural, discriminant, and convergent validity, while Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability (CR) were utilized to evaluate the scale’s reliability.ResultsThe results demonstrated the strong validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the PATIE, with all five factors displaying good reliability.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the scale can effectively measure attitudes toward inclusive education in Arabic-speaking countries. This study’s implications for research and practice are significant, as they underscore the importance of positive attitudes among principals in promoting inclusive education and provide a validated tool for measuring these attitudes.

THE ATTITUDE OF ROMANIAN SCHOOL PRINCIPALS TOWARDS INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Many countries face the challenge of inclusion to provide all children with an equitable education. Inclusive education involves a continuous process of meeting the needs of students by providing quality education for all. Research in the field of inclusive education showed the essential role the principal of a school has in developing educational practices and cultures favorable to school inclusion. Studies highlight that the attitude of school principals is related to the commitment of school teachers to implement inclusive education. In this direction, the aim of this paper was to investigate the attitudes of Romanian school principals towards inclusive education. The Multidimensional Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education Scale – MATIES was translated and distributed online, between September-October 2022. It measured the teachers’ attitudes on three dimensions: affective, cognitive, and behavioral. 1040 teaching staff, of which 115 were school principals from the entire country offered valid answers to the questionnaire. The research design was quantitative, non-experimental, correlational, and comparative. The results show that principals are willing to implement inclusive education. They have a more open attitude towards inclusive education compared to teachers, and this is not predicted by seniority in teaching but by experience of working with students with special needs.

The relationship between trait mindfulness and inclusive education attitudes of primary school teachers: a multiple mediating model.

This study aims to explore the impact of primary school teachers' empathy and efficacy for inclusive practice on the relationship between trait mindfulness and inclusive educational attitudes. A total of 606 primary school teachers were tested using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, Interpersonal Response Index Scale, Teacher Self-efficacy for Inclusive Practice Scale, and Teachers' Multidimensional Attitudes toward Inclusive Education Scale. Primary school teachers' trait mindfulness is significantly positively correlated with inclusive educational attitudes. Primary school teachers' trait mindfulness has an indirect impact on inclusive education attitudes through empathy, and primary school teachers' trait mindfulness has an indirect impact on inclusive education attitudes through teacher efficacy for inclusive practice. In addition, empathy and teacher efficacy for inclusive practice play a sequential mediating role between primary school teachers' trait mindfulness and inclusive education attitudes. This empirical study reveals that empathy and efficacy for inclusive practice play a sequential mediating role between primary school teachers' trait mindfulness and inclusive education attitudes. On one hand, this research contributes to enriching the outcomes in the field of inclusive education for primary school teachers, providing a theoretical foundation for the study of their inclusive education attitudes. On the other hand, the study offers a detailed explanation of the psychological mechanisms behind the impact of mindfulness traits on the inclusive education attitude of primary school teachers, guiding schools in implementing mindfulness-based intervention programs.

Developing and Validating the Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education Scale (AIES) Around Contemporary Paradigms of Inclusion

Developing and Validating the Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education Scale (AIES) Around Contemporary Paradigms of Inclusion

Adaptation of the Concerns About Inclusive Education Scale Short Form (CIES-SF) into Turkish

ABSTRACT One of the factors that affect inclusion is teachers’ concerns about it. Teachers may believe that they will not be successful in inclusion due to the concerns they have experienced. Therefore, understanding teachers’ concerns about inclusion plays a critical role in achieving the purpose of education. This research aimed to adapt The Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale Short Form (CIES-SF) into Turkish, which was converted into a shorter version by Lozano et al. (2022). The study participants consisted of 650 teachers. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to establish construct validity of the scale, while confirmatory factor analysis was used to confirm its structure. The reliability coefficient for the entire scale, as measured by the Cronbach alpha, was calculated to be .87. The results of confirmatory factor analysis revealed favourable goodness of fit indices, withχ2 = 129.91, df = 50, χ2/df = 2.59, p < .001, RMSEA=.070, SRMR=.062, NNFI=.93, CFI=.94, GFI=.92, AGFI=.88. The Concerns About Inclusive Education Scale Short Form (CIES-SF) is a reliable tool that can be administered quickly to assess teachers’ concerns about inclusion. This valuable tool can be utilised by researchers, particularly teacher trainers, to better understand teachers’ concerns related to inclusive education practices.

ATTITUDES OF GREEK GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHERS CONCERNING INCLUSION POLICY

The school community consists of an environment where every child has the right to participate and share the good of the educational process. In that thinking, students dispose of different needs that have to be satisfied in a context where the values of respect and equality emerge as basic foundations of the instructive environment. Consequently, inclusion practices appear to be as the prerequisite of education for all in the general school surroundings. Teachers who are responsible for planning and applying the educational process play an important role in the implementation of inclusive practices. Especially, these educational methods are influenced by educators’ attitudes and determine the extent and the level of inclusion strategies. In the present study, participated 154 teachers of primary and secondary general education in Greece. The participants completed the Multidimensional Attitudes towards Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES) (Mahat, 2008). In general, according to the results, teachers expressed positive attitudes toward inclusion. Correlations were calculated in relation to other variables that affect teachers’ attitudes according to the research. The results emerged as directions of providing support services in the school community and organizing suitable education programs for in-service teachers in the school and academic domain.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0001/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Inclusive Education Can Bring Change: The Impact of Factors Influencing Teachers' Attitudes towards Inclusive Education in Private and Public Secondary Schools of Karachi

Teachers must have a positive outlook and be dedicated to the tasks they undertake if they are to succeed in inclusive education. It is vital to ensure that all students have an inclusive future in the classroom. Teachers play an iconic role in implementing inclusive education. The successful execution of inclusive education is primarily attributable to teachers' attitudes toward inclusion policies. This study aims to investigate the impact of Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) on Teachers' Attitudes towards Inclusive Education Scale (TAIS). This study employed two different TEIP Scale and TAIS Scale for examining their relationships. This cross-sectional comparative study also seeks to determine the impact of factors influencing teachers' views toward inclusive education. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25. The participants included (n=215) secondary school teachers from the private and public schools in Karachi. ANOVA, regression, and one sample t-test were used comparing the factors influencing teachers' views towards inclusion and explore the effect of TEIP on TAIS in public and private secondary schools. The findings show that the secondary school teachers of the private institutions had a significantly more favourable attitude towards inclusive education than secondary school teachers in public institutions. TEIP and TAIS were correlated using the Pearson Correlation test (TEIP). It demonstrates that teachers' attitude toward inclusive education is positively linked with Teachers’ Efficacy to Use Inclusive Instructions (EUII), Efficacy in Cooperation (EC), and Efficacy in Dealing with Disruptive Behaviors (EDDB). This study reveals that there is a significantly positive impact of EUII, EC, and EDDB on TAIS.

Perceived school support as a predictor of Singapore preschool teachers' inclusion of children with developmental needs

Teachers are more likely to include children with developmental needs (DN) in their classroom when they perceive that important people around them, such as principals, colleagues, and parents of children with and without DN, endorse inclusive education. Adequacy of resources and availability of training opportunities may also affect how teachers perceived being supported. This study examines Singapore preschool teachers' perception of support received from their working environment to include children with DN and how this predicts their intention to practice inclusive education and self‐reported implementation of inclusive practices in the classroom. The original Perceived School Support for Inclusive Education (PSSIE) scale, developed in Bangladesh, was reviewed for relevance and clarity by a panel of six experts familiar with Singapore preschool inclusion. 211 preschool teachers in Singapore completed the new 11‐item revised PSSIE – Singapore Version online. Perceived school support was found to be a single construct that significantly and reliably predicts both intention and self‐reported practices (alpha = 0.929). Stakeholders in Singapore can now use this newly validated instrument to reliably understand the support received by teachers and to re‐examine the strategies provided to support preschool teachers in this journey towards quality inclusive education.

Subjects Adaptation Techniques for Primary School Pupils with Special Educational Needs

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.

Teachers’ Professional Attitudes towards Inclusive Education

In the study, an overview of the current situation in the field of inclusive education in Slovakia is presented. Since teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education are among the key determinants of the success or failure of SEN students’ inclusion in mainstream schools, the main objective of the study was to investigate them in the context of implementing the new Strategy for Inclusive Education in Slovakia. In this quantitative study, Mahat [1] "The Multidimensional Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES)" was used and three components of teachers’ attitudes – cognitive, affective, and behavioral – were examined by means of univariate, bivariate, and multivariate methods of statistical analysis. As the aging of the teaching population is an issue in Slovakia, age-related peculiarities were focused on in the study. The findings revealed statistically significant differences in the affective and behavioral components between the two examined age-groups of teachers. Since no extensive study has been focused on teachers’ attitudes towards replacing school integration by school inclusion in Slovakia, the proposed study aims to fill the gap and provide unique data useful in the process of changing traditional schools into inclusive ones. The obtained results also point to the importance of considering teachers’ attitudes towards any changes to be introduced. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2022-SIED-02 Full Text: PDF

Validation of the multidimensional attitudes toward preschool inclusive education scale in the bilingual context of Québec

BackgroundThe Multidimensional Attitudes Toward Preschool Inclusive Education Scale (MATPIES; Lohmann et al., 2016) seeks to assess preschool educators’ attitudes toward inclusive education. It has been used in wide range of settings and with varied populations, but there has been a lack of systematicity in translation, adaptation, and validation procedures associated with it. For instance, its use in French or in a French-English bilingual context such as Québec (Canada) has yet to be validated. AimsThe present study documented the translation and validation process for the MATPIES in bilingual early childhood education settings. Methods and proceduresThe MATPIES was completed by 211 French- and English-speaking early childhood educators and administrators in the province of Québec, Canada. Outcomes and resultsConfirmatory factor analyses indicated that the original factor structure for the MATPIES was not replicated within the bilingual Québec sample.Exploratory analyses suggested a four-factor structure encompassing 15 items, which had good internal consistency (α = 0.87). Conclusions and implicationsThe factor structure of the MATPIES may vary across populations. This study underscores the importance of evaluating instruments in contexts that differ from those in which they were originally constructed to ensure the validity of results.

Predictors of perceptions of efficacy for inclusive education

The aim of the study is to determine the effects of sentiments, attitudes and concerns towards inclusive education on the perception of efficacy in inclusive education with a group of 220 teachers. “Personal Information Form”, “Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns About Inclusive Education Scale Revised (SACIE-R)” and “Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practice (TEIP) Scale” were used as data collection tools. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and Regression technique were used in statistical analysis. Results pointed that sentiment and attitude have a significant effect on teachers' competencies in inclusive education practices. As a result, it can be said that teachers' feelings and attitudes towards inclusive education affect their self-efficacy.

An analysis of classroom teachers’ awareness of inclusive education

ABSTRACT The targets of reaching the benefits expected from inclusive education and making necessary changes and arrangements can only be achieved by clearly determining the current situation regarding inclusive education. This study aimed to examine the competencies of classroom teachers in Turkey regarding inclusive education in the context of their perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes. A total of 128 classroom teachers of third-grade (20) and fourth-grade (108) participated in the study. We employed the ‘Classroom Teachers’ Awareness of Inclusive Education Scale’ as a data collection tool in this study carried out in accordance with the phenomenological method. The data were subjected to descriptive analysis. Apart from the generally positive awareness of classroom teachers towards inclusive education, it appears to be necessary that students’ social-emotional skills be supported so that inclusive education can be fully achieved.

Korean College Students’ Attitudes toward Disability and Inclusive Education: Latent Profile Analysis

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to explore the differences in cognitive-behavioral attitudes and emotional connectedness toward people with disabilities (PWDs) and the attitudes toward inclusive education. In total, 309 college students from various universities in South Korea aged from 18 to 29 years (177 male and 130 female) voluntarily participated in this study. The participants were completed a set of questionnaires: Social Distance Toward Disabilities scale, Interaction with Disabled Person Scale, and Teachers’ Attitudes toward Inclusive Education Scale. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to model four distinct types: distant (3.56%), lukewarm (73.91%), rationalizing (8.41%), and potential proactive (14.12%). The majority of participants were lukewarm type who had a slightly cognitive-behavioral distance with mediocre empathy toward PWDs, which links to vague stands toward inclusive education. Potential proactive type, the second largest group, showed a positive attitude toward inclusive education with a high level of empathy but still had ambivalent perceptions toward PWDs. The rationalizing and distant groups had one thing in common that they had a relatively low level of empathy toward PWDs, but showed a markedly opposite position in inclusive education. The findings indicate that interventions should be tailored based on the type-specific attitudes and experiences with PWDs in public and educational settings.