Teachers are seen as key persons to implement inclusive education. Positive attitudes are therefore argued as playing a considerable role in implementing this educational change successfully. The aim of this study is to examine what attitudes teachers hold towards inclusive education, which variables are related to their attitudes and if these affect the social participation of pupils with special needs in regular schools. A review of 26 studies revealed that the majority of teachers hold neutral or negative attitudes towards the inclusion of pupils with special needs in regular primary education. No studies reported clear positive results. Several variables are found which relate to teachers' attitudes, such as training, experience with inclusive education and pupils' type of disability. No conclusion could be drawn regarding the effects of teachers' attitudes on the social participation of pupils with special needs.

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The trend towards inclusive education has led to an increase of studies focusing on peer attitudes. This review study presents an overview of studies describing attitudes of students, variables relating to students' attitudes, and the relationship between students' attitudes and the social participation of peers with disabilities. Based on a literature search we selected 20 studies that were conducted in seven different countries. Outcomes were described in terms of negative, neutral or positive according to three attitude components (cognitive, affective and behavioural). The results show that students generally hold neutral attitudes towards peers with disabilities. Several variables were found relating to their attitudes (i.e., gender, age, experience with and knowledge about disabilities, parental influence). Moreover, the results indicate that attitudes of peers relate to the social participation of students with disabilities. Implications of the findings are discussed in terms of promoting positive attitudes of peers.

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The objective to provide education for all by the year 2015 includes students with disabilities. In the context of developing countries, this group of students is more excluded than included from educational services. This study presents an overview of literature in order to establish which projects have been undertaken and supported the inclusion of students with disabilities. The first aim is to examine the projects undertaken by governments and international organisations to include this group in regular education, the second aim is to examine the effects of these projects in terms of an increase in the number of students with disabilities in regular schools. An analysis of the literature was carried out by focusing on projects including the following four factors: external, school, teachers and parents. Fifteen empirical studies/reports were selected in which several undertaken projects were reported. The implemented projects focused mainly on school and teacher factors. Only two studies reported their effects. The findings are discussed by addressing the approaches of the projects undertaken and the serious gaps in implementing inclusive education in developing countries.