Attitudes and Attributes of General Education Teachers Identified as Effective Inclusionists

Abstract

School principals and special education teachers identified general education teachers who were the most skilled at including students with disabilities in their classrooms. After 10 individuals identified by both principals and special educators were interviewed, seven themes emerged. These teachers (a) described their own personalities as tolerant, reflective, and flexible; (b) accepted responsibility for all students; (c) described a positive working relationship with special educators; (d) reported adjusting expectations for integrated students; (e) indicated that their primary inclusionary attitude was showing interpersonal warmth and acceptance in their interactions with students; (f) felt that there was insufficient time available for collaboration; and (g) expressed reservations about fully including all students. Results are discussed in terms of teacher preparation, administrative practices, implications for increased inclusion, and suggestions for further research.

Taiwanese first-grade teachers' perceptions of inclusive education

“…Teachers who rated themselves as successful with inclusive education had smaller classes (13-21 students) and fewer students with disabilities included in their classrooms (two to four; Smith and Smith 2000). Teachers in different grade levels also showed differences in their perceptions of inclusive education (Olson, Chalmers, and Hoover 1997), with elementary teachers reporting more positive perceptions of inclusive education than their secondary counterparts (Olson, Chalmers, and Hoover 1997). The type and severity of disability also have been shown to have different effect on teachers' perceptions of inclusive education.…”

“…Studies conducted in both Taiwan and the USA show that there is a positive relationship between general education teachers' perceptions of inclusive education and the influence of inclusive education on children (D'Alonzo, Giordano, and Vanleeuwen 1997;Hsieh and Wang 2002;Li 1996;Olson, Chalmers, and Hoover 1997). However, not every teacher has positive perceptions of inclusive education.…”

“…With respect to the current teaching situation, Olson, Chalmers, and Hoover (1997) reported that general education teachers' positive perceptions were related to receiving consultative support from special educators. Class size and number of students with disabilities included in the classrooms also influenced teachers' perceptions of inclusive education.…”

“…The type and severity of disability also have been shown to have different effect on teachers' perceptions of inclusive education. For example, students with severe and multiple disabilities or emotional disturbances may negatively impact perceptions of successful inclusive education (Olson, Chalmers, and Hoover 1997). However, general educators who had teaching experience with students with severe/profound disabilities or deaf-blindness were significantly more positive, compared with those who did not have such experiences (Villa et al 1996).…”

Support teachers' beliefs about the academic achievement of students with special educational needs

“…For example, failure due to causes that teachers perceive as fixed, such as low levels of ability, may result in a high level of expectation that failure will occur, whereas fa i l u re due to unstable causes, such as a teach e r 's instructional methods, may lead to a high expectation that something can be done to modify the students' academic performance. Olson, Chalmers and Hoover (1997) found that the individualisation of expectations was a requisite for effective integrated services and that, when interviewed, teachers emphasised the need to set those expectations at a level that would produce achievement. In related research, Rolinson and Medway (1985) found some evidence that teachers are more likely to attribute success among children with special educational needs to their own efforts than to those of the children, whereas they attribute children's academic failures to the children rather than to themselves.…”