Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Inclusion of Student Teachers and Their Contact With People With Disabilities

Abstract

Inclusive schooling has been a key issue in special needs education for the last 20 years. In this context, teacher's attitudes toward inclusion is an essential factor in professional competence. It is therefore in the interest of an inclusive school system that inclusion-related beliefs and attitudes are cultivated in basic teacher education. Although some studies report positive effects of basic teacher education on successful inclusion processes and outcomes at school, the findings on attitude changes in teacher education are inconsistent. Multiple factors influence inclusion-related attitudes and beliefs. Among them, personal contact with people with disabilities is important. The present study at the University of Teacher Education in Zurich, Switzerland, examines the influence of previous contact with people with disabilities on attitudes toward inclusion after initial teacher training modules. An online survey (N = 443) was conducted before (T0) and after (T1) a training module on inclusive education/inclusive teaching. Validated scales on attitudes toward inclusion were used. The findings show that the student teachers report significantly more positive contact with people with disability than negative ones. At the same time, student teachers who are in contact with people with disabilities report a significantly more positive attitude toward inclusion at the beginning of the term, and a higher self-efficacy in dealing with disruptive behavior and interdisciplinary cooperation, as well as an individualizing teaching structure. They also report fewer concerns and negative attitudes than student teachers without such contact. Contact with people with disabilities was significantly related to an anticipated willingness to take on an inclusive class. However, no moderating effect of contact over the term was found. Additionally, we identify a considerable heterogeneity on positive attitudes toward inclusion within the respective groups (i.e., more positive or negative contact) via multigroup latent profile analysis. In particular, higher levels on self-efficacy in dealing with disruptive behavior and individualizing teaching structure were central indicators for positive attitudes toward inclusion; this held for both contact groups.

Exploring the perceptions of lecturers and final year students about the infusion of inclusion in initial teacher education programmes in South Africa

“…Over decades research has shown that determining attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of student teachers is a complex endeavor as there are intricate personal (e.g., experiences, knowledge, training and level of self-efficacy) and contextual (local, national and global) influences (such as political-ideological-and historical backgrounds, socio-economic circumstances and education system structures) that could have an impact on these views. For example, limited educational resources (i.e., human, support, as well as teaching and learning equipment and material) and inadequate training could have an influence on how the practicality of inclusive education is perceived (Nagase et al, 2020;Kunz et al, 2021;Parey, 2021). How an education system is structured (i.e., full inclusion, or mainstream and special education) also seem to have an impact on how positively or negatively the viability of inclusive education is viewed (Nel, 2018;Friesen and Cunning, 2020).…”

A Cross-National Study of the Effects of Education on Pre-Service Teachers’ Attitudes, Intentions, Concerns, and Self-Efficacy Regarding Inclusive Education

“…Overall, research has shown that teachers tend to confirm positive attitudes toward inclusion on a conceptual level without the same level of real commitment to active implementation in their classroom (Kunz et al, 2010;Leipziger et al, 2012;Przibilla et al, 2016;Seifried, 2015). This finding makes it necessary to look more closely at teachers' intentions regarding efficient teaching in inclusive settings and to find out more about the interconnections between attitudes and intentions.…”

Opinions of Future Teachers on Competencies for Working With Students With Developmental Disabilities

“…Students with personal experience were (self)assessed as more competent to work with children with DD (M = 35.95, SD = 5.44) than students without personal experience (M = 31.19, SD = 6.33). Various researches (Kunz, Luder & Kassis, 2021) support a positive correlation between additional training of students (future teachers) for working with children with DD and assessment of personal competencies, but experience from the personal environment of future teachers brings a lasting impact on the formation of positive values towards children with DD, and consequently greater motivation to acquire better competencies for their teaching. (Frolin, Cedillo, Romero-Contreras, Fletcher & Rodriguez Hernandez, 2010).…”