Changing Attmitudes Toward People with Disabilities

Abstract

for their assistance in conducting this rssaar~h. Requests for raprirats should be made to a Joanne ~~hir~~: FO #~~fF u~~70 University Parkway, Ca.~ifY:~ia State University at San Bernardino, San ~a~ar~ir~, CA 92407-2397. ABSTRACT This study investigated changes in attitudes toward persons with disabilities among students in an introductory special education class (experimental group) and students in a general foundations of education class (control group). A multifaceted intervention consisting of information, contact, and persuasive messages was provided to students in the experimental condition during a 1 0-week course. Results indicated that students in the experimental group had significantly greater improvement in attitudes than students in the control group, as measured by the Attitudes toward Disabled Persons scale. Students in the experimental group reported that contact was significantly more influential in changing their attitudes than either information or persuasive messages.Since 1977, PL 94-142 has guaranteed students with disabilities the right to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. For many students, the least restrictive environment will be mainstreamed classes. Although many factors influence the assimilation of students with disabilities into mainstreamed classes, one key factor is likely to be the attitudes of educators toward teaching students with disabilities.

Predictores de las actitudes hacia la inclusión de alumnado con necesidades educativas especiales en futuros profesionales de la educación

“…Junto a la leve ventaja de las mujeres con respecto a los hombres en el tono favorable de sus actitudes hacia la inclusión -coherente con los resultados aportados anteriormente (e.g., Eichinger et al, 1991)-, también se evidencia la capacidad de la formación (Kim, 2011;Swain et al, 2012;Sze, 2009) y de la existencia de experiencia previa (Campbell et al, 2003;Swain et al, 2012) para marcar diferencias actitudinales, en este caso de tamaño medio. Solo se introducirá un matiz por cada una de estas dos últimas variables.…”

“…Asimismo, es probable que se verifique un vínculo de sentido positivo entre las actitudes inclusivas y la experiencia previa con personas con NEE (i.e., relación personal de duración variable con personas con NEE en ámbitos formativos, laborales, familiares o, en general, sociales de diverso tipo -asociacionismo, vecindad, espacios de ocio y tiempo libre-), la duración de la misma y los valores de tendencia aperturista (i.e., valores que enfatizan la independencia personal y la disponibilidad para el cambio: autodirección y estimulación) y de autotrascendencia (i.e., valores que enfatizan el interés por el bienestar de los demás: universalismo y benevolencia). Por último, también podría evidenciarse la relación del sexo con las actitudes hacia la inclusión, aunque en este caso la literatura previa no es uniforme (Batsiuo, Bebetsos, Panteli y Antoniou, 2008;Eichinger, Rizzo y Sirotnik, 1991).…”

A comparative study of representations about disability in primary school children's drawings: a sociosemiotic approach

“…This research is quite vast and useful, by attempting to disclose the factors affecting people's views about disability, such as gender (e.g. Eichinger, Rizzo, and Sirotnik 1991), amount of contact with disabled people (e.g. Folsom-Meek et al 1999), prior knowledge of disability (e.g.…”

Physical Education Teacher Candidates' Beliefs About Instructing Students With Disabilities in Adapted Aquatics

“…9, No. 3, 2015 disabilities (Eichinger, Rizzo, & Sirotnik, 1991). This will help teacher candidates challenge stereotypical beliefs or judgments about people different from themselves (Adams et al, 2005).…”