Teacher satisfaction at the educational placement of students with special educational needs

Abstract

This study conducted a large-scale survey to investigate the satisfaction of Finnish primary school teachers toward the current educational placement of their students with special educational needs (SEN). Teachers were asked to recommend the most suitable educational placement for each of their SEN students from a pool of six alternatives: a mainstream classroom, part-time special education, a special classroom in the mainstream school, a special school, a state special school, or an institution. Data were obtained from 980 students representing 68 schools. The results showed that, in the majority of cases, teachers recommended a different level to the current level of placement for their SEN students. Teachers in the mainstream classrooms mostly recommended special classrooms, while teachers of the special education classrooms frequently recommended special schools, and teachers of the special schools often recommended state special schools or special education classrooms. A less restrictive environment was recommended for 20% and a more restrictive environment was recommended for 33% of the students. The results are interpreted in terms of organizational selection.

Teacher attitudes towards inclusive education in Finland and Brandenburg, Germany and the issue of extra work

“…A representative Finnish study found that mainstream or special education teachers only considered 47% of their students with SEN to be in the right place in their classrooms. These teachers recommended a more restrictive placement for 33% of their students with SEN and less restrictive placement for 20% of their students with SEN (Saloviita and Leskinen 2016).…”

How the existence of special schools affects the placement of students with special needs in inclusive primary schools

“…The attitude of teachers, head teachers, principals and other school administrative staff toward inclusion is crucial to the success of inclusive developments (Hammond and Ingalls, 2003; Boyle and Hernandez, 2016; Jungjohann, Fühner, and Pusch, 2020; Scheer, 2021; Sider, Maich, Morvan, et al., 2021). But even though most teachers feel positive about inclusion (Miesera, DeVries, Jungjohann, et al., 2018; van Steen and Wilson, 2020), many of them are inclined to recommend for their students with special needs to be educated in a school(ing type) with more special educational support (Saloviita and Leskinen, 2016). Parental choice of school placement is often guided by teachers' assessments to ensure the best possible support for their child (Barusman, 2019; Gasteiger‐Klicpera, Klicpera, Gebhardt, et al., 2013; Mann, 2017; Mann, Cuskelly, and Moni, 2018).…”