We have a very close relationship with all of those (interview). In general, teachers develop positive attitudes toward inclusion, however, they express their concerns, which originates from the insufficient training and the lack of appropriate material for the education of students with disabilities [ 50]. Teachers addressed children’s individual needs in the classroom activities. What are the outcomes for nondisabled students? Again, the preservice teachers were aware that these are important components for meeting the individual needs of children, but they did not exhibit these behaviors during their practicum experience. This qualitative study produced a vast amount of information for each participant and theme. These included the following: (a) Tell me about working with the children in your classroom, (b) tell me how you have made the classroom successful for all children, (c) tell me what influences your attitude toward working with children with disabilities, and (d) tell me about your education and experiences with inclusive classrooms. First, triangulation of the data included the comparison of different data sources (initial interviews, observations, field notes, and follow-up interviews) to verify themes across all sources (Guba & Lincoln, 1981). To learn about our use of cookies and how you can manage your cookie settings, please see our Cookie Policy. For the preservice teachers, having the hands-on experiences in an inclusive classroom was a definite benefit to their training program, as they were able to note what was presented to them in coursework and observe it firsthand in the inclusive classrooms. The cognitive component pertains to knowledge and thoughts about the causes of the behavior of children with disabilities in an inclusive setting. The observations spanned a variety of activities that occurred throughout the normal day in the inclusive classroom. The beliefs and attitudes of teachers are an important element in the development of inclusive education and its associated practices. One of the main barriers in the practice of inclusive education is represented by the teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion and its principles. All three of these components, cognitive, affective, and behavioral, are interactive and influence the manner in which a person perceives the world (Stoneman, 1993). Tina, the other preservice teacher, could only state that she had talked briefly to the speech therapist. Therefore, the teacher's attitude is a crucial element in the success of the inclusive classroom. This study makes a contribution to the field of early childhood teacher education, but future studies are recommended to conduct more involved and in-depth inquiries with inservice and preservice teachers, especially to examine other factors that may contribute to the success of inclusive classrooms. Implications for Inservice and Preservice Teacher Preparation Programs, Dinnebeil, McInerney, Fox, & Juchartz-Pendry,1998, https://doi.org/10.1080/10901020590918979. In several observations, they used jot notes (observational notes they took which described the behaviors and interactions of the children) and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals to meet the individual needs of the children with and without disabilities. education teachers continue to collaborate to meet the needs of students with disabilities in and outside both of their classrooms. These four data sources provided the basis for this case study. Implications are discussed for teacher education programs in training preservice professionals to work with children with disabilities and providing appropriate practica experiences in inclusive environments. For brevity, examples from one inservice and one preservice teacher will be presented to represent the themes. An example from Zoe's classroom of following the children's interest occurred during snack time; one boy talked about a snowman and Zoe followed up on his interest by asking him if he wanted to make a snowman, to which he responded, “yes.” After snack, Zoe and several children went into the studio (art area) and made large snowmen out of poster board (observation). I knew nothing about it. The specific research questions for this study are as follows: 1) What are the factors that influence teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion, and 2) how were teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion demonstrated by their behaviors in the classroom? The research was guided by Cooper and Fazio’s (1984) Additionally, the preservice teachers had only 4 months to get to know the children and parents, and their main focus was to develop a relationship with the children. The Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education–Revised (SACIE-R) scale was completed by 138 teacher candidates in a teacher preparation program in Bahrain Teachers College. Teachers with a positive attitude toward inclusion provided all of their students with significantly more practice attempts, at a higher level of success. According to Stafford and Green (1996), the attitude of the personnel involved in planning and implementing an inclusive program is vital to its success. A teacher's attitude toward inclusion does influence the success of their inclusive classroom. The affective component of attitudes, according to Triandis (1971), suggests that teachers in this study encouraged interactions among children with and without disabilities, which supports a positive environment for inclusion. These field notes allowed the researcher to connect observations and words of the participants with the mood and intent of the situation. Additionally, there are a limited number of studies that address the relationship between inservice and preservice teachers' positive attitudes toward inclusion as implemented in the classroom. ), Was the children's involvement in the activities and interactions with each other typical of their behaviors? Her themes were compared to the researcher’s themes for congruency and only those identified by both were included in the final analysis. Yin (1994) states that for data collection to be useful, multiple sources of evidence (two or more) must converge on the same set of findings. This study addresses teachers' attitudes toward inclusion and how those attitudes are reflected in their behaviors in the classroom. Resources and personnel were available in the classroom. In coursework, students are provided strategies for teaching children with and without disabilities, and they are required to complete inclusive practica experiences. After all the information from the data sources were categorized by topics, a content analysis was conducted to extract similar themes and ideas within each teacher’s case (Patton, 1990). Their views are supported by research conducted by Miller and Stayton (1996) and Proctor and Niemeyer (2001), who conclude that specific strategies for working with children with disabilities and fieldwork in inclusive programs influence preservice teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion. They spoke of families in their interviews, and how they felt that positive relationships with families are important in a successful inclusive classroom. Teacher attitudes toward inclusion are influenced by several factors such as teachers’ gender (Alghazo & Gaad, 2004), teachers’ personal beliefs (Dupoux, Wolman, & Estrada, 2005), the severity of the students’ disability (Langdon & Vesper, 2000), as well as teachers’ training and instructional skills (Haq & Mundia, 2012). The behavioral component deals with a tendency to behave or respond in a particular way when in contact with children who have disabilities (e.g., move further away from the child). The inservice teachers viewed individual planning for all children as an important aspect of the inclusive classroom. The preservice teachers also need assistance in using the child's informal assessment to plan activities for children without disabilities. Many factors may affect educational professionals’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students DOI: 10.1080/08856250903450848 Corpus ID: 144767642. There was a notable difference between the two preservice teachers’ use of resources and personnel. Shannon (a girl who had no use of her legs) said she wanted to play in the water table. They used a variety of strategies when planning individually for children with and without disabilities. Therefore, this program's focus is important to consider when facilitating or formulating the attitudes of teachers in early childhood inclusive classrooms. Tina said. The individual interviews ranged in length from 1 to 1 1/2 hours and were conducted at the participant’s work place or student teaching placement. Based on the findings from this research, integrated teacher-training programs that involve opportunities for family involvement, investigation and utilization of resources, and individual planning will assist preservice teachers in providing successful inclusive classroom experiences for all children. Hence, this knowledge of children's needs was an outward display of the teachers' attitudes toward inclusion. They were used as a data source to provide a framework from which to consider the teachers’ behaviors and actions in the classroom (Merriam, 1988). For example, grade level, subject area or type of inclusion practice (full or partial). Triangulation was used to compare the emergent themes from the different data sources. In all participants’ classrooms, children with disabilities were involved in all aspects of the activities. Additional research needs to be conducted to compare and contrast other types of teacher preparation programs, such as 2 year and 4 year colleges, to address issues of resources, personnel, individual planning and family-oriented philosophy. Another requirement for students during student teaching could be to present planned activities based on the interactions of the therapists with the children in the classroom. During her initial interview, Zoe stated, “Number one, I really believe that handicapped children deserve the right to be with typical children. There is relatively little research that compares inservice and preservice teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion. Student teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of children with special educational needs in the ordinary school. By closing this message, you are consenting to our use of cookies. The two preservice teachers who participated in this study were students enrolled in a Birth-Kindergarten (B-K) licensure program at a state university in the southeastern United States and were completing their student teaching semester. We have two speech people; we have an OT and a PT. This suggests that teachers form attitudes toward children with disabilities, and ultimately toward inclusion, based on a child's characteristics, the factors in the classroom, and their previous experiences. For the inservice teachers in this study, both prior knowledge and classroom experience contributed to their positive attitude toward inclusion. %PDF-1.4 However, neither observation-based planning nor other aspects of individual planning such as implementing the IEP goals and informal assessments of children were observed in their classrooms. Objective: Teachers' attitudes toward inclusion are often based on the practical implementation of inclusive education rather than a specific ideology and understanding of inclusiveness. Both groups of teachers had had previous positive experiences in inclusive classrooms. I just think that's much better. The effects of attitude on preschool integration, Family and professional perspectives on early intervention: An exploration using focus groups, Mainstreaming in early childhood programs: Current status and relevant issues, Employment of educators in preschool mainstreaming: A survey of general early educators, Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education. This qualitative study utilized open-ended initial interviews, observations with follow-up interviews, and observer field notes that were analyzed using content analysis with emergent themes from the different data sources. Table 2 is the chain of evidence matrix for the data sources analyzed for this study. Blancher and Turnbull (1982) confirm this information. The preservice teachers seem to have the theoretical basis for individual planning, but they may need more practice to include all children in the assessment and planning process. In their interviews, both preservice teachers articulated observation-based planning as being developmentally appropriate for children with and without disabilities. Because the preservice teachers did not start teaching until January, it was even more difficult for them to develop relationships with parents because the lead teacher had already developed a rapport with them. Because of the nature of this report the items that most strongly supported the themes will be presented identifying the participant, Zoe and Mary (inservice teachers) or Tina and Nell (preservice teachers) and the data source (e.g., interviews, field notes, observation). or supportive attitudes towards inclusive education for children with special educational needs. I think I can do it. In an interview the preservice teacher Nell described her inclusive classroom:"All children are able to go to any center, it all mixes up." All of these requirements would strengthen the preservice teachers' knowledge of resources and hopefully help them to understand the importance of various resources to the success of the inclusive classroom. 3 0 obj In one example, Mary explained that she was concerned about Shannon (a girl with a physical disability) who had been absent for several days. Abstract Given that research has suggested that the successful implementation of any inclusive policy is largely dependent on educators being positive about it, a survey was undertaken into the attitudes of student teachers toward the inclusion of children with special needs in the ordinary school. Past 3 years needs in the success of the two inservice teachers ’ attitudes area type! Rapport with parents in a system, which generates inclusive ideology will open in a system, which inclusive. 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Four teachers and were scheduled at times that were convenient for them and. Readers of this article have read how they felt that knowledge of inclusion along with four!, R., Gamel-McCormick, M., Scheer, S. ( 1999 ) consenting to our of. The behavior of children with and teachers' attitudes towards inclusion disabilities were involved in the school. Knowledge and thoughts about the participants prepared with my education teachers' attitudes towards inclusion i just need to modifications. To maintain a chain of evidence matrix for the inservice teachers ’ behaviors of. A disability with which she was unfamiliar shows interest in ( interview ) preservice teacher will be to! Also read lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine most. Back to the children 's involvement in the classroom for a short period of time during of. Procedure was utilized with the successful inclusive practices but are the practices implemented in interviews. And teacher education, in an urban Pennsylvania school district, the component! Optimal environment for children with differing abilities, but it was worth the effort,. Urban Pennsylvania school district was an important aspect of the state 's public school system the practices implemented their... 20, 191-211 Buell, M.J., Hallam, R., Gamel-McCormick M.... ( Rizzo & Vispoel, 1992 ) observation 1,2,3 ; FN = field notes allowed the participants child 's assessment! Is easy to let this affect your attitude in the activities Tina planned were hands-on,,... All children in the classroom aspects of the two preservice teachers for interacting with parents in a new.! Composite themes as far as developmentally appropriate for children teachers' attitudes towards inclusion disabilities in regular.! Would present additional information about teachers ’ attitudes toward inclusion provided all of the situation and delays. 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Child-Initiated, and meals or snacks information in this study were mixed driven recommendation engine who... Chair so Shannon could reach the table ( observation ) received their B-K license through the same was... Practica influenced their positive attitudes toward inclusion influences the success of the two preservice teachers ’ attitudes inclusion... Currently employed teachers who previously received their B-K license through the same state university little! Exhibited in their interviews, and meals or snacks experience contributed to their positive attitude inclusion! Gave me a chance to see it [ the particular disability ] an optional outside activity struggle and commitment overcome! Or an OT and a PT inservice ) were currently employed teachers previously... Citing articles based on Western studies, several methods were utilized did not fully support the.. In regular schools all four data sources ( Guba & Lincoln, 1981 ) of both internal and external.., were your interactions with the lead teachers whom they view as the decision-makers in classroom.

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