Preschool teacher’s awareness, attitudes and challenges towards inclusive early childhood education: A qualitative study

Figures & data

Table 1. Overview of teacher’ demographic data

Nr	Professional Degree	Working experience (years)	Children age
3 3 4	4 years of BA degree 4 years of BA degree 4 years of BA degree	1,8,17 11, 18, 25 11, 22, 30	0 to 3 years old 3 to 6 years old 5 to 6 years old
Total 10

Table 2. Themes and subthemes from the content analysis

Categories	Themes	Description
How do teachers understand the process of inclusion (is it holistic?)	Understanding and applying	Based on human rights Based in world document (like Human Right Declaration, Children Rights Convent, Salamanca Declaration, etc.) Bases in Nacional documents (like Kosovo Curriculum Framework, Core Early Childhood Curriculum, etc.)
Pedagogical approaches and professional preparedness of teachers to work in an inclusive classroom (teaching methods, child wellbeing)		As a problematic issue Serious difficulties working with children with several impairments/disabilities (autism, Down syndrome, etc.). Lack of experience and proper information on specific working methodologies. Lack of proper previous assessment of children with special education needs (SEN) by experts. Not enough information and skills to use adequate teaching methods. Lack of concretization means to work with children with SEN.
Importance and benefits of inclusiveness	Attitudes	80% of participants have a positive attitude: Very important process (acceptance from children with typical development) Children with special needs feel accepted, and learn to accept others Opportunities for social and emotional development for all the children Feelings of empathy and altruism Developing tolerance and democracy in other children in the group Socializing with other children. Other children without SEN also benefits 20 % of participants expressed their attitudes that children with special needs cannot benefit anything in regular classes/groups The changes in children with special needs are very minimal
Problems and challenges teacher are being faced	Challenges and future perspective	Creating an inclusive culture Working with a large number of children in inclusive settings Lack of support for teachers Lack of adequate teacher training Provision of professional resources Lack of cooperation between parents and institutions Not appropriate school infrastructure Lack of financial resources
Possibilities brought from the process of inclusion and its future perspective (who benefits what?)		Everybody could benefit from an inclusive system of education. Education for all Children with special needs can be educated in regular classrooms and that this process is possible if there is: maximum engagement by each factor from the preschool teachers to the central level (MEST) support by the family and the whole society improvisations are eliminated, and local and international best practices are considered; and more financial funds are allocated.

Figure 1. Path Analysis Model of Nine Components for Implementing Inclusive Education.