ABSTRACT
This investigation focused on pre-service teachers’ sentiments, attitudes, and concerns regarding inclusive practices in Turkey. A total of 406 students from different departments of a university school of education participated in this study. The Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised (SACIE-R) scale was used as a data collection tool to measure pre-service teachers’ engagement with and perceptions of inclusion and assess the rationales underlying their beliefs about and support for the practice. The findings indicated that there is a significant difference in terms of pre-service teachers’ attitudes, concerns, and sentiments regarding inclusion among departments and according to respondents’ levels of confidence in teaching students with disabilities. The pre-school education teacher candidates had more positive attitudes towards inclusion. The findings revealed that pre-service teachers need more opportunities to interact with and teach students with special needs during their school practicums. They also revealed that pre-service teachers need to have experience and confidence as well as knowledge about legislation and policies related to inclusion.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.