Attitudes of pre-service mainstream teachers in Singapore towards people with disabilities and inclusive education

Abstract

2004 has come to be seen by many in Singapore as a watershed year with the shift in the position of the government towards encouraging greater integration of students with disabilities in mainstream settings. This study investigated the attitudes of 1538 mainstream pre-service teachers towards disability and inclusive education during this period of policy change. Analysis of the data indicated that the pre-service teachers had little or no knowledge and experience with disability, and generally possessed negative attitudes towards people with disabilities. They evinced ambivalent feelings towards inclusive education, and expressed a preference for special school placements for students with disabilities. While they were open to the inclusion of students with social or communication difficulties, they were not favourable to including students with physical disabilities, sensory impairment, learning disabilities and behavioural problems in mainstream settings. Implications of these findings were discussed and recommendations were made for the inclusion of training in special education at both pre-service and in-service levels.

Keywords:

• integration
• disability
• teacher training
• pre-service teacher attitude
• Singapore

Notes on contributors

Thana Thaver is a Senior Lecturer in the Early Childhood and Special Needs Education Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Levan Lim is an Associate Professor and Head of the Early Childhood and Special Needs Education Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.