The attitudes of teachers towards inclusive education in Vojvodina

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes of preschool, primary, secondary and high school teachers towards inclusive education of children with special educational needs. In addition, the study established the correlation between these attitudes and gender, education level, teaching experience, formal training in the special education field, and the duration and quality of work experience with children with special education needs. The sample comprised 322 teachers from the Serbian province of Vojvodina. The My Thinking about Inclusion Scale (Stoiber, K. C., M. Gettinger, and D. Goetz. 1998. “Exploring Factors Influencing Parents' and Early Childhood Practitioners Beliefs about Inclusion.” Early Childhood Research Quarterly 13 (1): 107–131) was used. The results show that, in general, the participants held neutral attitudes towards inclusive education and more positive expectations regarding the outcomes of inclusion. This study also emphasised teaching performance in an inclusive class as a subject of great concern. The high school and preschool teachers as well as the teachers with previous positive experience with working in an inclusive environment reported more positive attitudes towards inclusive education than those from primary and secondary schools and those with negative experiences with the implementation of inclusive practices.

Keywords:

• inclusive education
• attitudes
• teachers
• special educational needs

Acknowledgement

This study is a result of the project ‘Social Participation of Persons with Intellectual Disability', which was financed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia [No. 179017].

Notes on contributors

Dragana Galović, MSc is special education teacher in Novi Sad. She currently works in Vojvodina promoting support for people with intellectual disabilities and their families.

Branislav Brojćin, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of Inclusive education at the Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation, University of Belgrade. His research interest includes effective strategies of inclusive education and communication of persons with intellectual disabilities.

Nenad Glumbić, Ph.D. is full professor at the Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation, University of Belgrade. His research interest is focused around intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorders. He is currently involved as a chief investigator in the project ‘Social participation of the persons with intellectual disability’.