Knowledge and perceived social norm predict parents’ attitudes towards inclusive education

Abstract

Parents are key stakeholders in education and their support is pivotal to policy implementation. Through a large-scale survey, the present study investigated the validity of a structural model describing the relationship between attitude, knowledge, and perceived social norm among parents of children with special needs. Results revealed that knowledge and perceived social norm were powerful predictors of parents’ attitudes towards inclusion and the two predictors were intercorrelated. Exploratory analyses on the effect of demographic variables on parents’ attitudes demonstrated that male parents exhibited more positive attitudes towards inclusion than female parents; and parents of children at a higher grade level indicated less positive attitudes. Cultural issues of parents’ concerns about inclusive practice are discussed.

Keywords:

• inclusive education
• special educational needs
• parents
• attitudes
• knowledge
• perceived social norm

Acknowledgement

No financial interest or benefit is expected to arise from the direct applications of this research.

Notes on contributors

Dr Ming Lui is an Assistant Professor working in the Department of Education Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University. She is experienced in interacting with parents of children with special needs via parents' alliances, associations, and schools. With substantial research experience in social sciences, she played a significant role in different research projects on inclusive education, such as the ‘Study on Equal Learning Opportunities for Students with Disabilities under the Integrated Education System’ commissioned by the Equal Opportunity Commission in Hong Kong.

Prof. Kuen-Fung Sin is the Director of the Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education and a Professor in the Department of Special Education and Counselling at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. He has extensive consultancy experience in research projects in the area of inclusive education in Asian contexts, as well as training teachers of children with disabilities in China.

Dr Lan Yang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Her research interests include self-concept, student motivation, achievement emotions, and positive youth development. She was one of the three recipients of the Highly Commended Dissertation Award from the Global Self-concept Enhancement and Learning Facilitation (SELF) Research Network, 2013.

Prof. Chris Forlin is Professor of Special and Inclusive Education holding an adjunct appointment at the Hong Kong Institute of Teacher Education. Her work involves teacher education for inclusion, education reform, policy, and curriculum change, particularly in the Asia and Pacific regions.

Dr Fuk-Chuen Ho is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education and Counselling at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. He has extensive experiences in the management of teacher education programmes. He is now the programme coordinator of the Basic, Advanced and/or Thematic Courses for Teacher Professional Development on Catering for Students with Special Educational Needs (BAT).

ORCID

Ming Lui http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7996-0386

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR under Grant [project no. 18404614, 843612 and 844313].