Exploring parental experiences in inclusive education for children with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Parental involvement is essential for inclusive education, as it addresses challenges and enhances effectiveness. Attitudes towards inclusion vary based on disability type, but experience shows positive effects on children’s development. The study included 255 parents of children with intellectual disabilities in Turkish public schools. The parents’ demographic information, including education, job status, and their children’s school level, was collected through a Personal Information Form, while the Competence Scale for Inclusion Practices in Schools was used to assess the level of competencies of schools in inclusive practices. The study found that parents had mixed perspectives on teachers’ knowledge levels, school guidance services, environmental and educational arrangements, and resource rooms. These perspectives were influenced by factors such as the education level of their children, satisfaction with inclusion, work experience with the classroom teacher, type of work on inclusion practices, and academic or social expectations.

Keywords:

• parent perspectives
• intellectual disabilities
• attitudes towards inclusion
• inclusive education
• inclusion practices

Data availability

Data not available publicly.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.