Vol.

6 JulyInternational
IAMURE 2013 Journal of Multidisciplinary Research
Print ISSN 2243-8327 · Online ISSN 2244-0429
International Peer Reviewed Journal
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7718/iamure.v6i1.663
This Journal is produced by IAMURE Multidisciplinary Research,
an ISO 9001:2008 certified by the AJA Registrars Inc.

Awareness and Attitudes of Administrators,

SPED and Regular Teachers Towards
Inclusive Education
SOL J. DALONOS
ORCID No. 0000-0001-5860-7145
dalonossol@gmail.com
Mindanao University of Science and Technology
Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines

ABSTRACT

Teachers and administrators are perceived to be integral to the implementation

of inclusive education. They played a vital role in the successful implementation
of inclusive education as they are viewed as linchpins in the process of including
students with disabilities into regular classes. This cannot be achieved if awareness
and attitudes towards inclusive education has not been practiced and developed.
This study was conducted to assess the awareness and attitudes towards inclusive
education in the context of mainstreaming children with special needs in Cagayan
de Oro City, Philippines. This descriptive study involved administrators, regular
and special education teachers in public schools. The respondents were given
questionnaires in order to determine their awareness and attitudes towards
inclusive education. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics as weighted
mean and standard deviation. The findings were synthesized according to the
aspects of administrators, regular and SPED teachers’ awareness and attitudes
towards inclusive education.

KEYWORDS

Education, inclusive education, awareness, attitudes, mainstreaming, children

with special needs, descriptive design, Philippines

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INTRODUCTION

Inclusive Education (IE) is considered as an educational reform that aims to

wipe out barriers in the education system by bringing all children into regular
education, irrespective of their diversity and backgrounds. Despite having a
broader understanding of IE, it is reported that some teachers feel uncomfortable
in including children with special needs in their programs (Forlin et al., 2011;
Kim, 2011).
Many factors continue to affect and regulate the development of inclusive
education in Ethiopia. One of the determinant factors refers to the attitude of
the community toward persons with disabilities and inclusive education. Among
others, a limited understanding of the concept disability, negative attitude towards
persons with disabilities and a hardened resistance to change are the major barrier
impeding inclusive education. In India, inclusive education is still developing and
presently it is not easy to identify good practices. Inclusive culture was analyzed
by studying the knowledge, skills and attitudes of teachers, parents and children
in accepting children with disabilities. A study in Malawi has posed a challenge
to make inclusive education a reality due to limited resources. Insufficient
funding, environmental and attitudinal barriers are some of the major challenges
to implementing inclusive education in schools. The study reveals a number of
challenges that teachers and learners (with and without disabilities) are facing in
schools.
In Europe, the European Agency for Development in Special Needs
Education has been developing indicators for Inclusive Education, with the aim
of developing a methodology that would lead to a set of indicators suitable for
national level monitoring, but that could also be applied at the European level.
The indicators are expected to have a clear focus on the policy conditions that
may support or hinder the development of inclusive education within schools.
In England, the government made a clear commitment to inclusive education
by embedding inclusive practice in every school and early years setting. It cited
the 1997 Green Paper, Excellence for All Children, as signalling the government’s
commitment to the principle of inclusion and the need to rethink the role of
special schools within that context. While in Australia, several Australian states
have made a commitment to inclusive education. The aim of Building Inclusive
Schools (BIS) strategy since it commenced in 2002 has been to raise awareness
across all levels of the education system of changing societal expectations in
relation to the education of students with disabilities and the legal imperatives
that now impact on schools. It is described as a professional learning program

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that promotes and supports the cultural shift of inclusive educational practices
in all public schools.
Inclusion of students with disabilities in the regular classroom has been met
with a lot of resistance from regular education teachers who would be responsible
for educating children with special needs. Regular school teachers believe that
students with disabilities require special needs which cannot be provided in
inclusive based regular classroom. They also believe that their professional
knowledge and skills are inadequate to effectively teach students with disabilities
in regular schools. Many regular education teachers feel unprepared and scared to
work with disabled learners and display anger, frustration and negative attitude
towards inclusive education. They also believe it lowers academic standards.
Etenesh (2000) found that most teachers reject the admission of students with
disabilities into their schools. The same source indicates that teachers also refuse
the placement of students with disability in their classes with the notion that
this could be unrewarding and burdensome. The rejection is stronger with those
children with severe disabilities than those with less severe disabilities are. The
beliefs, negative attitude and concerns expressed by teachers may be explained
due to lack of professional preparedness, available resources, sufficient orientation
and specialist assistance (Gary, 1997). Initial professional knowledge and further
training, human and material resources enhance teachers’ attitudes positively and
affect their willingness make inclusion work (Gary, 1997).
In Cagayan de Oro City Central School SPED Center, the program started
in 2000 with two or three special children mainstreamed in the regular classroom
setting. Some teachers would say, with the number of students they have in the
classroom (40-45 pupils), a child with attention deficit hyperactive disorder
(ADHD) roaming around the room is not much of a welcome thought. Putting
a learning disability (LD) or a mentally retarded (MR) child in the mainstream
class is a thunderstorm at its best, both for the children with and without
disabilities and most especially, the teachers. Even when trying to address the
issue the most important social aspects awareness and readiness are missing.
School administrations, whose consent to implement an inclusive learning
system throughout schools is necessary, are not yet ready. Only through personal
relationship with NGO members and direct exposure to persons with special
needs have several schools expressed readiness to participate in such projects.
The belief system of teachers plays a major role in inclusive teaching practice.
Barnyak and Paquette (2010) reported that teachers are unlikely to change
their teaching style when a change is warranted, unless their belief system can
be changed first. Many education researchers, who explored elementary or

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secondary teachers’ attitudes, often argue that the belief system of teachers is
developed through their teacher education program that they undergo (Gao &
Mager, 2011). It is also evident that the rate of return of investing in pre-service
teachers is much better than that of in-service teachers (Savolainen et al., 2012).
Therefore, to encourage change in teachers’ attitudes towards students with SEN
in regular classrooms, it is important to understand how teachers think about IE
during their preparation as teachers.
One of the most important factors affecting teachers’ attitudes towards
integration or inclusion is the type and severity of disabilities. Research reveals
that irrespective of teaching experience, severity of disability shows an inverse
relationship with positive attitudes such that as the perception of severity increase,
teachers positive attitude decrease (Forlin et al., 1996). According to Pollard
and Rojewski (1993), an additional component of positive attitude is related to
class size. General educators report that reducing class size to 20 students would
facilitate their integration effort. Campbell et al. (1985) opined that teachers
were less able to objectively observe, rate and plan appropriate intervention for
their behaviours. Another factor that could contribute to the rejection of children
with special needs by regular teachers and administrators was lack of special
training. Many teachers were afraid that they did not have skills necessary for
teaching children with special needs. Others felt that working with these children
was not gratifying as working with normal individuals. This implies the need
for the development of positive attitude towards the successful implementation
of inclusive education. Further, the review entails the need to the availability
of training, adapted curriculum, resources and utmost responsibility of the
teachers for the implementation of inclusive education. Another implication is
for professionals, practitioners and policy makers to design programs to intervene
negative attitudes and to control factors contributing towards negative attitudes
in implementing successful inclusion.
With these barriers associated with inclusion administrators/principals, SPED
and regular teachers in schools need to be flexible in order to develop confidence
in their ability to meet barriers to learning. They need time and opportunity
to develop relevant organizational and curriculum responses. For inclusive
education to succeed, it is vitally important that teachers, principals and other
education stakeholders maintain a positive attitude towards inclusion. They must
be firmly convinced of the benefits that inclusive practices bring to all children.
One way of improving stakeholders’ attitudes towards inclusive education is to
raise awareness of the potential benefits of inclusive education for all students.
Even if inclusive education is mandated by law, it will never succeed without

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the enthusiastic support of its practitioners. Obtaining such support involves

behavior and attitudinal change which is not a quick or easy process. According to
Salend and Duhaney (1999), educators have varying attitudes towards inclusion,
their responses being shaped by a range of variables such as their success in
implementing inclusion, student characteristics, training and levels of support.
Some studies reported positive outcomes for general teachers, including increased
skills in meeting the needs of all their students and developing an increased
confidence in their teaching ability. Negative outcomes included the fear that
the education of non-disabled children might suffer and the lack of funds to
support instructional needs. Since teachers’ attitudes influence practice (Sindelar,
Brownell & Billingsley, 2010), it is imperative to understand the responses and
expectations of teachers about IE for students with SEN. For special educators,
the benefits included an increased feeling of being an integral part of the school
community and the opportunity to work with students without disabilities.
One of the important themes to emerge is the importance of peer-support
within staff groups. Teachers could still hold positive attitudes towards inclusion,
even if the management team and heads of department within the same school
were not regarded as being particularly supportive. Peer support was highlighted
as a valuable component enabling teachers to feel that they were able successfully
to include children with special needs. Moreover, the importance of peer support
was perceived as superseding other support across the three high schools (Boyle
et al., 2013).

FRAMEWORK

The concept of this study is anchored on the Inclusive Education Model

(Jordan et al., 2009). This focuses on moving away from disabilist theories,
assumptions, practices and models to a non-disabilist, inclusive system of
education. Educationists are aware of the impact of psychological theory. Indeed,
the majority of special education discourses are located within educational
psychology frameworks and departments. Many psychological theories of
understanding learning breakdown believe that problems are located within
learners.
Inclusive Education means rethinking one’s attitudes towards disability. The
first step is to move from seeing disability only in medical terms to seeing it in
terms of the rights of the disabled. Secondly, barriers to learning in the system
need to be identified and interventions need to be made. In other words, one
needs to examine what impediments exist in the system that prevents disabled

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people from accessing learning (UNESCO, 2000).

Inclusion has two sub-types: the first is sometimes called  regular
inclusion or partial inclusion, and the other is full inclusion. In the full inclusion
setting, the students with special needs are always educated alongside students
without special needs, as the first and desired option while maintaining appropriate
supports and services. Some educators say this might be more effective for the
students with special needs.  At the extreme, full inclusion is the integration of
all students, even those that require the most severe educational and behavioral
supports and services to be successful in regular classes and the elimination of
special, segregated special education classes (Karten, 2010).

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study aimed to assess the awareness, to analyze the attitudes and the
factors that affect attitudes of stakeholders in mainstreaming children with special
needs in the regular classroom setting.

METHODOLOGY

This study used the descriptive method of research. The questionnaire

was structured using the Likert format with a five-point response scale. The
designated quantifications used in the questionnaire were very much aware, more
aware, moderately aware, fairly aware, and unaware on stakeholders’ awareness
and strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree and strongly
disagree on the attitudes. The participants include the administrators/principals,
Special Education and Regular teachers in City Central School SPED Center,
West City School and Bonbon Elementary School in Cagayan de Oro City.
The quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS) computer software (Coates & Steed, 2003). Descriptive statistics as
weighted mean and standard deviation were determined. Data collection was
carried out with the prior permission of the Principal and contacted the teachers
to get the responses. Good rapport with teachers was established. The objectives
of the study, importance of their cooperation and their sincere responses before
the distribution of the questionnaire were emphasized. They were informed that
confidentiality of the information would be maintained strictly. The teachers
were instructed very clearly about the pattern of answering the questionnaire.
They were given enough time to answer all the statements.

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Of the 30 respondents, 7 (7.78%) are principals, 10 (11.11%) regular teachers,

and 13 (14.45%) SPED teachers. For the administrative/teaching position, there
were 4 (57.1%) principal I; 2 (28.6%) principal IV; and 1 (14.3%) no response.
Nine (69.2%) are SPED teachers; 1 (7.7%) teacher III; 3 (23.1%) no response.
Regular teachers, were 3 (30.0%) teacher I; 2 (20.0%) teacher II; 1 (10.0%)
teacher III; and 4 (40.0%) no response. As to experience in handling SPED
programs, administrators/principals have the average experience of 6.0 years
while the regular or receiving teachers, 4.50 years and SPED teachers with 8.33
years.

Table 1. Levels of awareness of the stakeholders towards inclusive education

Stakeholders N Mean Interpretation

Principal 7 4.67 Very Much Aware
Regular Teachers 10 4.12 More Aware
SPED Teachers 13 4.75 Very Much Aware

Table 1 shows the levels of awareness of the stakeholders towards Inclusive

Education. The principals were very much aware on the inclusive education for
children with special needs (5.00). Schools with the administrative support for
Inclusive Education demonstrated a significant increase of awareness regarding
the concept of inclusion. They believed that special education teachers have a
great responsibility in discussing Individualized Education Plans (IEP) to the
receiving teachers (5.00). The greatest role of the principal is to implement the
special education program and to ensure the necessary resources, personnel,
support services and organization (4.86).
A recent study (Salisbury & McGregor, 2002) suggests that the school
principals have an essential role in improving the school environment and in
implementing educational policy. Thus, there is a need to establish linkages with
different agencies for better community support (4.71). That there should be
an initial and in-service training of teachers who may have to accept children
with special needs (4.86). It is through training that teacher could bring the
necessary adaptation required to meet special needs of their student. A number of
researchers have concluded that successful implementation of inclusion depends
largely on the goodwill of educators in addition to the skill they required to have.

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Some articles also focused on the necessity of teachers to receive training

in inclusive education as part of their studies in becoming teachers (Florian &
Linklater 2010; Jordan et al., 2008). Bernal and Torres (1990) reiterated that
this training must be systematic, promoting collegial interaction and fostering
teacher support system. However, they are more aware of the problems existing
in the implementation of inclusive education (4.43). That the implementation of
Inclusive Education needs to be seamless and that a reflection on the successful
relationship between the collaborating teachers needs to be maintained and
requires sustained contact between the special education and content departments
(4.43).
Seminars/workshops/trainings on special education are very necessary for the
principals and receiving teachers to equip them with knowledge on Inclusive
Education and most probably the proper information and background of the
special children in preparation for inclusion. They also need help in understanding
these assistive devices and technology for the benefit of children with special needs.
Administrators and receiving teachers worry that to accommodate pupils with
disabilities, the curriculum pace is slowed or altered in a way that is detrimental
to other pupils in the classroom. There is a need to define roles and responsibilities
of personnel in relation to the improvement of SPED services (4.29) and for
better understanding especially in the placement of special children (4.14).
Regular teachers are more aware that special education trainings help
teachers teach to all levels, not just to those students with special needs (4.40).
Training in special education program is needed as a receiving teacher (4.30)
for better understanding of these special children mainstreamed in the regular
classroom setting (4.40). When these teachers are provided proper training and
supportive services through a collaborative consultant and designated time to
meet willingness to participate in collaborative interactions, they can come at
par with special teachers. Studies indicate that general education teachers receive
minimal special education training as a component of their pre-service training.
A discrepancy appears to exist as to what is perceived as being taught in teacher
training programs and what is actually being taught. The reality is that general
educators receive limited preparation to meet the academic needs of students
with disabilities (Salend & Duhaney, 1999). Mainstreaming can be full or partial
depending on the capabilities and readiness of the special child. Mainstreaming
of children with special needs is participating in the non-academic portions of
the general education program, such as art, music, and physical education (4.30).
Educating children with disabilities in general education settings with access
to the general education curriculum requires careful planning and preparation

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(Deno, 1997). This inclusive setting can expand a student’s personal interests
and knowledge of the world, which is excellent preparation for adulthood (4.30).
Classrooms are now becoming more diverse with respect to students abilities,
therefore sensitivity and awareness on the part of general education/regular
teacher is essential to promote successful inclusion.
According to Bender et al. (1995), teachers who are aware of the inclusion
policy and therefore can define the pragmatic meaning of inclusion is more
willing to be part of the inclusion team. However, numerous studies show that
teachers agreed that the inclusive education is important, but many found it
difficult to apply.
Special Education (SPED) teachers are very much aware of the ultimate goal
of special education shall be the integration or mainstreaming of learners with
special needs into the regular school system and eventually into the community
(Policies & Guidelines in Special Education, 1997). That mainstreaming will be
participated by the special children in the non-academic portions of the general
education program, such as art, music, and physical education (4.92).
The special education and regular teachers need preparation, administrative
support, and opportunities to nurture collaborative relationships (4.92). Both
the general and special education teachers must function as a team. The team
or partnership should be such that special education and general education
cooperatively assess the educational needs of the students with learning
problems and cooperatively develop educational strategies for meeting the needs
(Mayhew, 1994). They believe that consultation would require a strong trust and
communication system between the regular and special education teachers as
well as parents (4.92). Through mainstreaming, regular teachers may experience
the joy and challenge in teaching special children (4.85). As a SPED teacher
equipped with knowledge and skills on inclusive education, proper information
must be given to the administrators, regular teachers, and parents regarding the
assistive devices and technology for the special children (4.85).

Table 2. Levels of attitudes of the stakeholders

towards inclusive education

Stakeholders N Mean Interpretation

Principal 7 4.64 Strongly Agree
Regular Teachers 10 4.35 Agree
SPED Teachers 13 4.57 Strongly Agree

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Table 2 indicates the level of attitudes of the stakeholders towards inclusive

education. Principals strongly agreed that an open rapport between parents and
teachers must be developed so that the teachers are made aware if there is a
problem outside of school (4.86). Receiving teachers need to coordinate their
plans with the special education teachers and parents of mainstream pupils to
discuss problems especially attitudes of individual staff members about children
with special needs; their adjustment and acceptance of children with special
needs mainstreamed in the regular classroom setting; and their relationship with
the parents (4.71). Support is very essential to the inclusive educational setting
for the successful social and academic achievement; positive effects of inclusion
have been proven, and it is clearly for the best of the nation that interest to
continue and consider the development of inclusive programs in schools (4.71).
According to Websre and Wood (1995) for inclusion to be well perceived by
individual with disability and non-disability and by the staff who teach them,
certain condition including the existence of positive attitude have to be met.
Otherwise, as noted by the same source positive inclusion is unlikely to occur
spontaneously in mainstreamed classrooms.
The principal’s role and attitude toward inclusive practices are keys to the
success or failure of inclusion in the individual school (Dyal, Flynt & Bennett-
Walker, 1996). Support of principals is essential for the success of inclusion in
public schools (Hegler, 1995). However, they agreed that normal peer relationship
on an informal basis should be encouraged as much as possible (4.43) so that
positive attitude must be developed to the very young children with handicaps
and that should not be isolated from normal children (4.29). It is very important
to develop a positive attitude towards children with disabilities for they know of
the common attitudes of the public towards inclusive education (4.29).
Pace’s (2003) study recommended that principals and other administrators
contemplating inclusive education programs need to consider teacher attitudes
about inclusion prior to its implementation. The researchers determined that one-
day workshops or one time orientation meetings were not effective. There must be
a move away from a purely technical approach of inclusion to an understanding
of the larger issues involved. In the inclusion process, administrators need to
create a collaborative culture in the school and assist teachers to develop skills
required for collaborative service delivery.
Regular teachers agree that inclusion strategies can have a positive effect on
special children yet go unnoticed by the rest of the class (4.30). The implementation
of inclusive education needs to be seamless, and a reflection on the successful
relationship between the collaborating teachers (4.30). One of the most

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significant stipulations that allow for successful inclusion of children with special
needs is the attitudes of the general education teacher regarding the inclusion
of special education students into their classroom. That favorable attitude must
be developed towards children with special needs (4.30). LeyRoy and Simpson
(1996) reported that as teachers experience with students, particularly those with
special needs intensify their confidence to teach them is likely to grow which
invariably alter their negative attitudes.
Attitude of teachers can be changed by exposing them to inclusion practices,
in service education programmes, workshops and seminars, literature in the field
and by learning from others’ experiences. It is argued that when teachers gain
extensive professional knowledge needed to implement inclusive programs they
may succumb to it (Avramidis et al., 2000). Teachers need to understand that
as soon as they have decided to take up inclusive classrooms as part of their
responsibility, then they need to be ready for a lot of work. Teachers should
equip themselves with all the necessary information needed to cope with these
changes. There are certain skills and knowledge that will help them teach children
with special needs (Reynolds & Fletcher-Jansen, 2007). Islands of change may
have limited coverage, but they can be scaled-up and led to broader change with
advocacy (Holdsworth, 1994).
Proper information is needed especially on the usage of assistive technology
devices (4.20), for them to know the burden of these technologies on the part
of the regular teachers and regular pupils as well (4.00). Teachers can also help
students with special needs adapt to the mainstream classroom environment
through equipping themselves with all the necessary technology available in the
world today. There are always new devices and methods that are being created in
order to help children with special needs live better lives.
The positive effects of inclusive education on classmates without disabilities
have demonstrated a greater acceptance and valuing of individual differences
(4.10). Research shows that the benefits of inclusive classrooms reach beyond
academics. This is particularly important for young children, who learn best
when they feel safe, secure, and at home in their classrooms. An environment that
encourages young children’s social and emotional development will stimulate all
aspects of their learning.
SPED teachers strongly agreed that wholesome relationship with the receiving
teacher should be established (4.77). That collaboration of SPED teachers and
regular teachers create a good and harmonious relationship (4.69). Teachers
both general and special education must collaborate to create learning strategies
and environments that work for all students. This also shows that collaboration

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between the mainstream and the special education teachers is important and that
there should be a clear guideline on the implementation of inclusive education.
In addition to professional collaboration, inclusion teachers also need to
coordinate their plans with the parents of inclusion students. Inclusion is best
utilized when all students participate, and they are exposed to all aspects of
school. This exposure can only occur when collaboration exists between regular
education teachers and special education teachers and resources. Another method
suggested was modifying the teaching method and amount of support according
to the students Individualized Educational Plan (Janney & Snell, 2006).
Moreover, it was found out that fieldwork and early exposure to inclusive
education is also beneficial in learning how and when to apply the modifications
(Florian & Linklater 2010). Teachers with positive attitudes towards inclusion
more readily change and adapt the ways they work in order to benefit students
with a range of learning needs (4.69). Research findings determined that it is not
only the general education teachers who need to have positive attitudes for the
success of inclusion programs. The results also indicated that successful inclusion
is dependent upon the positive attitude of special education teachers as well.
The positive effects of inclusive education on classmates without disabilities
have demonstrated a greater acceptance and valuing of individual differences,
enhanced self-esteem, a genuine capacity for friendship, and the acquisition of
new skills (4.69). Research shows that principals, special education and regular
teachers, parents and community members must all be involved and invested
in the successful outcome of inclusive education (Villa, 1997; Walther-Thomas,
1997). From this research process, effective inclusive education requires sustained
contact between the special education and content departments. Cawley et al.
(2002) found that special education teachers working in inclusive situations
reported having a greater sense of belonging to the school community, an
enriched view of education, a greater breadth of knowledge of the general
education system, and a greater overall enjoyment of teaching.
In this study, attitudes of teachers toward inclusion of children with
special needs in the general education classroom are barriers to the success of
inclusion. Teachers may express acceptance but may not be willing to make
the adaptations and modifications necessary for successful inclusion. They may
have positive attitudes despite their concerns about actual implementation of
inclusion. Therefore, teachers’ education program must focus on promoting
positive attitudes of teachers toward inclusion. Eisner (1994) viewed attitudes
from a social constructivist perspective stating attitudes should not be viewed as
solely personal but arising out of interactions with other in the system (school,

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teachers, students). Further, it strengthens the idea that educational providers

develop strategies to cater to the education of children with special needs within
mainstream settings. In the light of these changes, this study considers both
teachers’ awareness and attitudes toward inclusive education in which the latter
component has not been given an area of investigation.
The findings of the study should be interpreted in the light of the following
limitations. Findings were largely based on self-reports by administrators, regular
and SPED teachers. There will always be some doubt as to whether administrators,
regular and SPED teachers’ responses reflect their true attitudes and awareness on
inclusive education in the context of mainstreaming children with special needs
into regular classroom settings. Responses should be interpreted with caution.
This study only assessed the awareness, the attitudes and the factors that affect
the attitudes of stakeholders in mainstreaming children with special needs in
the regular classroom setting. Future investigations may consider other variables
on administrators, regular and SPED teachers’ awareness and attitudes towards
inclusive education.

CONCLUSIONS

From the findings, the following conclusions are made about administrators/
principals, SPED and regular teachers’ awareness and attitudes towards inclusive
education. Their awareness on the program will greatly help in understanding
more in educating children with special needs in general education settings with
access to the general education curriculum. Teachers have a positive perception
towards the implementation of the inclusive education programme. However,
there are some aspects that can be improved such as the collaboration between
the mainstream and special education teachers and the preparation to train
regular teachers in handling and teaching children with special needs. The need
to provide adequate resources to inclusive classes as never been more critical. In
addition, there should be an increasing effort in promoting inclusive education
program to the public as well as to the stakeholders. The Communication from
the Commission on improving competences for the 21st Century: An agenda
for European cooperation in schools also highlights the need for initial teacher
training to improve the balance between theory and practice and to present
teaching as a problem-solving or research-in-action activity linked more to pupils’
and students’ learning and progress. Therefore, teachers’ education program must
focus on promoting positive teachers attitude toward inclusion.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

In-service courses and training initiatives should be organized to orient

teachers and support staff on inclusive education. At the same time, they will
gradually become involved in the training programs of the district-based support
teams intended for regular or receiving teachers for mainstreaming. Different types
of assistive devices should be provided to assist learners with mobility, hearing,
and communication, sight, writing and sitting problems. Evaluation should be
done on how the people concern responding the program and collaboration with
other paraprofessionals to find out what is the initiative’s impact on sensitising
and improving attitudes among the administrators/principals, special education
and regular teachers toward children with disabilities. The information contained
in this study suggests that increased support may increase positivity towards
inclusive education. Teachers who showed favorable attitudes towards inclusive
education are likely to have received some training (TQI-SEP, 2010) or were
aware that inclusive education has been put forward as a concept for development
in the recent 2010 Educational Policy. This study will also be useful for those who
have an interest in inclusive education policy. Many studies have indicated that
support from a government can have a positive impact on teachers attitudes, as
well as the ability to affect the successful implementation of inclusive education
(Charema, 2007). In sum, this research could have an impact on the field of
educational research and subsequently may contribute to the global knowledge
base of inclusive education.

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Barnyak, N. C., & Paquette, K. R.

2010 An investigation of elementary preservice teachers’ reading instructional
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Bender, W.N., Vail, C.O. and K. Scott

1995 Teachers attitudes toward increased mainstreaming implementing
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Boyle, C., Topping, K., & Jindal-Snape, D.

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