Inclusive cultures, policies and practices in Spanish compulsory secondary education schools: teachers’ perceptions in ordinary and specific teaching contexts

Abstract

This article presents a study that attempts to inquire into the indicators related with inclusive education by taking into account teachers responses in the ordinary and specific teaching contexts (experts in special education needs, specialists in therapeutic pedagogy and compensatory education or specific programmes organised to accommodate diversity). We used a Spanish translation of the Index for Inclusion, which has been adapted and divided into three Likert-type scales about inclusive cultures, organisation in the teaching learning context and inclusive practices. We did a t-test to detect any significant differences in teachers responses in terms of the ordinary or specific teaching contexts in which they work. No significant differences were seen in the items related to cultures and organisation, but we found significant differences in 12 of the 36 items of the inclusive practices scale. Finally, we discuss the role of the processes for innovation and transformation in secondary schools and provide key factors to build an intercultural inclusive school.Keywords: inclusive education; teacher s perceptions; secondary schools I ntroductionTeachers perceptions of good practices or about those that come closer to their conception of inclusive practices vary considerably from some contexts to others and are conditioned by the different meanings of the term inclusive education , which has been a matter of great debate worldwide. We consider that inclusive education means education in diversity, which is an ethical and pedagogic option that implies, first, assuming diversity by considering each person as a different individual with his or her own peculiarities and a way of being and living; second, accepting diversity as a value and always from a few shared minimums; third, starting pedagogical strategies that are able to respond to heterogeneous situations and promote the exchange of perspectives as a way of mutual enrichment.Indeed, international organisations such as UNESCO (2005) or the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education (2005)1 have elaborated documents that help clarify those practices that may be considered inclusive. By studying the examples of good practices from each country involved in their elaboration, seven common factors were found: cooperative teaching, cooperative learning, cooperative solutions to conflicts, heterogeneous groupings, efficient pedagogic approaches, the classroom reference system and alternative learning strategies. The last two factors seem to be of particular importance at the secondary education stage.

Students with Severe, Permanent Disabilities and Their Educational Inclusion in Spain

“…The degree courses which have been created as a result of the Bologna process have caused, in most universities, a severe deterioration which can endanger education inclusion itself (Chiner & Cardona, 2013;López, 2009;Moliner, Sales, Ferrández, & Traver, 2011;Opertti & Brady 2011).…”

Inovação na Educação Inclusiva: Estado da Arte em 2017

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The perspectives of secondary school students with special needs in Spain during the crisis

“…This finding is supported by Marchesi et al (2005), whose research revealed that secondary teachers were the most critical about inclusive schooling with specific regard to students with disabilities. Moliner et al (2011) have found similarly, noting that functionalist perspectives held by teachers lead them to believe that students' disabilities, social or family backgrounds explain their inability to learn.…”