Preservice and Early Career Teachers' Attitudes Toward Inclusion, Instructional Accommodations, and Fairness: Three Profiles

Abstract

This investigation examined the attitudes of beginning general education teachers (preservice and early career) with respect to teaching in inclusion classrooms. Sixty graduate students, taking a survey at the conclusion of a special education course, completed Q-sorts constructed to evaluate responses regarding attitude toward (a) inclusion, (b) instructional accommodations, and (c) fairness, along two dimensions: positive/negative and anxious/confident. A three-factor solution resulted in profiles of three groups of teachers: keen, but anxious, beginners (mostly preservice teachers with positive attitudes, but who worried about being effective inclusion teachers); positive doers (more experienced teachers whose struggles with the challenges of inclusion had not deterred their positive attitudes); and resisters (mostly experienced teachers whose concerns about fairness signified their resistance to inclusion). Teacher educators may find these profiles useful in preparing teachers to teach in inclusion classrooms.

Voices of American and Israeli Early Childhood Educators on Inclusion

“…These feelings of inadequacy lead to calls for help and generate doubts about the appropriateness of inclusion for the particular child. These emotions and resulting reactions mirror closely those described in many of the studies of inclusion literature and so are not unique to a Jewish setting (Berry, 2010;Frankel, et al, 2014).…”

Practices That Support the Inclusion of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Mainstream Early Childhood Education in Zimbabwe

“…Nevertheless, several researchers have examined beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions regarding including learners with special needs, educational processes, and supports in regular classes (Berry, 2010;Donnelly & Watkins, 2011;Florian & Black-Hawkins, 2011). According to the best knowledge of the researcher, there is a dearth of studies on pedagogy of learners with autism in Zimbabwe.…”

“…Despite the worldwide pursuit of inclusion, a universally accepted definition of it is illusive thus far due to conceptual difficulties in defining it including what counts as evidence of its model practice (Berry, 2010;Flecha & Soler, 2013;Florian & Black-Hawkins, 2011). Inclusion can, however, be viewed as a philosophy which entails equal valuation of every learner as belonging to the culture of the regular school class (Ballard, 2012;Berry, 2010;Florian & Linklater, 2010) constituting presence, participation, acceptance, and achievement (Black-Hawkins & Florian, 2012;Forlin & Chambers, 2011;Humphrey, 2008;Slee, 2011).…”

“…Inclusion can, however, be viewed as a philosophy which entails equal valuation of every learner as belonging to the culture of the regular school class (Ballard, 2012;Berry, 2010;Florian & Linklater, 2010) constituting presence, participation, acceptance, and achievement (Black-Hawkins & Florian, 2012;Forlin & Chambers, 2011;Humphrey, 2008;Slee, 2011). In Zimbabwe, inclusion entails diagnosis and reduction of barriers to learners' access to regular settings, including educational institutions, communities, and families, and maximizing support practices to enhance achievement (Chireshe, 2013;Majoko, 2013).…”

Becoming an Inclusive Educator: Applying Deleuze & Guattari to Teacher Education

“…Preservice teachers often undertake their professional experience with teachers who share these beliefs. Therefore, it is not surprising, they too are apprehensive about teaching students who are seen as different (Berry, 2010). These factors contribute to the contested nature of inclusive education.…”