Disability and inclusive education: what do the teachers thing about the inclusion of students with disabilities in their classrooms?

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In the last years the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular schools has led to teachers introducing significant methodological and curricular changes that may affect the organization and quality of teaching. The first objective of this investigation is to analyze if the students with disabilities can create inquietude in the teachers, and the second is to analyze the perception that the teachers have in their own education in teaching. Finally, it is examined if the teachers are feeling a positive attitude on the rest of the students with regard to the students with these problems. These objectives are analyzed according to gender, age and studies that the teachers offer. A sample of 116 teachers of three different teaching phases have participated.. We designed a questionnaire consisting of a Likert scale from 1 to 5 (1 = Strongly Disagree, 5 = strongly agree) of 23 items that test the perception of teachers. The results reveal that students with disability produce discomfort in classrooms, depending on the experience, gender and studies. At the same time, these factors affect the perception that they have of their education in teaching. Finally, teachers perceive a favorable attitude by general students towards these disabled students. This information suggests the need to pursue this subject in order to promote training programs for teachers, preparing and training them in order to resolve any conflicts that may arise in their work as teachers.