Psihološka Istraživanja (Jan 2010)

Professional and private experience with persons with special needs and attitudes of teachers of regular schools towards inclusion

  • Rajović Vera,
  • Jovanović Olja

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5937/PsIstra1001091R
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 91 – 106

Abstract

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In this paper, we seek for the factors of formation of attitudes of primary school teachers towards inclusion of children who due to some sensory, bodily, mental disability or social deprivation have the need for additional support in development and learning. Research on attitudes towards inclusive education of children with special needs so far indicates that teachers of regular schools 'hesitate' in accepting children with special needs, stating as a reason the fact that they do not feel competent enough to work with them. However, the increase in teacher readiness to work with these children can be seen from the projects for the inclusion of these children that educate the teachers and envisage the support of the school expert team. This study was conducted with the aim of determining whether teacher's experience - either private or professional - with persons with disabilities distinguishes the respondents who exhibit more favourable attitudes towards inclusive education of these children from those with less favourable attitudes. The sample consisted of 105 teachers from five regular primary schools at the territory of Belgrade, 44.2% of whom declared that they had professional experience in working with students with special needs, while 40% of respondents had private experience with persons with developmental disabilities. The results (ANOVA) indicate that professional experience with working with children with special needs does not significantly affect the formation and changing of attitudes of teachers of regular schools towards inclusive education. On the other hand, private experience with persons with developmental disabilities has a significant influence both on the attitude towards inclusion as a whole and towards all its components (cognitive, conative, the feeling of competence). Based on the obtained results, implications for the development of the curriculum for educating teachers for working with children with developmental disabilities are discussed. .

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