Thesis
Teacher Attitudes Regarding Inclusive Education
Masters by Research, Murdoch University
2024
Abstract
Teachers’ positive attitudes towards inclusive practices are identified in research as necessary for improving student outcomes. However, much of the research around teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education of students with a disability has examined primary or pre-service teachers; limited research has taken place within the mainstream secondary (years 7-12) education sector with in-service teachers. This research aimed to identify the attitudes of inservice secondary teachers regarding inclusive education, their experiences and professional understanding of teaching students with disabilities, and relationships of attitudes with teachers’ gender, age, length of time teaching, qualified curriculum areas and professional learning received. Through their school principals, teachers of mainstream secondary education (years 7-12) within public schools in the South Metropolitan Educational Region, Perth, were invited to participate in an online survey. The data collected included demographic data collection, self-reported aspects of teaching [professional understandings], open-ended questions and Multidimensional Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES) (from Mahat, 2008). The limited responses restricted the drawing of generalised conclusions. However, the current research revealed interesting results: higher positive cognitive attitudes of female teacher participants and a notable reduction in positive affective attitudes of early-year teacher participants compared to graduates and middle-year teacher participants. The open-ended survey comments indicate that creating inclusive classrooms is aided by teacher support, appropriate curriculum for students, and utilising Education Assistants. Further work around teachers’ understanding of appropriate curriculum, assessment, and reporting, as well as the use of outside agencies, would be beneficial to advance inclusion for students with disabilities in mainstream secondary classrooms.
Details
- Title
- Teacher Attitudes Regarding Inclusive Education
- Authors/Creators
- Marina S Gaskell
- Contributors
- Peter Wright PhD (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, School of EducationJudith MacCallum (Supervisor)Janene Sproul (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, School of Education
- Awarding Institution
- Murdoch University; Masters by Research
- Identifiers
- 991005782833407891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Education
- Resource Type
- Thesis
Metrics
66 File views/ downloads
106 Record Views