Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Children with Disabilities in Inclusive Education: A Study

Abstract

Inclusive education seeks to educate children with disabilities alongside their peers in regular schools, and the success of this endeavour depends heavily on the teachers who implement it in the classroom. Among the many factors that shape inclusive practice, the attitude of the teacher is widely regarded as decisive, for a teacher’s beliefs about disability and inclusion influence the welcome, support, and opportunity that children with disabilities receive. The present study examined the attitudes of teachers towards children with disabilities in inclusive education and compared these attitudes across gender, type of school, and training in inclusive or special education. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected from 200 school teachers through a standardised attitude scale. The findings indicate that teachers hold, on the whole, moderately positive attitudes towards the inclusion of children with disabilities, while harbouring concerns about workload, resources, and preparedness. Attitudes were significantly more favourable among teachers who had received training in inclusive or special education, and modest differences were observed by gender and type of school. The study concludes that attitudes, though generally supportive, can be strengthened through training and support, and it offers recommendations for teacher preparation and school policy.