Selected Determinants of the Polish and South African Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education of Students with Special Educational Needs

Abstract

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this research was to assess teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education (IE) of students with special developmental needs in the school space. The article is a comparative study in which teachers from Polish and South African schools – special and public schools – took part. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: Following a pragmatic paradigm, a quantitative strategy and diagnostic survey method were applied. The specially prepared tool, the Scale for Attitudes Towards IE, was used to generate data. Confirming the normal distribution of variables, ANOVA and t-test were used for independent variables and descriptive statistics.. For post-hoc analyses, Tukey’s HSD test was used for equal or different N. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The own research on teachers’ attitudes towards IE was preceded by theoretical considerations on the idea of educational inclusion. Determinants supporting the inclusion of children with special educational needs in mainstream schools were identified. RESEARCH RESULTS: In the overall assessment of attitudes towards inclusive education there were no statistically significant intergroup differences between teachers in Polish and South African schools. However, clear differences emerged in post-hoc analyses of the variables such as: type of the institution and seniority. CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The presented international comparative research on teachers’ attitudes towards IE takes into account not only the current state, but also the historical context of both nations, marked by the stigma of segregation and the fight against discrimination. The study shows how it is important to pay attention to the process of teachers’ education – pedagogues, especially, the ones prepared to work in mainstream institutions, for eliminating barriers, adapting curricula to the students’ individual needs, and building openness. It is essential to monitor the correlation between seniority and the direction and intensity of attitudes towards education open for all.