Attitudes of Teachers towards the Inclusion of Children with Special Needs in Primary and Secondary Schools

Many researchers emphasize teachers’ attitudes as a decisive component in ensuring successful inclusion of students with special needs (SN students). The empirical research that is presented in the main part of this article analyzes the attitudes of primary and secondary teachers towards the inclusion of SN students with respect to the type of school, the teachers’ age, the number of SN students in the class, and the teachers’) acquired skills. A questionnaire was devised for the study, based on two previous questionnaires: the Questionnaire on Attitudes towards Integration and the Teacher Stress and Coping Questionnaire. The secondary teachers showed more positive attitudes towards SN students than did their primary colleagues, as well as towards teaching and adaptation with respect to the students’ SN and towards the psychophysical strain related to such work. The youngest group of teachers, those aged from 20 to 30, shows a higher level of agreement related to the provision of adequate support. Teachers with fewer SN students in class (up to two students) show a higher degree of support for inclusion of SN students than do other groups of teachers. Teachers without training for work with SN students in comparison with their colleagues who had it show a lower level of agreement with respect to support and assistance at educational work with SN students.