ERIC Number: EJ949278
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1034-912X
EISSN: N/A
Addressing South African Pre-Service Teachers' Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns Regarding Inclusive Education
Oswald, Marietjie; Swart, Estelle
International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, v58 n4 p389-403 2011
This article recounts the findings of a study that investigated pre-service teachers' attitudes and concerns regarding inclusive education and their degree of comfort when interacting with people with disabilities after completing courses on inclusive education. One hundred and eighty pre-service teachers from one higher education institution in South Africa completed the Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale. They were all being prepared to teach at either the primary (41%) or secondary (59%) level of education. Pre-service teachers' mean scores on the sentiments scale increased following the intervention (p less than 0.001), as did the mean scores on the attitudes scale (p less than 0.001). However, mean scores related to their concerns decreased (p = 0.01). With respect to the latter finding, as a result of the intervention the pre-service teachers became more worried about resources to support inclusive education (p less than 0.001), the reality of large classes (p = 0.01) and their workload (p = 0.04). Recommendations based on the research findings are made, suggesting that the quality of courses on inclusive education should be enhanced in higher education institutions. (Contains 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Barriers, Higher Education, Inclusion, Intervention, Disabilities, Measures (Individuals), Foreign Countries, Preservice Teacher Education, Student Teacher Attitudes, Attitudes toward Disabilities, Behavior Rating Scales, Attitude Measures, Affective Measures, Access to Information, College Outcomes Assessment, Pretests Posttests, Predictor Variables
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Africa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A