THE PERCEPTIONS OF PRIMARY EDUCATION TEACHERS ABOUT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN THE GREEK EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Abstract

Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education of typically developing and non-typically developing students are a key factor for effective school psychological support, smooth attendance of all students and seamless operation of the classroom. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the views of primary education teachers in schools of Northern Greece regarding the factors that shape their attitudes and influence their participation in promoting the joint education of disabled and non-disabled students. The research sample consisted of 48 primary school teachers in the area. The Teacher Attitudes Toward Inclusion Scale (TATIS) questionnaire was adapted and administered. The results of the study show that teachers who have been involved in inclusive education processes in the past and evaluate their participation as positive for themselves and their students, develop and establish more positive attitudes regarding the usefulness of inclusive education programmes compared to teachers who either have no positive experiences from participating in the education of students with disabilities in the general classroom or have never taught non-typically developing students. In conclusion, the organised and methodologically envisaged development of inclusive education increases the efficiency of teachers and promotes a positive learning climate in the classroom. Article visualizations: