Fostering teacher satisfaction and job involvement to support inclusive education

Abstract

Inclusive education in Oman aimed to integrate students with special educational needs into mainstream schools. The success of these practices hinges on factors such as teacher job involvement (JI), teacher satisfaction (TS) and attitudes towards inclusive education (TATIE). This study tested a mediational model exploring the relationship between job involvement and attitudes towards inclusive education, with teacher satisfaction as a mediator. A cross-sectional survey of 535 general education teachers from public inclusive schools in Oman was conducted. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) assessed the relationships between JI, TS and TATIE, while bootstrapping techniques evaluated the mediational role of TS. Results indicated that job involvement significantly influenced both teacher satisfaction (β = 0.73, p < 0.01) and attitudes towards inclusive education (β = 0.40, p < 0.01). Teacher satisfaction mediated 64% of the total effect of job involvement on attitudes towards inclusive education. These findings underscore the importance of enhancing teacher satisfaction and job involvement to foster positive attitudes towards inclusive education. Policy-makers should prioritize strategies that boost teacher satisfaction to support effective inclusive practices in Oman.