Far from Summer?: Beliefs of a Sample of Colombian Teachers on Disability

Abstract

This paper addressed the beliefs of a group of Colombian teachers, around five factors related to disability, namely: (1) perceptions about the student with disability (EcD); (2) the work of the teacher in the learning processes of EcD; (3) pedagogical adaptations and classroom work with EcD; (4) the installation of inclusive values in schools, inter alia, through the participation of pupils with disabilities; and (5) the conditions and requirements to be met in schools for the training of EcD. For this purpose, an on-line questionnaire consisting of 47 questions was designed, which was completed by 61 teachers belonging to various levels of the Colombian education system. The results indicate that they have training in inclusive education and disability, as well as have a postgraduate degree in education and work in educational environments that promote actions to recognize diversity, are three crucial variables that show significant differences in the beliefs of valued teachers. All of the above is discussed in terms of the challenges facing Colombian education on the path to achieving an inclusive education that fully embraces EcD.