Addressing South African Pre-service Teachers' Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns Regarding Inclusive Education

作者：Oswald Marietjie^*; Swart Estelle

来源：International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 2011, 58(4): 389-403.

DOI：10.1080/1034912X.2011.626665

• disability
• inclusive education
• pre-service teachers
• Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale
• students
• training

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 < 0.001), as did the mean scores on the attitudes scale (p < 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 < 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.

• 出版日期2011