Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education: A Comparative Cultural-Historical Analysis

• In Event: An International Symposium on the Practice of Inclusive Education: From Teachers to Systems

Abstract

Objectives
Although there are clear differences in national policies regarding inclusive education, the international debate has not fully considered the impact of cultural-historical factors on implementation within and across different countries. The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which cultural-historical factors within countries impacted how teachers perceive inclusive education.
Theoretical Framework
Developing an appreciation for culture and context across countries can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the role of teachers in the implementation of inclusive education and can contribute to the effective restructuring of schools to accommodate the diverse needs of students in mainstream classrooms.
Methods and Data Sources
A sample of 319 South-African and 822 Finnish primary and secondary education teachers completed a questionnaire containing a scale measuring Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns on Inclusive Education.
Results
This paper reports on results from a comparative study of in-service teachers' attitudes in implementing inclusive practices in South-Africa and Finland and its implications for the implementation of inclusive education in these countries. A comparative analysis placed within a cultural-historical framework indicates that Finnish teachers’ attitudes toward interacting with persons with disabilities were, for example, more positive than those of the South African teachers’ who until recently in general did not have children with disabilities in their mainstream classrooms. However, whereas South African teachers made no differentiation regarding the general values on which inclusion is based and the concrete idea of recognizing human rights by including children with disabilities in their own classrooms, the Finnish teachers give a clear indication of being more critical towards inclusion the closer the reality of inclusivity came to their own classrooms and their own work.
Scientific Significance
It is clear that using a comparative cultural-historical framework will enable us to develop an understanding of the complex local conditions in which inclusive education is being implemented and will also enable us to discern regularities and differences across national contexts that could be of benefit to both countries.

Authors

• Petra Engelbrecht, Canterbury Christ Church University

• Hannu Savolainen, University of Eastern Finland

• Mirna Nel, North West University

• Olli-Pekka Malinen, University of Eastern Finland