Attitudes of Parents and General Education Teachers Towards Inclusive Education in Private Schools In Beirut

Abstract

Parents and educators play an essential role in any school. The efficacious implementation of any inclusive education depends on educators being positive, and parents should not be a barrier to achieving an inclusive school community. To date, the research on attitudes of teachers and parents towards inclusion is very scarce. Notably, very few studies have been conducted in Lebanon. The lack of research on this topic underscores the importance of this study. This topic should be addressed in order to promote successful education and help students who need special education become better integrated within their school communities. The purpose of this research aims to examine (a) whether the teachers’ sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusive education differ according to age, gender, level of education, years of experience, training, experience in teaching students with special needs, and teaching-efficacy, (b) the role of age, gender, and level of education on the attitudes of parents of typically developing children; and (c) role of age, gender, and level of education on the attitudes of parents of children with special education needs. Validated scales will be used to assess the relationship between attitudes, demographic variables, and teacher efficacy. Online surveys were given to general education teachers of grades 2,3,4,5, and 6 and parents of students with and without special needs in those grades in seven private schools located in Beirut. The teachers will have to fill following surveys Sentiments, Attitudes, Concerns About Inclusive Education (SACIE)/ Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practice (TEIP). If a parent has a child who needs special education will have to fill the following survey Attitudes Towards Inclusive Mainstreaming (ATIM), if a parent has a typically developing child will have to fill My Thinking About Inclusive Education (MTAI). A small pilot study will be done to make sure that the survey items are clearly written and understood. The participants will be from one of the seven chosen schools.