Teachers' self-efficacy, sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusion of students with developmental disabilities

• Main Author: Montgomery, Angela
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2013
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/44174

In a sample of 100 primary and intermediate teachers from a Western Canadian province, this study examined relationships between teachers’ self-efficacy and teachers’ sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusive education of students with developmental disabilities. The study used both a web and paper-based survey based on two psychometrically sound scales: the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) scale, and the Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale – Revised (SACIE-R). Pearson product-moment correlations were calculated to examine associations between three TEIP factors (use of inclusive instruction, collaboration with others, and managing disruptive behaviour) and the three SACIE-R variables. A series of multiple regression analyses were then conducted to determine which TEIP factors, when considered simultaneously, best predicted sentiments, attitudes, and concerns. Results indicated that higher self-efficacy for collaboration was the only predictor associated with more positive sentiments and attitudes, and with fewer concerns, about inclusive education for students with developmental disabilities. The results highlight the importance of both pre-and inservice education aimed at providing educators with dispositions and skills related to effective collaboration with parents and other members of a school-based team.