Essential Inclusive Education-Related Outcomes for Alberta Preservice Teachers

This article examines the knowledge, skills, and attributes (KSAs) that Alberta preservice teachers need to develop over the course of their teacher preparation programs in order to work effectively in inclusive classrooms. Inclusive classrooms are those where all students regardless of diversity learn in the same contexts. These KSAs are presented as program outcomes and are identified in relation to their prominence in the literature on inclusion and their alignment with Alberta education policy and teacher interim certification requirements. They were then reviewed by a focus group of representatives from teacher preparation institutions in Alberta and Canada. The author suggests that teacher preparation institutions in Alberta must ensure that these outcomes are addressed at multiple points throughout their teacher preparation programs

The Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised (SACIE-R) Scale for Measuring Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions about Inclusion

This paper reports the final development of a scale to measure pre-service teachers’ perceptions in three constructs of inclusive education, namely, sentiments or comfort levels when engaging with people with disabilities; acceptance of learners with different needs; and concerns about implementing inclusion. The Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised (SACIE-R) scale was developed from an initial 60 items and administered through a series of refined surveys. A final 15-item scale was validated using 542 pre-service teachers from nine institutions in four countries including Hong Kong, Canada, India, and the United States. It is posited that the SACIE-R scale will yield valuable information for assisting universities and colleges in preparing more specific training to address the needs of pre-service teachers for working with diverse student populations

Educational Leadership to Create Authentic Inclusive Schools: The Experiences of Principals in a Canadian Rural School District

Inclusive education—based on the premise of social justice—advocates equal ac-cess to educational opportunities for all students. This research provides insight into the inclusive experiences of school principals in a Canadian rural school dis-trict through quantitative and qualitative inquiries. A survey was administered to 16 school administrators, and following initial data analysis, individual inter-views with four school principals were carried out as part of a multi-perspective case study of students with special needs. Overall, inclusion was viewed in a posi-tive light and extended beyond classroom placement to meeting the needs of diverse groups of students within the regular classroom. The responsibilities and strategies of the principals that support inclusion are outlined and other factors that contribute to effective inclusion identified. Key factors include collaboration among key players in the students’ education and opportunities for professional development. The results have implications for school leadership preparation and professional development of school administrators

Parent Perspectives on Inclusive Education in Rural Alberta, Canada

This paper is one of a series of papers examining inclusive education in the con-text of a rural Canadian school district that has adopted a philosophy of inclusion. The results of a survey of 438 parents on their views about aspects of inclusive education at their youngest child’s school are reported. The results indi-cate that the majority of parents were generally positive in their views about and experiences with the inclusive school environment and links to the local communi-ty; however, parents were by no means unanimous in their level of comfort with inclusive education. Tensions were found to exist, and differences in the expe-rience of parents of children who had identified exceptionalities were evident. This study points to the paucity of research on parents and inclusive education and provides some direction for future work in the area

Teacher perspectives on inclusive education in rural Alberta, Canada

The results of 123 elementary- to secondary-level teacher surveys and 14 in-depth qualitative interviews examining the teachers’ perspectives regarding inclusion in a rural school district are reported. Four features of inclusive education from the perspective of teachers are revealed: (1) attitudes toward inclusion; (2) supportive communication and cooperation; (3) classroom community; and (4) support and training. The results of this study corroborate existing research and indicate significant differences between elementary and secondary teachers’ perceptions for some of the factors. Future research in this study will examine teachers’ instructional practices providing a more complete picture of inclusive teaching in rural Alberta, Canada

La scala rivista delle Opinioni, degli Atteggiamenti e delle Preoccupazioni sulla formazione inclusiva (SACIE-R) per la misurazione delle percezioni degli insegnanti tirocinanti circa l’inclusione

Traduzione a cura Stefania Pinnelli - Università del SalentoThis paper reports the final development of a scale to measure pre-service teachers’ perceptions in three constructs of inclusive education, namely, sentiments or comfort levels when engagingwith people with disabilities; acceptance of learners with different needs; and concerns about implementing inclusion. The Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised (SACIE-R) scale was developed from an initial 60 items and administered through a series of refined surveys. A final 15-item scale was validated using 542 pre-service teachers from nine institutions in four countries including Hong Kong, Canada, India, and the United States. It is posited that the SACIE-R scale will yield valuable information for assisting universities and colleges in preparing more specific training to address the needs of pre-service teachers for working with diverse student populations

Resourcing Inclusive Education

Goldan J, Lambrecht J, Loreman T, eds. Resourcing Inclusive Education . International Perspectives on Inclusive Education. Vol 15. Bingley: Emerald; 2021.While resource provision is widely recognized as an essential element of successful inclusive education, this is the first time an entire book has been dedicated to the topic. In this volume leading experts address international perspectives on funding models, the role of resources, and the development of professionals for the implementation of effective inclusive education. Split into two parts, the first section of the book addresses funding challenges that have emerged following the implementation of an inclusive school system. The authors present a broad range of international perspectives on different funding models and collate evidence from a variety of countries. They also unearth a variety of perceptions regarding resourcing for successful implementation of inclusive education. In the second part of the book, the authors focus on international perspectives of teacher training and professional development for inclusive education, ranging from early childhood education to post-secondary teacher training. Providing critical information and empirical studies, valuable to all of those engaged in the endeavour of providing adequate resources to support inclusive education, this volume is of interest to education policy makers, school and system leaders, and economists

An International Comparison of Pre-service Teacher Attitudes towards Inclusive Education

education of pre-service teachers in teacher training institutions in four different countries: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Using the Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education Scale (Wilczenski, 1995) and a series of demographic variables, this study concludes that pre-service teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education differ between countries across three factors which have been labeled academic and physical, social, and behavioral. Pre-service teachers in this sample are most positive about including students with social concerns. An examination of the items in this factor revealed that these issues, such as shyness, would rarely require immediate intervention and large amounts of extra time and effort on the part of the teacher in the same way that the behavior factor would, which rated low in terms of positive attitudes internationally. Demographic variables which can be emphasized by teacher training institutions such as close contact with a person with a disability, training, teaching experience, knowledge of policy and law, and confidence levels, all had a significant impact on attitudes. This paper argues that teacher training institutions should consider for inclusion in their programs practical experiences with inclusive education in positive and supportive environments, opportunities for students to experience success and reflection, and academic content regarding knowledge of policy and law relating to inclusive education