Research Article | Open Access
Inclusive Preschool Teachers: Their Attitudes and Knowledge about Inclusion*
Bülbin Sucuoğlu Hatice Bakkaloğlu Fadime İşcen Karasu Şeyma Demir Selma Akalın
Pages: 107-128
Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of preschool
teachers regarding inclusive practices and to determine the relationship between knowledge and
attitudes of the teacher about inclusion. Two instruments were used for data collection: The
Inclusion Knowledge Test developed by the researchers and the Turkish form of Opinions Relative to
Integration of Students with Disabilities. 30 preschool teachers who have children with disabilities
in their classrooms participated in the study. The results of analysis provided the specific
information about what the teachers know and do not know about inclusive practices. In addition, it
was found that teacher attitudes towards inclusion were neither positive nor negative and there is no
significant relationship between the level of knowledge and attitudes of the teachers. All findings
were discussed in terms of preschool teacher training programs and several suggestions were made
to train teachers who are able to work with young children with disabilities in regular classrooms.
Keywords
: Preschool teacher, inclusion, knowledge, attitudes, young children with disabilities