Some aspects of the attitude of teachers towards the introduction of inclusive education in general education schools

The article contains an  analytical  review of the scientific literature of the countries of near and far  abroad,  as well as  Russian literature devoted to the study of the attitude of teachers towards inclusive education. A comparative analysis of the results of a large number of studies has been carried out, where different positions of teachers have been identified in relation to inclusive education, including in relation to children with special educational needs and to the introduction of innovations in the educational process as a whole; There are a number of factors that affect the attitude of teachers towards the above objects and the ways of solving the current problem as one of the most urgent in the modern educational system. Тhe authors point  out the need for special efforts to change the attitude of teachers to inclusion as a special form of organization of the educational process, i.e. Teaching teachers of general education institutions with the involvement of teachers of correctional and general schools implementing an  inclusive approach;  providing informational and consultative support for this process with the aim of creating a tolerant attitude in society towards  children with disabilities. The formation of a positive attitude of teachers towards a system of inclusive education can be a guarantee of successful implementation and development of inclusive practice.  

The concept of «attitude» in psychology means «fixed, by some kind of feature, mutual relations of subjects, objects and their properties. The relationship can be between changing objects, phenomena and properties and in the situation of a selected, unchanging object in its relation to other objects, phenomena and properties» [1].

Another definition of the concept of «attitude» is formulated as follows: «This is a stable organization  of motivational, emotional, perceptual and cognitive processes in application to aspects of the environment.  It is a trained predisposition to respond in a favorable or unfavorable manner to a given object. Thus, the attitude presents how we think, feel and act in relation to different objects. Attitude is a general assessment of an object, such as like or dislike» [2].

I.P. Podlasiy considers the relationship in terms of pedagogy as a reciprocal relationship between the teacher and the students. «... Many factors influence the attitude of the teacher with all the children and with each individual student, such as the situation in society, economic conditions, the level of public culture, the professional training of teachers, their morality, the style of communication, and many others». The author also points out that the relationship between the teacher and the students is a very complex issue and, if they are not  properly formed,  these relationships  can be the  cause of the  deviant  behavior  of  schoolchildren. A teacher is first of all a person; therefore he is guided not only by common sense, but also by personal experiences, ambitions. He can go on a leash of emotions [3].

In the psychological literature, relationships are viewed as part of interrelated and interdependent components, as change of one affects the other components. These are cognitive, affective and behavioral components. The cognitive component of the relationship is knowledge about the object, which is not necessarily true or truthful. The affective component of the relationship shows feelings or emotional reactions to the object, which can change in situ. The behavioral component of the relationship shows a tendency to react in a specific way to an object or action and represents behavioral intentions. From the point of view of pedagogy, attitudes also include three components cognitive, affective, behavioral, the content of which is concretized in terms of the behavior of the teacher. The cognitive component of the teacher includes all the mental processes associated with knowing the environment and oneself. The affective component represents the emotional experiences of the teacher in relation to the students. The behavioral component shows the results of activities that manifest the personality of the educator. Studying the problem of the attitude of teachers towards the introduction of inclusive education, it is necessary to begin with the consideration of the attitude of teachers to inclusion as to innovations in pedagogy.

T.L. Chepel considers inclusive education as «the first innovation in educational practice initiated by   the parents of disabled children and teachers who believe in its necessity not only for children with disabilities but for the entire education in general» [4].

Although, it should be noted that in the history of pedagogy, the experience of «co-education» existed more than a hundred years ago (the nineteenth century, I.G. Pestalozzi) and modern inclusion is only a revival of historical inclusive education [5].

As for the attitude of teachers to innovations, one must take into account that the nature of people in relation to innovations is very different. If some are inclined to innovations, others are conservative and prefer old and well-tried things.

According to classification of E. Rogers subjects of innovation can be divided into three groups, where innovators are the first group who are always ready to new, are interested in innovations and show adventurism The second group includes implementers who follow innovators, but more influential and often become leaders. And the third group includes hesitating subjects. This is a group of people who prefer traditional values. They with great difficulty accept innovations, so they restrain the process of implementing innovations.

The modern educational space requires from the teacher innovative behavior, activity and transformation in pedagogical activity [6-8].

However, at present the results of studies show that the vast majority of teachers are a group of hesitating and conservatives, which together with a preference for traditional forms of education, perhaps are afraid of failure, responsibility and risk. But nevertheless they gradually pass from resistance to passive, then active acceptance of innovations. In our opinion, the non-acceptance of inclusive education as innovations is a temporary phenomenon, the teachers of general education schools will gradually begin to take on new roles in  the context of inclusive education.

Foreign experience confirms the existing difficulties. A. de Boer, S. Jan Pijl and A. Minnaert (2011) in their writings about the attitude of full-time teachers in primary schools and in the process of inclusion of children with special educational needs, consider the concept of «relation» with its three components: cognitive (belief and knowledge), the affective component (feelings) and the active component (predisposition to act). Summing up, the authors were convinced that most teachers did not feel competent and confident in teaching children with special educational needs. In addition, the behavioral component has shown that teachers have negative or neutral behavioral intentions regarding children with special needs. But all teachers recognized the need for inclusion, justifying this with humanity of intentions [9].

In recent years, a lot of results of studies of the attitude of practicing teachers towards inclusive education have appeared in the scientific literature; it indicates that the success of the implementation of inclusion depends directly on the positive attitude of teachers towards it.

Avramidis & B. Norwich conduct a wide analytical review of the results of research of their colleagues to identify teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education [10]: some authors, together with teachers' attitudes towards education of children with SEN, determine the specific factors that influence the formation of negative or positive relationship to children with SEN and the system of inclusive education in general, for example, Beh-Pajooh (1992), Berryman (1989), Leyser et al. (1994), J.D. Jamieson (1984) and Hannah (1988) draw attention to the gender composition of respondents, which in their opinion is also of great importance; Berryman (1989), Center and Ward (1987), Clough and Lindsay (1991), Leyser et al. (1994), Forlin (1995), Savageand Wienke (1989) consider one of the factors the age of teachers. In their view, teachers with less work experience are more inclusive of inclusion than teachers with a long record of work. The more experience teachers gain, the more conservative they become.

Other researchers, such as Avramidis et al. (2000), Leyser, Volkan and Ilan (1989), Rogers (1987) have a different opinion. They do not associate pedagogical experience with the formation of conservative positions.

According to Buell et al. (1999), Van-Reusen, Shoho and Barker (2000), Center and Ward (1987), and Avramidis et al. (2000) teachers express more favorable attitudes and emotional responses to children with SN in comparison with healthy children.

One of the factors that is associated with a more positive attitude is the availability of ancillary services in the classroom and at the school level (Cloughand Lindsay, 1991; Meilzand Simpson, 1989). They claim that the availability of support in the form of resources, training materials, information and communication technologies, and the assistance of an assistant or tutor in the person of a special teacher contribute to the development of positive attitudes.

LeRoy and  Simpson  (1996),  Center  and  Ward (1987),  Bowman  (1986),  Center  and  Ward  (1987), Lindsay (1991),  Harvey  (1985),  also  agree  with  this  view,  as  they  indicate  that  the  availability of the necessary teaching materials create positive attitudes towards the educational process of children with special educational needs.

There is another factor support from the administration and other colleagues, including special educators (Janneyetal, 1995; Kauffman, LloydandMcGee, 1989; Janneyetal, 1995; P. Clough and G. Lindsay, 1991). Undoubtedly, methodological assistance from special educators is one of the factors that contribute to successful work with children with SEN.

Chazan (1994), in his review of the literature, came to the conclusion that teachers show greater tolerance for integration if «headteachers» support them. A similar view is supported by Center and Ward's  (1987) and Tomas (1985).

Leyseretal (1994) found that, in general, teachers with extensive experience working with disabled people had a much more favorable attitude toward integration than teachers with little or no work experience. The findings of some other studies indicate the importance of gaining experience with children with SEN in shaping a positive attitude toward inclusive education (Leyser and Lessen, 1985, Stainback, Stainback and Dedrick, 1984; Harvey, 1985; McDonald, Birnbrauer and Swerissen, 1987; Shimman, 1990).

Studying the attitude of teachers towards inclusive education in the course of practical work, D. Smitt (1995) found that constant work with special children can fundamentally change previous relationships. According to D. Smitt, the development of the competence of the teaching staff is a key aspect in the success of work with children with SEN.

According to Hoffman Elin M. quality of the relationship between teachers and students is always dependent on academic performance and behavior [11].

An interesting idea about the «transformability» of teachers, that is, the model of transformation, is proposed by L. Florian, H. Linklater, K. Youngand M. Rouse [12]. The main idea of transformation is that teachers must change and acquire the ability to teach all students, including «special» children.

As a result of the study of the attitude of Slovenian teachers to the inclusion (B.Cagran, M.Schmidt 2011) there was revealed that the attitude of teachers to inclusion depends on the type of disability of students. Teachers are more sympathetic to students with physical disabilities and less to students with behavioral or emotional disorders [13].

Analysis of the results of the study of the peculiarities of the attitude of teachers to the children of primary school age with a dysfunctional type of development (O.R.Anzhiganova, 2013) showed that teachers working with children with a deficit type of development (shortcomings in the development of the sensory system) have a low level of adaptability, tolerance in relations; negative evaluation of the components of attitudes toward students who have difficulties in learning prevails. Accordingly, they do not always reach an understanding with children of this category; concentrate on their poor performance and bad behavior. Such manifestations radically changed in relation to students developing in the norm. Teachers tried to understand them, take into account their feelings and as a result quickly reached an understanding with them [14].

Yu.A. Koroleva associates the rejection of the ideas of inclusive education with the existence of an established stereotype and a lack of understanding of the system itself and the difficulties encountered in organizations of inclusive education [15].

We agree with the opinion about the stereotype in relation to the education of persons with special educational needs, since in all spheres of life, healthy people and persons with disabilities or health problems were separated. Therefore, their integration into society, the general educational space and the change in established stereotypes requires considerable time and effort.

A    number    of   authors   (Yu.S.    Piashkur,   O.V.   Istomina,    I.V.    Khakhalova,    E.A. Santuyeva, S.I. Pozdeyeva) assert that the teachers of the special (correctional) school are more knowledgeable and  ready for the transition to a new system of education for children with disabilities as they have a rich experience of this direction. Teachers of secondary schools are concerned about the issue of teaching disabled children at the same time with healthy children, because they are negative to the introduction of new education system, which is due to their unreadyness to change the established system of education with a rich base of practical and theoretical material [16, 17].

Some teachers associate the reality of the organization of inclusive education with a leading defect in  the structure of child development disorders [18].

The results of the studies of the domestic experience in the implementation of inclusive education show that primary school teachers have a positive attitude towards the forthcoming work in the context of inclusive education, but there is a lack of necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills, and there is fear of the unknown [19].

Based on the results of studies by foreign and domestic authors, and based on our research, we schematically reflected the factors influencing the attitude of teachers towards inclusive education, the result of this relationship and the decision to eliminate the identified shortcomings for a comprehensive perception of the current problem the heterogeneous attitude of teachers to the introduction of inclusive education in general education schools (see Scheme).

Scheme. The attitude of teachers towards the implementation of inclusive education in comprehensive schools

So, we can conclude that special efforts are required to change the attitude of teachers towards inclusive education as a special form of organization of the educational process; as well as teachers and the administration of educational organizations, are looking for help in working out the mechanism of interaction between all participants in the educational process, where the central figure is the child.

Therefore, it is advisable to define a clear strategy for educating teachers of general education institutions, including in the internship program, training seminars with the involvement of teachers of correctional institutions and general education, implementing an inclusive approach; provide information and consultative support for the implementation of inclusive education with the aim of creating a tolerant attitude in society towards children with disabilities; encouraging innovative research among teachers in the education and upbringing processes associated with inclusive education. Thus, the formation of a positive attitude of teachers to a system of inclusive education can be a guarantee of successful implementation and development of inclusive practice.

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