In-service teachers’ attitudes, concerns, efficacy and intentions to teach in inclusive classrooms: an international comparison of Australian and Italian teachers

Umesh Sharma, Paola Aiello, Erika Marie Pace, Penny Round, Pearl Subban

Research output: Journal PublicationArticlepeer-review

70 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The paper examined whether in-service teachers from Australia to Italy differ in terms of their attitudes, concerns, efficacy beliefs and intentions to include learners with disabilities in their classrooms. An attempt was also made to determine predictors of the participants’ intentions to include learners with disabilities in their classrooms. Participants for the study consisted of 153 Australian and 156 Italian in-service teachers. Results revealed that Italian teachers had significantly more positive attitudes, lower degree of concerns and higher level of intentions to implement inclusion in their classrooms. In both countries, attitudes and efficacy emerged as significant predictors of participants’ intentions to include learners with disabilities in regular classrooms. Reasons that could explain differences in the teachers’ beliefs from the two countries are explained using historical-cultural and legal frameworks prevalent in Australia and Italy. Implications of the findings for policy-makers, university teachers and researchers are presented that may have relevance in guiding the implementation of inclusive education in Australia, Italy and beyond.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)437-446
Number of pages10
JournalEuropean Journal of Special Needs Education
Volume33
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 May 2018
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Attitudes
  • Australia
  • cross-country comparisons
  • inclusive education
  • intentions
  • Italy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education
  • Health Professions (miscellaneous)
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology

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