The Influence of Teacher Preparation Programmes on Bahraini Teacher Attitudes and Challenges with Inclusive Education
Abstract
For decades, studies investigated the attitudes of pre-service and in-service teachers towards inclusive education. Several studies indicated that positive teacher attitudes could lead to successful implementation of an inclusive classroom. This study explored in-service teacher attitudes and challenges through a qualitative research design by utilising semi-structured interviews to gain insight into the experiences of teachers with inclusion. The responses of the participants were compared between teachers who have been through initial teacher education and have fewer years of experience with teachers who have not been through initial teacher education and have many years of experience. The responses showed that teachers who graduated from an initial teacher education programme had very similar perceptions and attitudes towards inclusion as teachers who have not been through initial teacher education. The teachers indicated the different levels of support required for effective implementation of inclusion and identified the benefits of inclusive education. The study provided important implications for the new initial teacher education programme in Bahrain to better prepare teachers for the challenges of inclusion.
Keywords: Attitudes, Challenges, Inclusive Education, In-service Teachers, Qualitative
References
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