Abstract
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ VIEWS ON INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
The development of cognitive, physical and social skills is vital for reintroducing individuals with special needs to the society and economy. Therefore, the idea of providing these individuals inclusive education in the schools that other children go to is of great importance. The aim of this study was to identify elementary school teachers' views on inclusive education, and thus, qualitative research method was employed. Maximum variation sampling was used in the selection of the research participants. The study was conducted with second, third and fourth grade teachers working in schools with low, middle and high socio-economic status in the Denizli province (n=51). A semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers was used to gather the data in the study. The interviews were transcribed, and content analysis was conducted to analyse the transcriptions. Tables were formed based on the participants' common views. Quotations were also included from the teachers' statements. Thirty-seven of the teachers (72.6 %) stated that inclusive education should be kept. Thirty-nine participants (78 %) said that inclusive students caused certain problems in the implementation of in-class activities. For 37 teachers (72.5 %), the behaviours of inclusive students negatively affected those of the regular students. Giving particular importance to the disablement and development of students taken to inclusive education can be useful in enhancing its effectiveness.
Keywords
Elementary school teachers, inclusive education, elementary school, qualitative research.