HomeUniversal Journal of Educational Researchvol. 3 no. 3 (2024)

College Teachers’ Openness to Inclusion and Students with Disabilities Experiences: A Mixed Method Study

Joseph S Seclot

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

Educators have expressed concern over the limited research on college teachers'perspectives regarding inclusion and the experiences of students with disabilities.This study aimed to assess the openness of college teachers to students with disabilities and describe these students' experiences in inclusive classrooms at a local college in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, Philippines. Data were collected using the My Thinking About Inclusion Scale (MTAI) from 51 teachers and a semi-structured interview guidequestionnaire administered to 6 students with disabilities. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while interview transcripts were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2006)six-step thematic analysis. Results indicated that teachers' attitudes toward inclusiveness were not significantly associated with their demographic profiles.Teachers displayed positive attitudes in core perspectives and classroom practices related to inclusion but remained neutral regarding the expected consequences of inclusion. From the students' interviews, seven themes emerged: inclusion boosts confidence, inclusion promotes inclusivity, their limitations are often unknown to teachers or peers, instruction frequently does not cater to their needs, support from teachers and classmates, and disability does not hinder them from accomplishing their tasks. Students perceived inclusion as crucial for developing self-esteem and earning respect from peers and teachers. However, they faced challenges in the classroom that could be mitigated through fitted instructional strategies and institutional support systems. While students valued inclusion for its positive impact on their confidence and acceptance, they also highlighted the need for better accommodation and support to enhance their educational experiences.



References:

  1. Abequibel, B., Ricohermoso, C., Alieto, E., Barredo, C., & Lucas, R.I. (2021). Prospective Reading Teachers’ Digital Reading Habit: A Cross-sectional Design. TESOL International Journal, 16(4.4), 246-26. file:///C:/Users/Asus/Downloads/SSRN-id3849855.pdf 
  2. Adeoye‐Olatunde, O. A., & Olenik, N. L. (2021). Research and scholarly methods: Semi‐structured interviews. Journal of the american college of clinical pharmacy, 4(10), 1358-1367. https://doi.org/10.1002/jac5.1441 
  3. Alnahdi, G. H., Lindner, K. T., & Schwab, S. (2022). Teachers’ implementation of inclusive teaching practices as a potential predictor for students’ perception of academic, social, and emotional inclusion. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 917676. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.917676 
  4. Asamoah, E., Ofori-Dua, K., Cudjoe, E., Abdullah, A., & Nyarko, J. A. (2018). Inclusive education: Perception of visually impaired students, students without disability, and teachers in Ghana. Sage Open, 8(4), 2158244018807791. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018807791 
  5. Atasoy, R., & Sevim, C. (2018). Evaluation of Coping Strategies with Stress of Parents Who Have Mentally Disabled Children in Northern Cyprus. Universal Journal of Educational Research6(6), 1129-1140. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1181147.pdf
  6. Bhatnagar, N., & Das, A. (2014). Regular School Teachers' Concerns and Perceived Barriers to Implement Inclusive Education in New Delhi, India. International Journal of Instruction, 7(2), 89-102. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1085257.pdf
  7. Bell, E., & Bryman, A. (2007). The ethics of management research: an exploratory content analysis. British journal of management, 18(1), 63-77. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8551.2006.00487.x 
  8. Bennett, D., Roberts, L., Ananthram, S., & Broughton, M. (2018). What is required to develop career pathways for teaching academics? Higher Education, 75, 271-286. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10734-017-0138-9 
  9. Bertills, K., Granlund, M., Dahlström, Ö., & Augustine, L. (2018). Relationships between physical education (PE) teaching and student self-efficacy, aptitude to participate in PE and functional skills: with a special focus on students with disabilities. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 23(4), 387-401. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2018.1441394 
  10. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa 
  11. CHED (Commission on Higher Education) 2000, August 11. 2000 CHED Memorandum Orders. https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/CMO-No.23-s2000.pdf 
  12. Connor, D. J., & Cavendish, W. (2020). ‘Sit in my seat’: perspectives of students with learning disabilities about teacher effectiveness in high school inclusive classrooms. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 24(3), 288-309. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2018.1459888 
  13. Creswell, J. W. 2003. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. https://www.ucg.ac.me/skladiste/blog_609332/objava_105202/fajlovi/Creswell.pdf 
  14. Creswell, J., & Plano Clark, V. (2007). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
  15. Crispel, O., & Kasperski, R. (2021). The impact of teacher training in special education on the implementation of inclusion in mainstream classrooms. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 25(9), 1079-1090. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2019.1600590  
  16. Dai, Y. (2018, August). Research on Career Development Strategy of Young Teachers in Colleges and Universities. In 2018 2nd International Conference on Education Science and Economic Management (ICESEM 2018) (pp. 496-499). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/icesem-18.2018.115 
  17. Dapudong, R. C. (2014). Teachers’ knowledge and attitude towards inclusive education: Basis for an enhanced professional development program. International Journal of Learning & Development, 4(4), 1-24. https://shorturl.at/iyEOS 
  18. Dela Fuente, J. A. (2021). Implementing inclusive education in the Philippines: College teacher experiences with deaf students. Issues in Educational Research, 31(1), 94-110. https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.748877765999107 
  19. Fitch, F. (2003). Inclusion, exclusion, and ideology: Special education students' changing sense of self. The Urban Review, 35(3), 233-252. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1025733719935 
  20. Francisco, M. P. B., Hartman, M., & Wang, Y. (2020). Inclusion and special education. Education Sciences, 10(9), 238. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10090238 
  21. Francis, G. L., Duke, J. M., & Fujita, M. (2022). Experiences of college students with disabilities and mental health disorders: Informing college transition and retention. Psychology in the Schools, 59(4), 661-677. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22637 
  22. Francis, G. L., Duke, J. M., Fujita, M., & Sutton, J. C. (2019). " It's a Constant Fight:" Experiences of College Students with Disabilities. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 32(3), 247-262. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1236871.pdf 
  23. Freeman, T. (2014). A New Jersey-based case study of teachers' experiences regarding the effectiveness of inclusion classrooms (Doctoral dissertation, Capella University). file:///C:/Users/Asus/Downloads/out.pdf 
  24. Galović, D., Brojčin, B., & Glumbić, N. (2014). The attitudes of teachers towards inclusive education in Vojvodina. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 18(12), 1262-1282. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2014.886307 
  25. Gilson, C. B., Gushanas, C. M., Li, Y. F., & Foster, K. (2020). Defining inclusion: Faculty and student attitudes regarding postsecondary education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 58(1), 65-81. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-58.1.65 
  26. Goldan, J., Nusser, L., & Gebel, M. (2022). School-related Subjective well-being of children with and without special educational needs in inclusive classrooms. Child Indicators Research, 15(4), 1313-1337. file:///C:/Users/Asus/Downloads/s12187-022-09914-8.pdf 
  27. Gupta, R. K. (2020). NEP 2020: Reflections on Roadmap for Inclusion of the Disabled in Higher Education Institutions. Journal of Disability Management and Rehabilitation, 144-147. 
  28. Hansen, K. D., & Dawson, D. L. (2020). “We can do better”: Community college faculty preparedness for teaching students with learning disabilities. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 13(4), 309. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/dhe0000142 
  29. Heiman, T., & Olenik-Shemesh, D. (2020). Social-emotional profile of children with and without learning disabilities: The relationships with perceived loneliness, self-efficacy, and well-being. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(20), 7358. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17207358 
  30. Hunter-Johnson, Y., Newton, N. G., & Cambridge-Johnson, J. (2014). What Does Teachers' Perception Have to Do with Inclusive Education: A Bahamian Context. International journal of special education, 29(1), 143-157. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1034086.pdf 
  31. Imaniah, I., & Fitria, N. (2018). Inclusive education for students with disability. In SHS Web of Conferences (Vol. 42, p. 00039). EDP Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20184200039 
  32. Junhu, W. A. N. G. (2020, April). Under the Background of the New Era, the Research of Improvement Path on Young Teachers’ Class Teaching Level of Colleges. In International Conference on Mental Health and Humanities Education (ICMHHE 2020) (pp. 146-149). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.200425.031 
  33. Kart, A., & Kart, M. (2021). Academic and social effects of inclusion on students without disabilities: A review of the literature. Education Sciences, 11(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11010016 
  34. Kuyini, A. B., Desai, I., & Sharma, U. (2020). Teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs, attitudes, and concerns about implementing inclusive education in Ghana. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 24(14), 1509-1526. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2018.1544298  
  35. Lin, Y. T. (2018). New Concepts of Equality of Educational Opportunity. Universal journal of educational research6(3), 399-403. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1171311.pdf
  36. Lopez-Gavira, R., Moriña, A., & Morgado, B. (2021). Challenges to inclusive education at the university: students' perspective and disability support service staff. Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 34(3), 292-304. https://doi.org/10.1080/13511610.2019.1578198 
  37. Mackey, M. (2014). Inclusive Education in the United States: Middle School General Education Teachers' Approaches to Inclusion. International Journal of Instruction, 7(2), 5-20. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1085271.pdf
  38. Magaldi, D., & Berler, M. (2020). Semi-structured interviews. Encyclopedia of personality and individual differences, 4825-4830. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_85 
  39. Mamboleo, G., Dong, S., Anderson, S., & Molder, A. (2020). Accommodation experience: Challenges and facilitators of requesting and implementing accommodations among college students with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 53(1), 43-54. https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-vocational-rehabilitation/jvr201084 
  40. Mølster, T., & Nes, K. (2018). To What Extent Does Information and Communication Technology Support Inclusion in Education of Students with Learning Difficulties?. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1175421.pdf
  41. Moriña, A. (2019). The keys to learning for university students with disabilities: Motivation, emotion, and faculty-student relationships. PloS one, 14(5), e0215249. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0215249 
  42. Moriña, A. (2022). Faculty members who engage in inclusive pedagogy: methodological and effective strategies for teaching. Teaching in Higher Education, 27(3), 371-386. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1724938 
  43. Morse, J. M. (1991). Approaches to qualitative-quantitative methodological triangulation. Nursing Research 40:120–23. https://shorturl.at/auNY0 
  44. Mumbing, L., Abequibel, B., Buslon, J., & Alieto, E. (2021). Digital Education, the New Frontier: Determining Attitude and Technological Competence of Language Teachers from a Developing Country. Asian ESP Journal, 17(4.3), 300-32. https://shorturl.at/hmoKQ  
  45. Nanthagopan, Y. (2021). Review and comparison of multi-method and mixed method application in research studies. Journal of Advanced Research2(3), 55-78. Multi-method.pdf 
  46. Orakci, S., Aktan, O., Toraman, Ç., & Çevik, H. (2016). The Influence of Gender and Special Education Training on Attitudes Towards Inclusion. International Journal of Instruction, 9(2), 107-122. http://www.e-iji.net/dosyalar/iji_2016_2_8.pdf
  47. Osborne, T. (2019). Not lazy, not faking: teaching and learning experiences of university students with disabilities. Disability & Society, 34(2), 228-252. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2018.1515724 
  48. Pagano, S. (2023). How Do Teachers's Attitudes, Beliefs, and Views on Inclusion Education Affect the Classroom Learning Environment? (Doctoral dissertation, Roberts Wesleyan College (Rochester)). file:///C:/Users/Asus/Downloads/out%20(1).pdf 
  49. Prince, E. J., & Hadwin, J. (2013). The role of a sense of school belonging in understanding the effectiveness of inclusion of children with special educational needs. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 17(3), 238-262. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2012.676081 
  50. Polo Sánchez, M. T., & Aparicio Puerta, M. (2023). Perceptions of university students with disabilities in Spain: Ideas and beliefs about attitudes towards their inclusion. Disability & Society, 38(8), 1435-1450. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2021.1997716  
  51. Prasetyo, T., Rachmadtullah, R., Samsudin, A., & Aliyyah, R. R. (2021). General Teachers' Experience of the Brain's Natural Learning Systems-Based Instructional Approach in Inclusive Classroom. International Journal of Instruction, 14(3), 95-116. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1304696.pdf
  52. R Core Team (2021). R: A Language and environment for statistical computing. (Version 4.1) [Computer software]. Retrieved from https://cran.r-project.org. (R packages retrieved from MRAN snapshot 2022-01-01).
  53. Rasskazov, P. D., & Muller, O. Y. (2017). Characteristics of the Model of Methodological Training of a Teacher for Working in the Conditions of an Inclusive Educational Environment. Universal Journal of Educational Research5(4), 551-556. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1137655.pdf
  54. Rodríguez Herrero, P., Izuzquiza Gasset, D., & Cabrera Garcia, A. (2020). Inclusive education at a Spanish University: The voice of students with intellectual disability. Disability & Society, 36(3), 376-398. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2020.1745758 
  55. Sagun-Ongtangco, K. S., Medallon, K. G., & Tan, A. J. (2021). Inclusive classrooms: making it work for peers of children with disability. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 25(5), 623-639. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2019.1568596 
  56. Sencibaugh, J., Sencibaugh, A., & Bond, J. (2022). Teachers' Attitudes and Beliefs of Inclusion in Curacao. Online Submission. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED619759.pdf 
  57. Šmelová, E., Ludíková, L., Petrová, A., & Souralová, E. (2016). The Teacher as a Significant Part of Inclusive Education in the Conditions of Czech Schools: Current Opinions of Czech Teachers about the Inclusive Form of Education. Universal Journal of Educational Research4(2), 326-334. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1089632.pdf
  58. Stoiber, K. C., Goettinger, M., & Goetz, D. (1998). Exploring factors influencing parents’ and early childhood practitioners’ beliefs about inclusion, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13(1),107–124. https://shorturl.at/abhCI 
  59. The jamovi project (2022). jamovi. (Version 2.3) [Computer Software]. Retrieved from https://www.jamovi.org.
  60. Torres, J., & Alieto, E. (2019). Acceptability of Philippine English grammatical and lexical items among pre-service teachers. Asian EFL Journal, 21(2.3), 158-181. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED596740.pdf 
  61. UNESCO. (2009). Policy guidelines on inclusion in education, Paris: UNESCO
  62. UNESCO. (2015). The 17 Goals.  https://sdgs.un.org/goals 
  63. UNESCO. (2017). A guide for ensuring inclusion and equity in education. Paris, France
  64. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Welfare (2015). The 17 Goals. https://sdgs.un.org/goals 
  65. Valle-Flórez, R. E., de Caso Fuertes, A. M., Baelo, R., & García-Martín, S. (2021). Faculty of education professors’ perception about the inclusion of university students with disabilities. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(21), 11667. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111667 
  66. Yuen, M., Chan, S., Chan, C., Fung, D. C., Cheung, W. M., Kwan, T., & Leung, F. K. (2018). Differentiation in key learning areas for gifted students in regular classes: A project for primary school teachers in Hong Kong. Gifted Education International, 34(1), 36-46. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429416649047 
  67. Zeng, W., Ju, S., & Hord, C. (2018). A literature review of academic interventions for college students with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 41(3), 159-169. https://doi.org/10.1177/0731948718760999 
  68. Zhang, Y., Rosen, S., Cheng, L., & Li, J. (2018). Inclusive Higher Education for Students with Disabilities in China: What Do the University Teachers Think?. Higher Education Studies, 8(4), 104-115. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1194696.pdf