Age differences in the attitudes of kindergarten teachers about inclusion of children with disabilities in regular kindergarten

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to determine differences in the attitudes towards inclusion of children with disabilities among teachers in kindergartens according to age groups. The intentional sample of kindergarten teachers in Osijek and Zagreb were examined using the Expert Images about Inclusion of Children with Development Disabilities questionnaire. Dimensions of attitudes and beliefs about inclusion are mutually mainly low, but significantly and positively correlated. It turned out that older kindergarten teachers showed significantly more pronounced bias toward inclusion, but they knew more about the philosophy of inclusion and about the inclusion estimating criteria. On the other hand, younger kindergarten teachers believed that they had greater personal and professional competence to work in terms of inclusion. The existence of age differences in preschool teachers in the attitudes towards the inclusion determines the possibility of conceiving a differentiated educational program of inclusion.