Browsing by Author "Lipponen, Mirjami"

Objectives. The study seeks to find out what kind of attitudes experienced classroom teachers have toward inclusion. Furthermore, it seeks to analyse how the attitudes have changed and what has been the main changing agents. The ‘experienced classroom teacher’ means here a teacher with 10 years or more of work experience. Methods. This is a qualitative study with interviews as the main source of data collection. The data has been analysed with a content analysis method. Results and Conclusions. The teachers selected to this study analyse their attitudes toward inclusion in general, as well as in the perspective of their actual teaching. They also looked at inclusion from the students’ perspective. Every teacher found more positive than negative attitudes in their thinking. Nevertheless, none of the teachers stated inclusion is automatically good for every student. The teachers also expressed some critical attitudes towards inclusion. Moreover, the teachers’ experiences in their work have the greatest effect on their attitudes toward inclusion. Those teachers with another qualification as a special education teacher expressed change in their thinking as well. The young teacher’s insecurity and limited knowledge had changed into courage in their work. The long career has created understanding of diversity in students and families. The principal’s support and adequate resources as well as the teacher’s own attitudes toward students who need support were seen the most important factors in successful inclusion.