Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Diversity and Inclusive Education in Learning Communities

Abstract

The paper presents a study carried out as part of the research project LC4Inclusion - On the road to
schools as communities for inclusion. It focuses on teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education and diversity in groups of schools involved in the Portuguese Network of Learning Communities INCLUD-ED, which the
Directorate-General for Education promoted at national level. 154 responses to a questionnaire, inspired by the
Index for Inclusion and previously validated in Portuguese schools, were analysed. The results are in line with
other studies and point to an overall positive attitude towards the three dimensions analysed in the factor analysis: Diversity and educational inclusion; Inclusive cultures; Inclusive classroom practices, as well as positive and
significant correlations between these dimensions, revealing their interdependence. The results also revealed
that attending training in inclusive education, self-perceived knowledge about diversity and inclusion, positive
previous experiences with students with specific needs and the lower levels of education at which teachers
teach are significantly associated to more positive attitudes towards inclusive education.

Keywords: Teachers’ attitudes; Diversity; Inclusive cultures; Inclusive policies; Inclusive practices.