The study sought to understand Polish preservice teachers' attitudes toward inclusion by surveying 136 candidates. Overall, results showed positive perceptions of inclusion but concerns about preparation and support. While most agreed students with disabilities should be educated alongside peers, some noted this depends on the disability's type or impact. Comments emphasized inclusion benefits all students by promoting tolerance and respect. The findings highlight needs for teacher training as Poland increases integrated classrooms.

1. Janice Myck-Wayne, Ed.D., Melinda R. Pierson, Ph.D., and Kristin Stang, Ph.D.
California State University, Fullerton
Kinga Ober, Ph.D. and Ania Basinska
Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland

2.  Providing quality inclusion for children with
special needs is an ongoing and important
area of research and policy. Included in The
UNESCO (2009) Policy Guidelines on Inclusion
in Education are two steps for moving policy
towards inclusion forward:
◦ Helping teachers to understand their role in
education and that inclusion of diversity in the
classroom is an opportunity, not a problem
◦ Reorienting teacher education

3.  This presentation will present research
conducted jointly between special education
faculty in the USA and faculty from a college of
education in Poland.
 The study sought to capture the perspectives of
general education teachers’ attitudes towards
inclusion in Poland.
 The study was conducted to help understand the
attitudes and knowledge of Polish teachers as the
country moves to full mainstream programs for
children with disabilities.

4.  The knowledge gained from the study is being used
to develop to support the introduction of teaching
children with special needs for the general education
teacher training program in Poland.
 In Poland, there are approximately 66,000 children
identified as having special needs.
 Roughly half of the identified children (n=35,027)
attend “integrated” or mainstream schools (UNESCO,
2010/11).
 This is critical work, because the understanding pre-
service teachers’ beliefs about inclusion is important
because positive attitudes towards inclusion are
among the strongest predictors of the success of the
inclusion reforms (Avramidis & Norwich, 2002; Forlin, 2010).

5.  The research project was developed using a
modified survey of perception and attitudes
towards people with disabilities (Ferko, Jung, &
Kim, 2010) that was translated and then reviewed
by two Polish faculty with expertise in education
to increase the translation accuracy.
 The survey included demographic items, a set of
questions with a likert scale response, and
yes/no questions related to attitudes about
disabilities and inclusion, which included items
regarding participant’s general knowledge about
disabilities.

6. 1 2 3 4 5
1. Czy uważa Pan(i), że osoby niepełnosprawne powinny uczyć się w tej samej
klasie co zdrowi uczniowie?
2. Czy uważa Pan(i), że osoby niepełnosprawne powinny uczyć się w klasie
wyłącznie z innymi uczniami niepełnosprawnymi?
3. Czy uważa Pan(i), że osoby z niepełnosprawnością powinny uczyć się w
odrębnej szkole przeznaczonej dla uczniów niepełnosprawnych?
4. Czy wierzy Pan(i), że osoby niepełnosprawne mogą czerpać korzyści z
przebywania w tej samej klasie co uczniowie bez niepełnosprawności?
5. Czy uważa Pan(i), że niepełnosprawni uczniowie mogą zdobyć podstawowe
umiejętności matematyczne?
6.Czy uważa Pan(i), że niepełnosprawni uczniowie mogą nauczyć się czytać
samodzielnie?
7. Czy uważa Pan(i), że osoby niepełnosprawne są w stanie ukończyć szkołę
średnią?

7.  All 136 respondents were candidates in Polish
teacher education programs and the
participants filled out the survey in a paper
format.
 The surveys were completed and collected in
Poland, the open-ended participant
responses were translated by Polish faculty,
and the hard copy surveys were sent to the
United States for data analysis.

8.  The majority of the respondents were living in a
small town or city.
 Approximately 50% of the respondents had
children of their own.
 Only 1 participant reported having a child with a
disability.
 All but one participant reported having seen a
person with a disability.
 82% reported knowing a person with a disability.
 Only 1 participant reported having a disability.
 35% reported having a close friend or relative
with a disability.

9.  Results of the study revealed that the
majority of the respondents held positive
perceptions of people with disabilities.
 These preservice teachers clearly feel that
children with disabilities should be in
traditional schools yet many commented
about the lack of training and/or support.

10.  Participant comments regarding why they
supported inclusion included the following
responses about the rights of those with a
disability:
◦ “All people have the right to inclusion.”
◦ “Because inclusive education is more effective in
teaching and teach(es) the right moral attitudes.”
◦ “Because otherwise it is discrimination.”
◦ “It prevents social exclusion.”
◦ “They have better educational and social chances.”

11.  The Polish preservice teachers generally indicated
that they felt inclusion was a positive practice,
yet some raised concerns about that it may
depend upon the type or impact of that disability.
 These participants responded with comments like
“Yes, but not with every kind of disability” and
“Yes, for mild disability. No for big disability.”
 One participant indicated that “there are too
many students in the classroom” and this would
make it difficult to work individually with
students.

12. Many participants discussed the potential impact of
inclusion on the students without disabilities:
 “Because education in inclusion gives benefits to
both groups of children.”
 “ It teaches both groups to be tolerant to another
person, to respect, understand. It shows that not
all of us are the same.”
 “They can learn a lot from each other.”
 “Because it leads to bigger tolerance and
empathy among health kids towards disabled
kids.”

13.  Overall, 77.2% of the Polish preservice teacher
participants agreed or strongly agreed that all
students should be educated in the same
classroom as their peers without a disability.
 Only 10.3% of the respondents felt that the
education of students with disabilities should
occur in separate schools.

14.  As there is little published regarding the views of
Polish preservice teachers regarding disabilities
and inclusion, these initial results indicate a
positive climate for students with disabilities as
the country of Poland moves toward the
increased “integration” of students with
disabilities.
 Additionally these preliminary findings highlight
the need for changes in teacher preparation
programs in order to help Polish preservice
teachers feel better prepared to meet the
demands of teaching in an inclusive environment.

15.  Avramidis E. & Norwich B. (2002). Teachers’ attitudes
towards integration/inclusion: A review of the literature.
European Journal of Special Needs Education, 17(2), 129-
147.
 Ferko, D. J., Jung, W., & Kim, S. (2010). Korean Americans'
Perceptions and Attitudes toward People with Disabilities:
Determination of Inclusion Issues. Journal of International
Special Needs Education, 13, 23-31.
 Forlin, C. (2010), Developing and implementing quality
inclusive education in Hong Kong: implications for teacher
education. Journal of Research in Special Educational
Needs, 10, 177–184.
 UNESCO, I. (2010/11). World Data on Education. VII Ed.
 UNESCO. (2009). Policy Guidelines on Inclusion in
Education.