Abstract:

The transition from the concept of integration to that of inclusion led to the need to develop a pre-service teacher (PST) training program for inclusive education.

The current study has two main objectives:
(1) to develop an inclusive education program and examine its contribution to improving PST's attitudes and sense of self-efficacy to include students with complex disabilities in regular education;
(2) to examine student satisfaction with each program component as grounds for future training.

70 undergraduate third-year PST in two programs participated in the study: early childhood (n=36) and primary and secondary school (n = 34). All PST participated in the inclusive training program. Research tools were both quantitative and qualitative (mixed methods), including questionnaires developed and validated especially for this study and administered to all participants before and after the intervention program. A semi structured interview was conducted with a focus group (n = 10) after the intervention program.

The main research findings revealed that only early childhood PST changed their attitudes and sense of self-efficacy regarding the inclusion of students with complex disabilities in regular educational frameworks. All participants expressed satisfaction with the program and its components. The present study emphasizes the contribution of the inclusive education training program in the various regular education curricula and the significance of its components for PST.

All of these will allow for the accuracy and expansion of the program for further optimal inclusive education training.

Keywords:

Inclusive education, teacher training, attitudes, self-efficacy.