An evaluation of pre-service teachers’ competences and views regarding inclusive education

Abstract

Inclusive education is a form of education in which individuals with any disabilities receive education together with their peers. The education people with disabilities receive in special classrooms by expert teachers has begun to be conducted as inclusive education in normal classrooms by non-expert teachers. Senior class pre-service teachers take the special education course in education faculty and also primary school pre-service teachers receive the ınclusive education course in addition to this course. The aim of this research is to determine the opinions of the pre-service teachers who receive the special education courses about the adequacy of inclusive education and special education practices they observe at schools. The research was prepared in a mixed pattern and quantitative and qualitative techniques were used together. Therefore, Teacher Competence Scale in Inclusive Applications developed by Bayar (2015) was applied to 197 students who study science, mathematics, social studies, Turkish and, primary school teaching. Besides, views of 25 pre-service teachers who study in the same classes were collected and evaluated in written form. At the end of the study, it was determined that while Science pre-service teachers consider themselves more competent in inclusion, primary school pre-service teachers have higher classroom management competence. There is not any significant difference between pre-service teachers’ views about inclusive education according to gender. Furthermore, the pre-service teachers think that teachers lack knowledge and education, students’ disabilities are not recognized, there is a lack of equipment, and cooperation of school and family is not effective.