Inclusive Teachers' Attitudes toward Their Students with Disabilities: A Replication and Extension

This investigation replicated and extended previous research regarding the attitudes of inclusive teachers toward their students with disabilities. Participating teachers included 46 inclusive teachers (grades K-5) from 16 elementary schools in 7 Northeast Ohio school districts. Teachers nominated 3 students in 4 attitudinal categories: attachment, concern, indifference, and rejection. Results indicated that (a) included students with disabilities were significantly overrepresented (in comparison to nondisabled students) among teachers' concern, indifference, and rejection nominations; (b) included students with mild disabilities were significantly overrepresented (in comparison to students with severe disabilities) among teachers' concern nominations; and (c) included students were significantly more likely to receive concern nominations in high-socioeconomic status (SES) school districts and from experienced teachers, and to be nominated in the rejection category in classes with no paraprofessional and in high-SES school districts. Implications and recommendations for inclusive policies and practices are discussed.