Changes in students’ attitudes towards inclusion and self-efficacy after school internships at a mainstream school

Against the backdrop of the requirement to deal with diversity as a result of the inclusion of students with special educational needs, teacher education research is challenged to address the importance of different learning opportunities for fostering inclusion-related attitudes and self-efficacy. Both are factors that are considered to be important for the actions of teachers in inclusive teaching. The findings of a study with 251 students show that attitudes toward inclusion have changed basically and this is independent of the conditions of the school-based internship. More negative attitudes after the internship are shown for students of special education who were at an inclusive school. There were no changes in self-efficacy expectations. The findings are discussed with reference to existing findings of research on the teaching profession and the instruments used. First implications for the change of attitudes are presented.