Role perceptions of School Administration Team Members concerning inclusion of children with disabilities in elementary general schools in Israel

In an ideal school, where inclusion is implemented successfully, staff members collaborate and create an inclusive environment in their schools. In order to achieve such a sustainable environment of inclusion, pedagogical, organisational and psychological restructuring should occur, and a strong inclusion-oriented leadership has to be activated. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of general elementary School Administrative Team Member's (SATM) role in the process of inclusion. SATM included: school principals, vice principals and school counsellors of seven schools in Israel. It was found that though all SATM were basically pro-inclusion they did not manifest a shared view of inclusion. Their views of inclusion were reactive rather than proactive. SATM associated the failure to fully implement inclusion to external factors mainly the Inclusion Act that had not fulfilled its intended goals and to the lack of governmental support. The SATM failed to see the need for collaboration and the need for personal and shared responsibility for establishing a setting of sustainable inclusion that is knowledge-based. In light of these atomistic rather than holistic views of inclusion; it is recommended that SATM dedicate time to collaboratively plan comprehensive sustainable models of inclusion where practices are based on shared beliefs and continuous learning.