Estimate of Implementation of Educational Inclusion by Primary School Teachers and High School Teachers

The results of the research on the estimate of implementing educational inclusion in the Lika-Senj County showed that the majority of primary school teachers and high school teachers have a positive perception of its implementation. While the majority of primary school teachers have experience in working with students with developmental disabilities, subject teachers report somewhat weaker experience. Both groups of teachers mostly establish cooperation with support staff in the school, but not with professionals out of school. Teachers with less training with these students and with greater support from schools are aware of their teaching methodology, individualize programs, attend professional development and establish cooperation. They, when compared to high school teachers, have a significantly higher estimate of the use of teaching methods and manners of work with these students, apply individualized programs, attend professional development and establish cooperation. The multivariate analysis showed that primary school teachers with less training for working with such students and with greater support from school have more positive estimates of the teaching methodology, implementation of individualized programs, professional development and cooperation and reception of students with disabilities by peers and parents. With fewer numbers of students per class, less experience of working with such students and the humanities and social studies profile of teachers, estimates of inclusion of such students become more positive. Primary school teachers, as opposed to high school teachers, more positively estimate their competence when cooperation with parents of these students is weak.