Attitudes of parents of typically developing children towards the inclusion of children with disabilities

Abstract

Introduction. Successful implementation of inclusive education, among other things, depends on the attitudes of the participants in the process itself. Although teachers are considered a key factor in the implementation of inclusion, the role of parents should not be neglected. Objective. The main goal of the paper was to examine the attitudes of parents of typically developing children towards the inclusion of children with disabilities, and to examine the impact of gender, level of education, place of residence, and age of the child on parents' attitudes. Parents' opinions on the impact of the type of developmental disabilities on their children's education were also examined. Methods. The research sample consisted of 293 parents of typically developing children from the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Parents' attitudes were examined by the Survey of Parents' Attitudes towards Inclusion (SPATI). Results. Parents of typically developing children expressed positive attitudes towards the inclusion of children with disabilities. Their attitudes were not affected by gender, level of education, place of residence, and age of the child. They expressed the most positive attitude towards the inclusion of children with sensory impairments (hearing, vision) and children with moderate or mild intellectual disabilities, while their attitude towards the inclusion of children with severe developmental disabilities (autism, severe intellectual disabilities) was less positive. Conclusion. The results of the research indicate the need for further research on this issue and planning of appropriate programs aimed at developing positive attitudes towards inclusive education of students with all kinds of disabilities.