Measuring Inclusion in Vocational Education and Training through the Prism of Justice of Education

Abstract

The highest possible level of inclusion and justice are the primary goals of most contemporary education systems, including vocational education and training. The Index for Inclusion, which was developed two decades ago, defines inclusion on three levels, i.e. policy, culture and practice, and provides a methodological framework for measuring the inclusive orientation of schools. This paper raises the question of whether the selected Index for Inclusion indicators can be used to also measure different dimensions of justice, which is defined as a multidimensional concept. The just redistribution of basic goods is complemented by recognition, representation and relationality. A study with the aim to determine the multidimensionality of the implementation of inclusivity in Vocational Education and Training institutions using statistical analysis was carried out. An online questionnaire was created and completed by 427 education professionals (head teachers, teachers and school counsellors) employed in vocational education and training. The dimensionality of the measured constructs was checked using a set of 28 variables with factor analysis, i.e. the Maximum Likelihood method and Varimax rotation. It was found that the statements that had been formulated on the basis of the Index for Inclusion can also be used to measure different dimensions of justice. The final version of the questionnaire (modified questionnaire), which contains a set of twenty items, adequately measures the redistribution and recognition aspects of justice, whereas the representation and relational aspects have proven to be two-dimensional concepts. A modified questionnaire could be a suitable starting point both for the self-evaluation of schools and a general measurement of inclusion in terms of justice.