TY - JOUR
T1 - Are leaders leading the way with inclusion? Teachers’ perceptions of systemic support and barriers towards inclusion
AU - Woodcock, Stuart
AU - Woolfson, Lisa Marks
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - This study explored teachers’ views of systemic support for inclusion and barriers to its success at school and classroom levels. The research employed a thematic analysis of the insights of 120 Canadian primary and secondary teachers. Findings show that many key issues surrounding the success of inclusion lie not only at the level of the classroom teacher in terms of their attitude and practical application of inclusive strategies in the classroom, but that they also lie in the school climate and culture, and through systemic support from leadership and the Board. Major concerns were around human resource, other teachers’ attitudes, competing demands, leadership and board support, and professional development. Results suggest the need for greater focus on high leverage, maximum impact, systemic support at the leadership level if education systems are to truly make a paradigm shift towards inclusion.
AB - This study explored teachers’ views of systemic support for inclusion and barriers to its success at school and classroom levels. The research employed a thematic analysis of the insights of 120 Canadian primary and secondary teachers. Findings show that many key issues surrounding the success of inclusion lie not only at the level of the classroom teacher in terms of their attitude and practical application of inclusive strategies in the classroom, but that they also lie in the school climate and culture, and through systemic support from leadership and the Board. Major concerns were around human resource, other teachers’ attitudes, competing demands, leadership and board support, and professional development. Results suggest the need for greater focus on high leverage, maximum impact, systemic support at the leadership level if education systems are to truly make a paradigm shift towards inclusion.
KW - inclusion
KW - systemic support
KW - teacher attitudes
KW - teacher concerns
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85057429063&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijer.2018.11.004
DO - 10.1016/j.ijer.2018.11.004
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85057429063
SN - 0883-0355
VL - 93
SP - 232
EP - 242
JO - International Journal of Educational Research
JF - International Journal of Educational Research
ER -