Investigating Teachers’ Attitudes Toward the Inclusive Education of Learners with Special Needs in Public Elementary Schools

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusive education of Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSENs) in public elementary schools. Using a descriptive-correlational design, data were gathered from 150 teacher respondents through adopted survey questionnaires. The treatment of data involved frequency count, percentages, weighted mean, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and correlation analysis (Spearman's rho). The findings showed that the teaching workforce predominantly consists of mid-career educators with moderate experience. Most teachers manage moderate to large class sizes, demonstrating minimal exposure to professional development in inclusive education, with the majority having attended only introductory sessions. Policy literacy remains fragmentary and recency-biased, as teachers recognize recent legislation but show limited awareness of foundational legal frameworks. Findings revealed that teachers consistently express favorable attitudes toward including diverse learners in regular classrooms, although their confidence diminishes for students with complex behavioral needs, autism spectrum disorder, and specialized communication requirements. Teachers perceived highly supportive collegial environments characterized by mutual assistance, open communication, and accessible professional relationships. Institutional backing, exceptionally strong collaborative attitudes, and professional development fundamentally shape their confidence, competence, and positive attitudes to inclusive education implementation. Furthermore, attitudes varied significantly across five dimensions, with minimal professional development exposure and fragmentary policy literacy identified. Teaching experience shows minimal relationship, and class size demonstrates virtually no meaningful relationship; training frequency shows weak positive associations. Policy knowledge significantly correlates with student-centered and administrative support attitudes but shows minimal relationships with collegial dimensions. It can be concluded that teachers demonstrated favorable attitudes toward inclusive education, particularly valuing peer support, administrative backing, collaboration, and training. However, confidence diminished when addressing students with complex behavioral needs and autism spectrum disorder. An action plan was made to address professional development gaps, specialized training, and policy literacy enhancement.