0000000000858121
AUTHOR
Marshall Zumberg
Inclusive Education as Perceived by Prospective Special Education Teachers in Estonia, Finland, and the United States
A survey of 125 prospective undergraduate special education teachers assessed perceptions and beliefs about inclusive education in Estonia, Finland, and the United States. The attitudes toward inclusion were rather critical. The Estonians were the most critical group; the Finns, the least critical. The findings suggest that prospective special educators' perceptions about inclusion are related to the prevailing implementation of inclusive education. The results support also the idea that perceptions about a person with a disability are connected with possible actions toward this person.
Inclusive education in Finland: present and future perspectives.
The movement to integrate special education students into normal school classes started to develop in Finland in the 1960s. At the same time, the number of students labeled “special” in the Finnish comprehensive school system exploded from 2% to 17% of all school children. Presently, 84% of all special education placements are part-time placements. Special schools and special classes comprise 15% of all special education placements, while full inclusion is only 1% of all special education placements. Some factors affecting the current integration of special students and the development of integration are discussed.