Inclusive Education as Perceived by Prospective Special Education Teachers in Estonia, Finland, and the United States

1997

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.