Author: Brody Fulton
Fulton, Brody, 2024 Investigating principals’ attitudes towards inclusion and potential barriers to inclusion in Western Australia, Flinders University, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
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High quality education is essential to provide young Australians with the potential for positive life outcomes. Students with special educational needs (SEN) are no different. The most effective provision of high-quality education is inclusive education. Inclusive education has been shown to increase student performance in students with SEN, while not detracting from the outcome of students without identified disability. Despite Australia’s commitment to inclusion, the number of special schools in Western Australia has increased and the Australian education system remains one of the most segregated among the OECD countries. Given the importance of school principals to inclusion, the current study sought to investigate Western Australian principals’ attitudes towards inclusion, determine if experience with students with SEN affects attitude, and determine what, if any, Western Australian connections principals see between NAPLAN and inclusion. The study utilised a cross-sectional, mixed method. An adapted version of the School Principals’ Attitude Toward Inclusion Scale was used to collect quantitative data, while two semi-structured interviews sought to add real-world experience. Multiple regressions of experience with inclusion and attitudes towards inclusion showed a small, statistically significant positive correlation (r (54) = .323, p = .008). Tests of ANOVA showed that the percentage of students with SEN was dependent of geographical location, F (3, 51) = 3.45, p = 0.023. The qualitative portion identified a number of themes that principals view as barriers to inclusion, such as teacher training and workload, disruptions, and difficulties accessing services and outside professionals. Two principals were interviewed, utilizing a semi-structured interview. Neither principal identified NAPLAN or My School as barriers. These findings are important as they reinforce the need of a focus on training and implementation of inclusive education practices. Given the trend that Australian schools are becoming more diverse, high quality inclusive practices will be essential.
Keywords: Inclusive education, NAPLAN, My School, Inclusion, Western Australia, Principals
Subject: Education thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2024
School: College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
Supervisor: Peter Walker