Attitudes of general education teachers in Mumbai, India toward people with disabilities and inclusive education

Previous investigations have emphasized that attitudes of general education teachers toward the philosophy of inclusion are important predictors of the outcomes of inclusion. In India, policy and law recently has shifted toward inclusion. To date, inclusion has been occurring in a sporadic and unsystematic manner. There is very little research exploring the attitudes of general education teachers in India toward education of children with disabilities.; The purpose of the present study was to examine the attitudes of general education teachers in Mumbai, India toward people with disabilities and toward inclusive education. The study investigated the attitudes of primary (elementary) and secondary school teachers who were employed in state-aided, private, or municipal schools in Mumbai. The attitude measures used for the study were the Attitude Toward Disability Scale developed in 1996 by John Berry and Ajit Dalal and the Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education Scale developed in 1992 by Felicia Wilczenski.; The results indicated that there was a difference between the attitudes of general education teachers employed in state-aided, private and municipal schools. State aided and private school teachers showed more positive attitudes toward people with disabilities than municipal school teachers. Private school teachers were more positive than state aided school teachers in their attitudes toward inclusive education. The demographic analysis indicated that age, income, years of experience and education level affected the attitudes toward persons with disabilities but not the attitudes toward inclusive education. Acquaintance with a person with a disability was the only demographic characteristic that impacted teachers attitudes toward inclusive education. The results also showed that teachers were most supportive toward inclusion of children with social disabilities and least supportive toward inclusion of children with physical disabilities.; In conclusion, the study revealed variables that may affect the attitudes of general education teachers in the city of Mumbai toward people with disabilities and inclusive education. An understanding of these variables can help the planning and implementation of inclusion initiatives in Mumbai.