Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Physical Education Classes: Teachers' Attitudes in Regular Schools

ABSTRACT: The inclusion of students with disabilities in regular schools is still a challenge for teachers, especially because of the insecurity generated by undependable professional education and lack of support structure. The objective of this investigation was to analyze the attitudes of Physical Education teachers towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular classes, as well as the influence of gender, amount of professional experience and type of students' disability. To that end, 35 Physical Education teachers from 15 public schools in Londrina, state of Paraná, Brazil, individually answered the Teacher Inclusion Attitudes Questionnaire (TIAQ). The results showed that teachers are generally optimistic about the inclusion of students with disabilities in their classrooms, although the lack of support received by the school is highlighted as an important barrier in the process. The amount of teacher's experience and gender, as well as the type of student's disability, were influential factors in their attitudes, reinforcing that women with less experience, especially with intellectually deficient students in their classes, present more negative attitudes towards inclusion.