Religious and secular student' sense of self-efficacy and attitudes towards inclusion of pupils with intellectual disability and
Lecturer
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Judaism's positive attitudes toward people with disabilities would influence greater willingness towards inclusion of such people
in regular classes and a greater sense of self-efficacy in working with them.
Methods The present authors compared religious (n = ) and secular (n = ) Jewish students at a teacher's college with regard to these variables. The authors used the Regular Education Initiative questionnaire, which investigates teachers' self-efficacy and attitudes towards including pupils with different types of disabilities in regular education. They analysed the results according to the college students' major and the type of disability (five types at three levels of severity). Results The results indicate that religious students are more willing than non-religious students to consider the inclusion of people with four types of disabilities and have a greater sense of efficacy for dealing with all types of disabilities. The hypothesis
that the milder the disability, the higher would be the teacher's sense of self-efficacy and her/his will- Correspondence: ingness for such children to be included in a regular class was sustained. The religious special education students were the only ones who exhibited willingness to include pupils with intellectual disability, and moderate and severe emotional
disturbances. Students who majored in special education scored higher than all their counterparts on both measures. The results also sustain the hypothesis that there would be a positive correlation between both measures. Conclusions To facilitate inclusive education
amongst teachers and students, the present authors recommend an intervention programme designed to help students acquire knowledge and strategies about inclusion. They also suggest enriching this programme with Jewish religious sources, which reflect positive attitudes toward people withdisabilities.
in regular classes and a greater sense of self-efficacy in working with them.
Methods The present authors compared religious (n = ) and secular (n = ) Jewish students at a teacher's college with regard to these variables. The authors used the Regular Education Initiative questionnaire, which investigates teachers' self-efficacy and attitudes towards including pupils with different types of disabilities in regular education. They analysed the results according to the college students' major and the type of disability (five types at three levels of severity). Results The results indicate that religious students are more willing than non-religious students to consider the inclusion of people with four types of disabilities and have a greater sense of efficacy for dealing with all types of disabilities. The hypothesis
that the milder the disability, the higher would be the teacher's sense of self-efficacy and her/his will- Correspondence: ingness for such children to be included in a regular class was sustained. The religious special education students were the only ones who exhibited willingness to include pupils with intellectual disability, and moderate and severe emotional
disturbances. Students who majored in special education scored higher than all their counterparts on both measures. The results also sustain the hypothesis that there would be a positive correlation between both measures. Conclusions To facilitate inclusive education
amongst teachers and students, the present authors recommend an intervention programme designed to help students acquire knowledge and strategies about inclusion. They also suggest enriching this programme with Jewish religious sources, which reflect positive attitudes toward people withdisabilities.
Lifshitz, H., & Glaubman, R. (2002).
Religious and secular student' sense of self-efficacy and attitudes towards inclusion of pupils with intellectual disability and other types of needs. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 46(5), 405-418.
Last Updated Date : 02/06/2011
