European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 3, 30-48 (2010) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2010.003

ATTITUDES OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS IN AN AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY TOWARDS INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES IN GENERAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Kirsty Martin1, Martin Kudláček2
1 Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Catholic University, Leuven, Belgium
2 Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic

Attitudes of teachers are an important determinant of behaviour in educational settings (Avramidis & Norwich, 2002). The aim of this study was to describe the attitudes and determine predictors of intentions in pre-service teachers in Australia toward inclusion of students with physical disabilities in general physical education classes. The Attitudes Towards Individuals with Physical Disabilities in Physical Education - Revised (ATIPDPE-R) instrument, based upon the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991) was used to measure the attitudes of pre-service teachers from first and fourth year primary and physical education courses at a University in Australia. 230 participants, including 177 females, 53 males with an average age of 20.94 years took part in the study. Although no significant differences were found between year groups or subject majors, results found positive attitudes of pre-service teachers towards inclusion (Primary ATT (attitude) mean = 78.41; PE ATT mean = 75.27). Attitudes were found to account for 20% of variance of intentions (r2 = 0.208), and when attitudes, subjective norm and gender were combined, these accounted for 26% of prediction of intention (r2 = 0.258).

Keywords: Adapted Physical Activity, physical disability, integration, inclusion, attitudes, Theory of Planned Behaviour

Prepublished online: February 5, 2011; Published: March 31, 2010  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Martin, K., & Kudláček, M. (2010). ATTITUDES OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS IN AN AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY TOWARDS INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES IN GENERAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity, 3(1), 30-48. doi: 10.5507/euj.2010.003
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behaviour. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179-211. Go to original source...
    2. Ajzen, I. (2005). Attitudes, Personality and Behaviour (2nd ed.) Berkshire, England: Open University Press.
    3. Attorney General's Department, Canberra. (1995). Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Retrieved March 24, 2009, from http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/pasteact/0/311/pdf/DDA1992.pdf.
    4. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2009). 4102.0 - Australian Social Trends, 2008. Retrieved on March 25, 2009, from http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Chapter4002008.
    5. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2008). 4221.0 - Schools, Australia, 2008. Retrieved on March 23, 2009, from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4221.0?OpenDocument.
    6. Australian Government; Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. (2005). Disability Standards of Education 2005. Retrieved on October 31, 2009 from http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/programmes_funding/forms_guidelines/disability_standards_for_education.htm
    7. Australian Human Rights Commission. (2008). About Disability Rights. Retrieved on March 23, 2009 from http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/about_disability.html.
    8. Australian Special Education Principal's Association. (2006). Disability into the Future and Impact on Schools. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http://www.asepa.org.au/PDF/Disability%20Into%20the%20Future.pdf.
    9. Avramidis, E., Norwich, B. (2002). Teachers' attitudes towards integration / inclusion: a review of the literature. European Journal of Special Needs Education, Volume 17, Number 2, 1 June 2002, 129-147(19) Go to original source...
    10. Avramidis, E., Bayliss, P., & Burden, R. (2000). Student teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of children with special educational needs in the ordinary school. Teaching and Teacher Education, Volume 16 (3), April 2000, 277-293. Go to original source...
    11. Block, M. E., & Obrusnikova, I. (2007). Inclusion of Physical Education: A Review of the Literature from 1995-2005. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 24, 103-124. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    12. Block, M. E., & Rizzo, T. L. (1995). Attitudes and attributes of GPE teachers associated with teaching individuals with severe and profound disabilities. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 20, 80-87. Go to original source...
    13. Block, M. E., & Zeman, R. (1996). Including students with disabilities in regular physical education: Effects on nondisabled children. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 13, 3849. Go to original source...
    14. Board of Studies New South Wales. (2008a). PDHPE A Guide to the New Years 7-10 Syllabus. Retrieved March 23, 2009, from http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/pdhpe_710_guide.pdf.
    15. Board of Studies New South Wales. (2008b). Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Years 7-10 Syllabus. Retrieved March 23, 2009, from http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/pdhpe-7-10-syllabus.pdf.
    16. Fishbein, M. (1967). A consideration of beliefs, and their role in attitude measurement. In M. Fishbein (Ed.), Readings in attitude theory and measurement (p. 257-266). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
    17. Francis, J. J., Eccles, M. P., Johnston, M., Walker, A., Grimshaw, J., Foy, R., Kaner, E. F. S., Smith, L., & Bonetti, D. (2004). Constructing Questionnaires Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour; A Manual for Health Services Researchers. 2004. Centre for Health Services Research, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
    18. Hagger, M. S., Chatzisarantis, N, L, D., & Biddle, S. J. H. (2002). A meta-analytical review of the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour in physical activity: Predictive validity and the contribution of additional variables. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 24, 3-32. Go to original source...
    19. Hodge, S. R., Ammah, J. O. A., Casebolt, K., Lamaster, K., & Sullivan, M. (2004). High School General Physical Education Teachers' Behaviours and Beliefs Associated with Inclusion. Sport, Education and Society, 9(3), 395-419. Go to original source...
    20. Hodge, S. R., Murata, N. M., & Kozub, F. M. (2002). Physical Educators' Judgements About Inclusion: A New Instrument for PreService Teachers. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 19, 435-452. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    21. Hutzler, Y. (2003). Attitudes Toward the Participation of Individuals With Disabilities in Physical Activity: A Review. Quest, 2003, 55(347-373). Go to original source...
    22. Kodish, S., Kulinna, P. H., Martin, J., Pangrazi, R., & Darst, P. (2006). Determinants of Physical Activity in an Inclusive Setting. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 23, 390-409. Go to original source...
    23. Konza, D. (2008). Inclusion of students with disabilities in new times: responding to the challenge. In Kell, P., Vialle, W., Konza, D., & Vogle, G (eds), Learner and the learner: exploring learning for new times, University of Wollongong, 2008, p.39-64. Available from http://ro.uow.edu.au/edupapers/36/.
    24. Kudláček, M. (2001). An attitude toward inclusion instrument based on the theory of planned behaviours for prospective Czech physical educators. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Texan Women's University, Denton.
    25. Kudláček, M., Válková, H., Sherrill, C., Myers, B., & French, R. (2002). An Inclusion Instrument Based on Planned Behaviour Theory for Prospective Physical Educators. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 19, 280-299. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    26. LaMaster, K., Gail, K., Kinchin, G., & Siedentop, D. (1998). Inclusion practices of effective elementary specialists. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 15(1), 64-81. Go to original source...
    27. Lienert, C., Sherrill, C., & Myers, B. (2001). Physical Educators' Concerns About Integrating Children with Disabilities: A Cross-Cultural Comparison. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 18(1), 1-17. Go to original source...
    28. Meegan, S., & MacPhail, A. (2006). Irish physical educators' attitude toward teaching students with special educational needs. European Physical Education Review, 12(1), 75-97. Go to original source...
    29. Murata, N. M., & Jansma, P. (1997). Influence of support personnel on students with and without disabilities in general physical education. Clinical Kinesiology, 51, 37-46.
    30. Norman, P., Conner, M., & Bell, R. (1999). The theory of planned behaviour and smoking cessation. Health Psychology, 18(1), 89-94. Go to original source...
    31. Sheeran, P. & Taylor, S. (1999). Predicting intention to use condoms: A meta-analysis and comparison of the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 29, 1624-1675. Go to original source...
    32. Tripp, A., & Rizzo, T. (2006). Disability Labels Affect Physical Educators. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 23, 310-326. Go to original source...
    33. Tripp, A., French, R., & Sherrill, C. (1995). Contact theory and attitudes of children in physical education programs toward peers with disabilities. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 12, 323-332. Go to original source...
    34. United Nations. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Retrieved on May 29, 2010 from http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/conventionfull.shtml.
    35. Verderber, J. M. S., Rizzo, T. L., & Sherrill, C. (2003). Assessing Student Intention to Participate in Inclusive Physical Education. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 20, 2645. Go to original source...
    36. Vogler, E. W., Koranda, P., & Romance, T. (2000). Including a child with severe cerebral palsy in physical education: A case study. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 9, 316-329 Go to original source...
    37. Yuen, M., & Westwood, P. (2001). Integrating students with special needs in Hong Kong secondary schools: Teachers' attitudes and their possible relationship to guidance training. International Journal of Special Education, 16(2), 69-83.

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content