PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS OF INCLUSION: THE ROLE OF PARENTS OF TYPICALLY DEVELOPING STUDENTS IN SHAPING AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL CULTURE

Autori

  • Marina Louari Special Education Department, University of Thessaly, Greece

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https://doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v12i6.6905

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parents’ perceptions##common.commaListSeparator## inclusive education

Abstrakt

This study explores the perceptions of parents of typically developing students regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream primary education. Adopting a qualitative research design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 25 parents from five primary schools. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, allowing for an in-depth exploration of participants’ attitudes and experiences. The findings reveal ambivalent parental attitudes. While parents widely recognize the social and emotional benefits of inclusive education—such as the development of empathy, acceptance of diversity, and enhancement of social skills—they simultaneously express concerns related to the adequacy of support structures, teacher preparedness, and potential impacts on academic outcomes. Furthermore, factors such as prior contact with individuals with disabilities and the level of parental awareness were found to positively influence attitudes toward inclusion. The study highlights the importance of strengthening school–family collaboration, enhancing parental awareness, and ensuring adequate institutional support as key conditions for the effective implementation of inclusive education. The findings contribute to the growing body of literature on inclusive education by providing qualitative insights into the perspectives of parents of typically developing students, a group that remains underexplored in existing research.

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    The author is a Doctor in Special Education and teaches in the Department of Special Education at the University of Thessaly. Her research interests focus on the multi-level inclusion of individuals with disabilities in educational, professional, and broader social contexts. She has collaborated extensively with general and special education teachers, as well as with organizations representing individuals with disabilities.

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Publikované

2026-07-30

Číslo

Diel 12 Číslo 6 (2026)

Sekcia

Articles

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