Teachers in Inclusive Education

Abstract

In the educational sense inclusion is defined as active inclusion of pupils with disabilities in the regular teaching process (Subotić, 2014). In this context, teachers represent the most important bond between students and the school as an institution, therefore they are considered as one of the key factors in adapting children with disabilities to attend the school program (Rajović and Jovanović, 2010). The aim of this work was to examine how teachers from Zadar perceive the inclusion of children with disabilities, how they perceive their own competences for this form of work and what obstacles they encounter. For this purpose, 5 semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers from Zadar (Primary school Stanovi), after which the collected data were transcribed and analyzed. It was determined that teachers see inclusion as an educational practice that promotes tolerance and cooperative behavior, that they evaluate it as a professional challenge, but at the same time emphasize the need for professional training and the acquisition of additional competences. Moreover, teachers emphasized the importance of cooperation with assistants, professional associates, and parents in order to inclusion to be successful, while they recognized insufficient support from the school system (material and financial resources) as a significant barrier in the quality of work performance.