Title: Public school teachers' perceived sense of self-efficacy in teaching students with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates

Authors: Samir Dukmak; Ibtehal M. Aburezeq; Ahmed Khaled

Addresses: Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Al Ain University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 64141, Al-Ain, UAE ' Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Al Ain University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 64141, Al-Ain, UAE ' Department of Professional Diploma in Teaching, College of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Al Ain University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 64141, Al-Ain, UAE

Abstract: Teaching children with disabilities in the regular classrooms can be influenced by the teachers' attitudes towards these children and their perception of their self-efficacy in teaching them. This study examined the regular classroom teachers' perceived sense of teaching self-efficacy in relation to their gender and attitudes towards these children. Participants were 455 UAE public regular classroom teachers. For the study purposes, two scales were completed by teachers to investigate their attitudes towards children with disabilities, and their perceived sense of self-efficacy in teaching them. Results revealed that male teachers viewed their sense of teaching self-efficacy better than females. In all, teachers' attitudes towards inclusion were supportive. Male teachers showed more supportive attitudes towards inclusion than females. In addition, teachers' attitudes toward inclusion became more positive when their sense of teaching self-efficacy was greater. Teachers' positive attitudes towards inclusion and their positively perceived sense of self-efficacy in teaching can be used as predictors of a successful inclusion.

Keywords: regular classroom teachers; teaching self-efficacy; attitudes; inclusion; United Arab Emirates; UAE.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2019.096585

International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 2019 Vol.17 No.1, pp.34 - 52

Received: 20 Oct 2017
Accepted: 04 Jan 2018
Published online: 06 Dec 2018 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article