2026/04/21 by Olga Lyra, Kyriaki Koullapi
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Educator Training and Historical Pedagogy #Literacy, Media, and Education #Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/0305764x.2026.2654171
openalex publication_date 2026/04/21 · openalex created_date 2026/04/22 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
Developing inclusive schools requires continuous support for teachers as part of school improvement processes. Research highlights the importance of identifying factors that influence teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion of all students. A case study approach was used, involving observation, teacher interviews and document analysis, to investigate the factors shaping teachers’ hesitant attitudes towards inclusion within a Cypriot school, including insecurity, resistance to change and fear. The study identifies key challenges, including insufficient training for addressing diverse learning needs, the persistence of a charity-based model of disability and a culture of segregation. These factors are interpreted as contributing to experiences of professional insecurity among participating teachers, reflecting broader systemic and cultural conditions that shape inclusive practices and the experiences of students with disabilities in the examined school. The study emphasises the need to foster collaboration among educators and proposes school-level self-evaluation processes as practical tools to empower teachers in navigating mixed-ability classrooms.