Teacher Attitudes toward the Inclusion of Students with Physical Disabilities in Public Schools: Evidence from Northern Mazar District, Jordan

This study aimed to identify the attitudes of female teachers of the first three grades toward the inclusion of students with physical disabilities in public schools in Northern Mazar District, Jordan. It also examined whether these attitudes differed according to academic qualification and years of teaching experience. The study population consisted of all female teachers of the first three grades working in public schools affiliated with the Northern Mazar District Education Directorate, totaling 101 teachers according to the statistics of the Jordanian Ministry of Education. The participants were selected purposively. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher developed a questionnaire to measure teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with physical disabilities. The validity and reliability of the instrument were verified using appropriate statistical procedures. The findings showed that teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with physical disabilities in public schools were moderate overall. The results also revealed statistically significant differences at the 0.05 significance level attributed to academic qualification, in favor of teachers with postgraduate qualifications, and to years of experience, in favor of teachers with less than ten years of experience. In light of these findings, the study recommends raising community awareness of the importance of educational inclusion through cultural and social seminars. It also recommends preparing and training teachers through intensive professional development programs that enhance their ability to interact effectively with students with physical disabilities in inclusive educational settings.