Perceptions of Educational Managers and Teachers on the Implementation of Inclusive Education in Romanian Schools
Perceptions of Educational Managers and Teachers on the Implementation of Inclusive Education in Romanian Schools

Summary/Abstract: Inclusive Education (IE), thirty years after the Salamanca Declaration (1994), is still a challenge that requires evidence-based solutions. In Romania, Inclusive Education focuses mainly on integrating students with special educational needs (SEN) into mainstream schools. However, full inclusion has not yet been achieved. Teachers and educational managers are essential in successfully implementing IE in schools. The present study aims to investigate the factors that significantly predict differences between the perceptions of teachers and academic managers regarding IE implementation in Romanian schools. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, comparative, and correlational design was used for research. One thousand thirty-five participants, including 123 educational managers (inspectors and principals), responded to the Romanian culturally adapted 4th edition of the Index for Inclusion. The results showed that principals perceive schools as more inclusive than teachers. The factors that predict these differences are those related to policies, cultures and practices rather than age, seniority, gender, and environment. A distinct age-related factor concerning inclusive school policies was identified only in the case of younger principals.

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