Developing a teacher perception scale for inclusive mathematics education in Turkey

Area of Science:

• Education
• Psychology

Background:

• Inclusive mathematics education is crucial for equitable learning.
• Assessing teachers' perceptions is vital for successful implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a scale for assessing primary school teachers' perceptions of inclusive mathematics education.
• To provide a tool for evaluating teacher attitudes towards inclusive practices.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative scale development study.
• Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with 300 primary school teachers in Ankara, Turkey.
• Assessed construct validity (AVE=0.65) and reliability (ω=0.95, CR=0.95).

Main Results:

• The developed scale demonstrated acceptable fit indices (CFI=0.95, TLI=0.94, SRMR=0.06, RMSEA=0.08).
• The scale exhibited strong convergent validity and high reliability.
• A valid and reliable instrument was successfully developed.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully developed a valid and reliable scale for measuring primary school teachers' perceptions of inclusive mathematics education.
• This scale can inform educational policies and teacher development programs.
• It aids in understanding teacher perspectives to enhance inclusive mathematics education.