Support-Teacher Training: A Pre-Post Study on Self-Efficacy Toward Inclusion

Abstract

Training is the “conditio sine qua non” for future support teachers to develop the diverse competences necessary to promote the inclusion of all pupils in school. Scientific research plays a crucial role in assessing the quality and effectiveness of such training programs. Building on existing research, the present study aims to address a gap in the scientific literature by investigating whether the specialisation course for teaching support to pupils with disabilities fosters the development of self-efficacy toward inclusion. To this end, the Italian version of the TEIP (Aiello et al., 2016) was administered before and after the specialisation course provided by the University of Rome “Foro Italico” to a sample of 176 secondary school teachers. The results indicate a significant and substantial increase in self-efficacy levels regarding inclusion, both in terms of pedagogical-didactic skills and classroom management, as well as cooperation with various stakeholders within the educational network.