| The primary purpose of this study was to identify the attitudes that principals held regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities, and the relationship between their attitudes and their placement recommendations for children with autism. The secondary purpose was to identify the relationship between specific demographic factors and attitudes toward inclusion and placement recommendations. A stratified random sample was drawn from the active list of 3070 principals in the Pennsylvania public schools. The sample was stratified on school type (elementary, combined, and high school) as well as urbanicity to ensure adequate representation. Surveys were sent to 1500 principals resulting in 571 responses.; The most significant factor in predicting both a positive attitude toward inclusion of children with disabilities and higher recommendations of placements for children with autism was the principal's belief that children with autism could be included in a regular education classroom. This finding confirmed that principals who believed that children with autism could be included in regular education classrooms were more likely to recommend higher levels of inclusion for this population.; Overall, the respondents had a positive attitude regarding inclusion for children with disabilities.{09}Comparing the demographic information with principals' attitudes yielded significant differences on only 4 of 9 variables. The principal's length of service in their current district was negatively correlated with positive attitudes toward inclusion. The other variables of professional experience teaching or supervising children with autism, belief children with autism could be included, and an overall positive experience with inclusion were positively correlated with positive attitudes toward inclusion.; Six out of nine variables included in the principal's demographic information predicted higher placement recommendations. School level, gender, years as a principal, formal training, professional experience, and belief children with autism could be included were all correlated with placement recommendations with higher levels of inclusion. |
