This study investigated changes in teacher self-efficacy for inclusive practice using a mixed method research design. Participants were 417 in-service teachers in Hong Kong taking a 1-week basic teacher-training course about inclusive education. Data were collected pre and post participation in the course using the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices Scale (TEIP). A series of five in-depth focus-group interviews provided greater clarification of the perceptions and efficacy issues of teachers. The best predictors to participants’ teaching self-efficacy were confidence in teaching students with special education needs (SEN) and knowledge of legislation and policies for inclusive practice. From the focus-groups, results demonstrated a more positive attitude change towards students with SEN with a number of essential factors emerging as highly beneficial for inclusive teaching in Hong Kong (i.e. caring and love, school environment and curriculum adaption). The discussion considers the role of short training programmes as an appropriate means to improving self-efficacy for teaching within inclusive classrooms in Hong Kong.
[Copyright © 2016 Taylor & Francis.]

Inclusion is an international trend, and means that all children learn together in the same classrooms, regardless of the presence of a disability. Attitudes, sentiments, and concerns are variables which have been found to influence the success of inclusion. There is a need, then, for the development of a concise tool for measuring these. This paper describes the development of an improved scale for measuring sentiments, attitudes and concerns about inclusive education in pre-service teachers, based on an examination of data gathered from 996 pre-service teachers from five tertiary institutions using a modified version of the Interactions with People with Disabilities scale (Forlin, Jobling & Carroll, 2001; Gething, 1991, 1994), the Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale (Sharma & Desai, 2002), and the Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education Scale (Wilczenski, 1992, 1995). The scale has been developed with international use in mind, and the sample includes pre-service teachers in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and Canada. Based on the statistical results, conceptual judgments, and a critique of content and format from an "expert group", a new scale, the Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education scale (SACIE), is developed. The rationale behind the development of the scale is discussed.

Social, emotional, and behavioural disorders of children, within the context of a whole-school approach to inclusion as adopted by Hong Kong, can be challenging for teachers and parents. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature and feedback from a range of experts and parent groups in Hong Kong, specific scales were developed to measure four behavioural traits identified in local school-aged children and the impact these have on their teachers and parents. Completed surveys were obtained from 914 members of school staff and 573 parents of school-aged children. This research, carried out by Chris Forlin and Paul Cooper of the Hong Kong Institute of Education, led to the identification of substantial levels of student behavioural problems in relation to educational engagement, motivation, co-operativeness and oppositionality. Evidence of emotional burden from these problems was also identified on parents and teachers. Discussion focuses on areas of potential stress in the school situation and possible points of influence in the home.
[Copyright © Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.].

This paper reports the final development of a scale to measure pre-service teachers' perceptions in three constructs of inclusive education, namely, sentiments or comfort levels when engaging with people with disabilities; acceptance of learners with different needs; and concerns about implementing inclusion. The Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised (SACIE-R) scale was developed from an initial 60 items and administered through a series of refined surveys. A final 15-item scale was validated using 542 pre-service teachers from nine institutions in four countries including Hong Kong, Canada, India, and the United States. It is posited that the SACIE-R scale will yield valuable information for assisting universities and colleges in preparing more specific training to address the needs of pre-service teachers for working with diverse student populations.
[Copyright © Western University].

It is possible that many benefits may be found for all concerned in education and child development in understanding how knowledge of the brain and its development can inform early years practice. This article, written by Brenda Peters and Chris Forlin, both from the Hong Kong Institute of Education, reviews literature based on neuroscience to establish potential links with teaching and learning, in an attempt to identify the most appropriate pedagogical support for children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Two key themes have emerged: firstly, neuroscience and education and translation between these disciplines, and secondly, the relevance of these developments for specific groups of learners. This article focuses on early educational intervention and how emerging evidence from neuroscience and collaboration with educators may support future developments for practice for these young learners with ASD.
[Copyright © 2011 The Authors. British Journal of Special Education © 2011 NASEN.]

This research explores the use of visual imagery as a strategy for gaining a greater understanding of diversity and inclusion within regular schools as perceived from the perspective of 118 newly qualifying teachers in Hong Kong. Dyads or small groups of teachers participating in a teacher education course were asked to represent their understanding of the concept of inclusion within the local context by using a visual imagery approach. Analysis of 14 images identified a range of issues perceived by these participants as supportive and exclusive of the whole school approach to education being adopted locally. Discussion focuses on the use of visual imagery as an innovative and engaging way for preparing teachers for inclusive education.
[Copyright © 2011 Whole Schooling Press.]

On teacher preparation, Forlin, Chong and Au conducted a survey on a group of postgraduate students taking a module on catering for diversity in September 2005. A four-part likert instrument was used to obtain pre- and post-data. The survey aimed to find out whether there were changes in teachers' attitudes, beliefs, and concerns following participation in a course of study.