The Relationship Between Teachers' Awareness and Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education

Inclusive education has become a central component of contemporary educational policies aimed at ensuring equity, diversity, and equal learning opportunities for all students. The purpose of the study is to determine whether there is a significant relationship between teachers' awareness and attitudes toward inclusive education. We designed a quantitative study using a relational survey model. The sample of the research consists of 448 teachers selected from the teachers working in different branches and education levels in Gaziantep province in Turkey by using the cluster sampling method. To collect data in the research, the “Teacher Awareness Scale for Inclusive Education” and the “Teacher Attitude Scale towards Inclusive Education” were used. The data obtained in the study was first tested for normality. Based on the normal distribution of the data, t-test and one-way analysis of variance were performed. In addition, correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between the variables. The results show that teachers' awareness and attitudes toward inclusive education are at a high level. A positive and moderate relationship was found between teachers' awareness of inclusive education and their attitudes towards inclusive education. Based on these findings, it can be suggested that professional development programs focusing on inclusive education practices may further strengthen teachers’ awareness and foster more positive attitudes. Future research may examine the underlying factors influencing this relationship using qualitative or mixed-method designs.