A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Adapting Measures of Inclusion to Finnish Higher Education Teacher Educators' Context: Investigation of Validity and Reliability




AuthorsSointu, Erkko; Vellonen, Virpi; Ng, Kwok; Äikäs, Aino; Holopainen, Leena; Hoang, Theresa

Publisherİlknur GÖKÇE

Publication year2025

Journal: Journal of Teacher Education and Educators

Volume14

Issue1

First page 59

Last page77

ISSN2147-0456

eISSN2147-5407

Publication's open availability at the time of reportingOpen Access

Publication channel's open availability Open Access publication channel

Web address https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jtee/article/1641432

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/508144700

Self-archived copy's licenceCC BY NC

Self-archived copy's versionPublisher`s PDF


Abstract

Inclusive education requires staff commitment to the principles of inclusion, and teacher training is crucial to fulfilling its goals. However, research on higher education teacher educators' inclusive dispositions is lacking, particularly in the Finnish or Nordic context. To redress this situation, psychometrically sound research instruments are warranted. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and factorial validity of two inclusion scales, namely Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) scale and the Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised (SACIE-R) scale, with a sample of Finnish teacher educators. Teacher educators (N = 229) from 13 higher education institutions were recruited to complete an online survey on the TEIP and the SACIE-R. Data were analyzed using McDonald's omega and several confirmatory factor analyses, and both measures displayed adequate reliability. Results indicated that TEIP had both three-factor and second-order factor models, and SACIE-R, a two-factor structure. This suggests that TEIP and SACIE-R provide adequate means to measure perceptions of inclusive education, particularly in the higher education context, and thus form a useful basis for the development of training programs to promote inclusive education.


Downloadable publication

This is an electronic reprint of the original article.
This reprint may differ from the original in pagination and typographic detail. Please cite the original version.




Funding information in the publication
The HOHTO project was funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture (2021–2022; grant n:o OKM/90/523/2020), and the OPUT project received funding from the University of Jyväskylä designated for research on teacher education (National collaboration group for teacher education and research; KOPTUKE; 2021–2022; grant n:o 648/02.03.01/2021).


Last updated on 29/01/2026 09:49:32 AM