Abstract
The authors investigated and compared vocational education college teachers attitudes to inclusion and students with special needs. Moreover study tested whether practical experience combined with training in awareness in inclusive education can result in more positive, long-lasting attitudes about educational and social inclusion of people with special needs in VET system. This study used experimental sequential mix method design, as a relevant strategy to measure attitudes of large population. In mix method research both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. Apparently in this study we used exploratory mixed method approach that has two phases. The researcher used first phase by exploring qualitative data and analysis and then uses findings in a second quantitative phase. The intent of the approach is to develop better measurements with specific samples of population and see if data from a few individuals can be generalized to a larger sample of population. The researcher employs a three-phase procedure with first phase as exploratory, the second as instrument development and third administering instrument to a sample of a population. It has to be mentioned that in this strategy, the data collection is occurred in two phases: qualitative data collection followed by the second quantitative data collection. The qualitative data analysis is used to develop an instrument with good psychometric properties (validity and reliability). According to research design on the first phase 14 teachers for focus group discussions were selected from two vocational education colleges of Tbilisi. After qualitative data collection and right after training course compilation 56 teachers were randomly assigned to participate in second quantitative data collection part. So that questionnaire was distributed to both control group and experimental group members. To analyze data from first phase qualitative content analysis (QCA) was used. While the data obtained by the questionnaire was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The first major finding of this research was that experimental group of teachers had more positive attitudes then control group members. However aim of the study was not only to see the difference between the groups biased on TTS, but to see also difference in any according to three factors, (1) general attitudes towards inclusion, (2) attitudes towards different kinds of disabilities and (3) discomfort. Therefore participation in the training course had the greatest impact in two areas, namely general attitudes and discomfort. Study also reviled that these two groups do not differ from each other in the terms of attitudes toward disability type (LD, BC, EB/D). The results also detected the differences in attitudes in relation to the age of the teachers. Older teachers were more negative towards inclusion than younger teachers. According to the findings of the study the improvement of pre-service training and retraining of in-service Vocatopnal education college teachers is required. In a word results have clearly supported the prediction that more information about inclusion and exposure to SNE students is accompanied by more positive attitude.