The aim of this study was to develop and validate an instrument of inclusive teachers’ competencies for teaching students with special educational needs in China. Data were obtained from a preliminary and large-scale investigation in Beijing. The primary analyses included exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. The findings indicated that Chinese inclusive teachers’ competency is underpinned by four factors: teaching and instruction; communication and cooperation; attitudes and beliefs; and reflection and development. The four-factor model was obtained with satisfactory reliability and validity. The validated questionnaire generated a theoretical understanding of inclusive education teachers’ competency in China. In addition, the findings of the study provided knowledge that will allow for the development of professional standards and teacher education programmes for inclusive education.

Teachers’ concerns have been regarded as one of the key variables closely associated with successful implementation of innovative educational changes. China has initiated educational reform toward inclusive education since 1980s. Research related to inclusive education is very limited and teachers’ concerns remain unclear and are seldom investigated. The purpose of this study is to investigate the levels of Chinese regular education teachers’ concerns towards inclusive education by utilising Concerns-Based Adoption Model as a framework. The Stages of Concern Questionnaire was refined to conform to the Chinese educational context and administered for data collection in Beijing from a sample of 425 regular education teachers. The result indicates that regular education teachers make decisions on whether or not to implement inclusive education based on what they know about inclusive education and how effective it is to be. Regular education teachers demonstrate a ‘Multiple Peak User Profile’ in the Stages of Concern model, and that their concerns vary according to a few demographic factors. The results inform educational leaders’ decision making in improving programmes for teachers’ professional development for inclusion.

This study was a pioneering attempt to determine the statistical effect of inclusive education teachers’ self-efficacy on their work motivation. Five hundred and thirty-four inclusive education teachers in Beijing, China, participated in the study through responding to two inventories: the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices Scale and the Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale. Results suggested that age, experience in teaching students with special educational needs, training, and subject taught had statistical influence on teacher self-efficacy but not on work motivation. Teacher self-efficacy made a unique positive contribution to three of the four types of work motivation examined, with efficacy in using inclusive instructions, efficacy in collaboration, and efficacy in managing behaviour demonstrating the strongest predictive effect on introjected regulation, identified regulation, and intrinsic motivation, respectively. The findings enrich the literature on self-efficacy and on work motivation in an inclusive education context, and have practical implications concerning teacher preparation for inclusive education.

This study aims to explore the perspectives of resource room teachers (RRTs) on their role transformation from regular education teachers to special educators and its influencing factors. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 RRTs from inclusive education schools in Beijing, China. This study found that the RRTs have experienced three stages of role transformation moving from confusion by the new job to conflict among multiple expectations and then to being professionalised as special educators with self-determination. They struggled with multiple roles, felt marginalised and deprofessionalised, and were dominated by a categorical perspective serving students with special educational needs. Moreover, clearly authorised full-time positions, professionalisation, administrative support, and attitudes towards inclusive education were found to be key determinants in RRTs’ successful role transformation. The present study concludes that RRTs should be empowered with clear expectations of their roles and responsibilities to lead inclusive education practices in schools and guarantee a stable professional status via sustainable training.

Social support perceived by inclusive education teachers is seldom empirically investigated, and there are few tools to measure it. This research aims to develop a valid instrument to investigate inclusive education teachers’ social support and to determine the current situation of such support in China. A total of 216 and 367 valid questionnaires from teachers in elementary and junior high inclusive education schools were collected in study 1 and study 2, respectively. The findings indicated that (1) Chinese inclusive education teachers’ social support was represented by a four-factor model with high reliability and validity that included professional, emotional, administrative and material support; (2) teachers received mostly emotional support, followed by administrative support, material support, and then professional support; and (3) demographic variables such as age, length of service, academic qualification, training time, and establishment of a school resource room had significant influences on teachers’ perceived social support. The study contributes to developing a conceptual framework and measurement instrument for Chinese inclusive education teachers’ social support. It provides practical implications for the improvement of current Chinese teacher education programmes and the development of high-quality inclusive education.