Teachers’ and Peers’ Acceptance of Students with Special Needs in Indonesian Inclusive High Schools: A Quantitative Survey Study

Dewi Juwita Susanti; Mirnawati Mirnawati; Amka Amka

doi:10.35445/alishlah.v18i2.8791

Teachers’ and Peers’ Acceptance of Students with Special Needs in Indonesian Inclusive High Schools: A Quantitative Survey Study

Dewi Juwita Susanti, Mirnawati Mirnawati, Amka Amka

Abstract

Inclusive education requires not only physical access but also social acceptance and school readiness to support meaningful participation of students with special needs. This study examined teachers’ and peers’ acceptance of students with special needs in an inclusive secondary school in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, Indonesia, focusing on knowledge, attitudes, and perceived school support. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 30 regular teachers and 30 regular students selected from one inclusive high school. Data were collected using two self-administered Likert-scale questionnaires. The teacher questionnaire consisted of 45 items covering knowledge, attitudes, and perceived school support facilities, while the student questionnaire consisted of 22 items covering knowledge and attitudes. Data were analyzed descriptively by converting subscale scores into percentage scores and interpreting them using predefined acceptance categories. Teachers showed a mixed acceptance profile. Their attitude toward students with special needs was high (70.14%), but their knowledge (64.95%) and perceived school support facilities (62.83%) were low, resulting in an overall teacher acceptance score of 65.97%. In contrast, students demonstrated high acceptance, with knowledge at 80.31%, attitude at 72.15%, and an overall score of 76.23%. These findings indicate that students showed more consistent acceptance than teachers, while teachers’ positive attitudes were constrained by limited inclusive pedagogical knowledge and insufficient school support. The study highlights an attitude–readiness gap among teachers and a generally supportive peer climate among students. Strengthening teacher professional development, specialist consultation, inclusive facilities, and peer-mediated strategies is necessary to improve inclusive practice in secondary schools.

Keywords

inclusive education; student with special needs; teacher acceptance; peer acceptance; secondary education

References

Amka, A., & Ekasari Kusumastuti, D. (2019). The Level of Support For Successful Learning in Inclusive Primary School in Banjarmasin. Journal of ICSAR ISSN, 3(2), 1–8. http://journal2.um.ac.id/index.php/icsar/article/view/7313/4376

Andhini, N. F. (2017). Metode penelitian survey. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 53(9), 1689–1699.

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Reseacrh Design Pendekatan Metode Kualitatif, Kuantitatif, dan Campuran Edisi Keempat. Pustaka Pelajar.

Dodds, R. L., Singer, G. H. S., & Wang, M. (2024). Who is ready? A peer support screening measure for parents of children with disabilities. Family Relations, 73(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12897

Donath, J. L., Lüke, T., Graf, E., Tran, U. S., & Götz, T. (2023). Does Professional Development Effectively Support the Implementation of Inclusive Education? A Meta-Analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 35(1), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09752-2

Furrer, V., Valkanover, S., Eckhart, M., & Nagel, S. (2020). The Role of Teaching Strategies in Social Acceptance and Interactions; Considering Students With Intellectual Disabilities in Inclusive Physical Education. Frontiers in Education, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.586960

Hanifah, D. S., Haer, A. B., Widuri, S., & Santoso, M. B. (2022). Tantangan Anak Berkebutuhan Khusus (ABK) Dalam Menjalani Pendidikan Inklusi Di Tingkat Sekolah Dasar. Jurnal Penelitian Dan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat (JPPM), 2(3). https://doi.org/10.24198/jppm.v2i3.37833

Holzer, E. M., & Moser Opitz, E. (2025). The benefits of inclusive education: a systematic review of student achievement in secondary schools. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 00(00), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2025.2587615

Liani, S., Barsihanor, B., & Hafiz, A. (2021). Peran Guru Pendamping Khusus pada Program Layanan Pendidikan Inklusi di TK Idaman Banjarbaru. Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood: Jurnal Dunia Anak Usia Dini, 3(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.35473/ijec.v3i1.828

Mirnawati, Amka, Susanti, D. J., Ariyani, H., Ulfah, F., & Hariyono, D. S. (2024). Analysis of the influence of acceptance levels, equality, and involvement of children with special needs on the reduction of violence in inclusive schools based on the tetra helix model. Environment and Social Psychology, 9(11), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v9i11.3188

Mukti, H., Arnyana, I. B. P., & Dantes, N. (2023). Analisis Pendidikan Inklusif: Kendala dan Solusi dalam Implementasinya. Kaganga:Jurnal Pendidikan Sejarah Dan Riset Sosial Humaniora, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.31539/kaganga.v6i2.8559

Munene, I. I. (2025). Equity and Inclusion in Education for All. In Ensuring All Children Learn. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781666989274.ch-1

Nugroho, W. S., & Minsih. (2021). Pemetaan Anak Berkebutuhan Khusus Pada Sekolah Inklusi Melalui Program Identifikasi Dan Asesmen. Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar Flobamorata, 2(1), 111–117. https://doi.org/10.51494/jpdf.v2i1.414

Priatmoko, S. (2017). Strategi Guru dalam peningkatan mutu pembelajaran bagi siswa berkebutuhan khusus: Studi Multisitus di Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Terpadu Ar-Roihan Lawang dan Sekolah Dasar Muhammadiyah 9 “Panglima Sudirman” Malang Etheses of Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic U. http://etheses.uin-malang.ac.id/10017/

Setyawati, R. (2019). Pendidikan Inklusi: Penerimaan Siswa Terhadap Perilaku Sosial Dan Emosi Anak Berkebutuhan Khusus Pada Smp Negeri 2 Sewon Dan Smp Muhammadiyah 1 Bambanglipuro Di Kabupaten Bantul. G-Couns: Jurnal Bimbingan Dan Konseling, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.31316/g.couns.v3i1.83

Setyowati, R., & Wardani, A. (2020). Pandangan Guru Prasekolah Di Kota Surakarta Tentang Peran Mereka Dalam Konteks Pendidikan Inklusif. Journal of Educational Review and Research, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.26737/jerr.v3i2.2169

Soeharto, S., Subasi Singh, S., & Afriyanti, F. (2024). Associations between attitudes toward inclusive education and teaching for creativity for Indonesian pre-service teachers. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 51(4), 101469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2024.101469

Sukadari, S. (2020). Pelayanan Anak Berkebutuhan Khusus (ABK) Melalui Pendidikan Inklusi. Elementary School: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pembelajaran Ke-SD-An, 2, 1–9.

Sulfianti S, Eva Meizara Puspita Dewi, & Faradillah Firdaus. (2022). Penyesuaian Sosial Siswa Reguler Di Sekolah Inklusi. PESHUM : Jurnal Pendidikan, Sosial Dan Humaniora, 1(4). https://doi.org/10.56799/peshum.v1i4.442

Syafiulia, S. H., & Maadad, N. (2026). Teachers’ narratives: Exploring the dynamics of inclusive education in Indonesian public and private primary schools. International Journal of Educational Development, 120(2), 103474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103474

Tania, M., Irawan, E., & Yanti, S. R. (2021). Hubungan Persepsi Dengan Penerimaan Terhadap Siswa Berkebutuhan Khusus Di SDN 003 Tebing. Jurnal Keperawatan BSI, 9(1).

Tejena, N. R., Nawangsari, N. A. F., & Rustika, I. M. (2022). Meningkatkan Pemahaman Guru Sekolah Inklusi Tentang Pendidikan Inklusif Melalui Psikoedukasi. Jurnal Diversita, 8(2), 231–240. https://doi.org/10.31289/diversita.v8i2.7514

Tyas Pratiwi, L., Nur Maghfiroh, M., Septa Andika, D., Nur Marcela, I., & Faza Afifah, A. (2022). Permasalahan Yang Dihadapi Dalam Pelaksanaan Sekolah Inklusi Di Indonesia. Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar Flobamorata, 3(2), 314–318. https://doi.org/10.51494/jpdf.v3i2.704

Una, L. M. W., Beku, V. Y., & Soro, V. M. (2023). Pendekatan Layanan Pendidikan Bagi Anak Berkebutuhan Khusus. Jurnal Pendidikan Inklusi Citra Bakti, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.38048/jpicb.v1i1.2103

UNICEF. (2024). Inclusive Interventions for Children with Disabilities. In UNICEF (Issue March). UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight. https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/media/10816/file/UNICEF-Innocenti-Disability-From-Insight-to-Inclusion-2025.pdf

Urton, K., Wilbert, J., Krull, J., & Hennemann, T. (2023). Factors explaining teachers’ intention to implement inclusive practices in the classroom: Indications based on the theory of planned behaviour. Teaching and Teacher Education, 132, 104225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104225

Wang, Z., Huang, J., Wang, L., & Liu, C. (2025). Social participation for students with special needs in inclusive schools: a scoping review. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 71(5), 643–662. https://doi.org/10.1080/20473869.2023.2277602

Wardah, E. Y. (2019). Peranan Guru Pembimbing Khusus Lulusan Non-Pendidikan Luar Biasa (PLB) Terhadap Pelayanan Anak Berkebutuhan Khusus Di Sekolah Inklusi Kabupaten Lumajang. JPI (Jurnal Pendidikan Inklusi), 2(2). https://doi.org/10.26740/inklusi.v2n2.p93-108

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v18i2.8791