Abstract
A number of factors impact on the achievement of children with special needs who are mainstreamed into normal schools. Teacher attitudes play an important part in the achievement of students with special needs and may well be one of the factors which determine the success of mainstreaming in Trinidad and Tobago schools. The study investigated attitudes of 260 primary and secondary school teachers in Trinidad toward mainstreaming of children with special needs into the normal schools. Attitudes were compared on such variables as sex, teaching level, experience, training and support services received using the "Attitude Toward Mainstreaming Scale" - 1980. Findings suggest that teachers had a relatively neutral attitude toward mainstreaming of children with special needs. The paper identifies those factors which impact on teacher attitudes and presents recommendations for the development of appropriate approaches for bringing about the mainstreaming of children with special needs. The paper argues that effective and successful mainstreaming points the way to One Education System for all school children.
