EXAMINING THE ATTITUDES OF STUDENTS WITHOUT DISABILITIES: AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON

Introduction. Attitude of regular students towards peers with disabilities may influence social welling of students with disabilities in mainstream settings. Objectives. This research aims at examining the attitudes of Grade 7 and Grade 8 students in Australia and in Thailand towards peers with disabilities and comparing the differences between the two countries. Method. One hundred forty two Australian students and 48 Thai students responded to the Attitudes of Students Towards Disability questionnaire with 58 items, examining three domains of attitude (i.e., cognitive, affective, and behavioral domains). Findings. The Australian student group had more positive attitude towards peers with disabilities than the Thai student groups on all the three domains of attitudes. However, both groups had moderately positive attitudes with the average scores of 78% for the Australian student group and 68% for the Thai student group. Conclusion. Social and cultural context may influence students’ attitude towards peers with disabilities. Further qualitative research is needed in understanding the responses of the students and in promoting positive attitudes towards peers with disabilities