본 연구에서는 전국에 소재한 유치원 통합학급 일반유아교사 37명, 특수학교 유치부 교사 47명, 유아특수학교 유아특수교사 51명, 전체 135명을 대상으로 장애유아의 통합교육을 통해 교사들이 느끼고 있는 통합교육 효과에 대한 전반적인 인식을 알아보았다. 연구결과, 일반유아의 장애유아에 대한 태도 변화 및 사회성 변화, 장애유아의 사회성 발달 및 학습의 변화, 또한 교육계획 및 교육과정 개발ㆍ운영, 공동 교수 등 일반 유아교사와 유아특수 교사의 공동협력에 있어서의 변화에 대한 인식은 모두 긍정적인 것으로 나타났다. 특히, 유치원 특수학급 교사들과 3년 이상의 통합교육 경력이 있는 교사들은 일반유아의 사회성 변화에 대한 인식이 가장 긍정적인 것으로 나타났으며, 유아특수학교 교사의 경우에는 장애유아의 학습변화에 인식이 가장 긍정적으로 나타났다. 본 연구에서는 또한, 교사의 통합교육경력이 많을수록 교육계획 및 교육과정 개발ㆍ운영에 있어서의 공동협력이 더 잘 이루어지고 있는 것으로, 유아특수교사는 다른 집단의 교사들에 비해 공동교수에 있어서 의 변화에 대한 인식은 더 긍정적인 것으로 나타났다.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the teachers’ general perceptions with regard to the effectiveness of the inclusion of young children with disabilities. A survey approach using a self-rating scale was employed for this research. The survey involved 135 kindergarten teachers who responded out of 230 who were invited to participate from inclusive and segregated kindergarten programs across the nation. The survey questionnaire consisted of 17 questions in three areas. The data were analyzed using one way analysis of variance to investigate the differences between various groups. Groups were classified according to types of program, types of certification, and years of inclusive teaching experience. The results were as follows: 1. It was found that the teachers have high levels of perceptions on improvement of children’ attitudes toward their peers with disabilities. In particular, the teachers of segregated classrooms and teachers with experience in inclusive education demonstrated higher levels of perceptions compared to teachers in other groups. 2. It was found that the teachers have moderate levels of perceptions on improvement of social development among children without disabilities. The differences between groups according to types of program, types of certification, and years of inclusive teaching experience were not found to be statistically significant. 3. It was found that the teachers have moderate levels of perception on improvement of social development among children with disabilities through the inclusion. The differences between groups according to types of program, types of certification, and years of inclusive teaching experience were not found to be statistically significant. 4. It was also found that the teachers have moderate levels of perceptions on improvement of academic learning among children with disabilities. In particular, the teachers of segregated kindergarten programs demonstrated higher levels of perceptions compared to teachers in other groups. The differences between groups according to types of certification and years of inclusive teaching experience were not found to be statistically significant. 5. It was found that the teachers have moderate levels of perceptions on improvement in collaboration among teachers for developing educational plans and implementing curriculums. It was found that teachers with more than three years teaching experience in inclusive classrooms demonstrated higher levels of perceptions than teachers with less than three years of experience. 6. It was found that the teachers have relatively low levels of perceptions on improvement in organizing collaborative teams. The differences between groups according to types of certification and years of inclusive teaching experience were not found to be statistically significant. It was found that the teachers have moderate levels of perceptions on improvement in co-teaching. It was found that teachers with certification in early childhood special education demonstrated higher levels of perceptions than teachers with different certifications.