The University of Almeria and the educational and social integration of students with disabilities: ideas and attitudes held by teaching/research staff

This study is an inquiry into the educational and social integration of university students with special needs derived from their disabilities. It investigates how this integration is perceived at the University of Almeria from the perspectives of teaching/research staff, administration/services personnel and students, including students with disabilities. Due to length limitation, only the portion of the information related to the teaching/research staff is presented in this article, and the overall project goal is recast into narrower terms, to wit: To study the ideas and attitudes held by teaching/research staff of the University of Almeria in relation to the abilities, education and professional development of students with special needs derived from their disabilities.. Methodologically, what is at issue is the naturalistic paradigm, because of the need to accomplish an examination deeply rooted in the reality that generates the object of study, without manipulation or alteration of the different physical and personal circumstances. Thus, a descriptive, selective design has been developed that uses the survey method, with the questionnaire as its main instrument. Though the conclusions state some significant findings, many other arguments could be considered in the light of the breadth and depth of the study, some of which can be identified by the reader. One of the most salient ideas concerns the high degree of agreement, with low variability or dispersion, as to the acceptance of disabled students in university classrooms. However, around half of the surveyed people stated that they were incapable of responding adequately to disabled students. This fact contrasts sharply with the idea that educational and social integration is fostered by the ideas and attitudes of those members of teaching/research staff who have received specific information about disabled students at the University of Almeria.