Children with additional educational needs bring extra demands to the classroom. Helen Rae and colleagues present the findings of a study that explored the views of primary school staff

In Scotland, children with learning disabilities, some of whom exhibit behaviour that challenges, are increasingly being educated in mainstream classrooms (Harris et al 1996). Research in other countries has indicated that teachers may not always be positive about the inclusion of children with additional needs, particularly when it makes management and instruction more demanding. The present study investigated the attitudes of teaching staff in Scotland towards the inclusion in mainstream education of children with a learning disability who display challenging behaviour. The study found a wide range of attitudes, with some teachers holding negative views. Overall, however, the results indicated that attitudes towards inclusion were more positive than negative. The implications of the results for practice are discussed.