Ukrainian secondary school students’ attitudes toward inclusive education: a regional study of peer interactions

Abstract

Aim. This study aims to assess the attitudes, interactions, and readiness of Ukrainian secondary school students for inclusive education with peers who have special educational needs, addressing the critical gap in empirical data about Ukrainian students’ perspectives on inclusion. Methods. An extensive survey was conducted using Google Forms targeting 327 secondary school students from 15 educational institutions in the Lubny district of the Poltava region, Ukraine, during martial law conditions. The majority of respondents were 15-16 years old. The survey covered classroom composition, interaction frequency, comfort levels, preferred activities, emotional responses, perceived barriers, and suggestions for improving relationships. Results. Findings reveal significant variations in inclusive education experiences. Regarding classroom composition, 42.5% of students do not have peers with special educational needs, 25.5% do have them, and 25.9% are unaware of their presence. Interaction frequency shows 47.1% rarely interact with peers with special needs, while 25.1% never engage with them. However, 77.8% express willingness to participate in inclusive activities, with school celebrations most popular (26.8%). When encountering peers with special needs, 43.3% feel a desire to help, while 50.8% would treat them like any other classmate. Main barriers include not knowing how to communicate (32%), lack of interest (28.3%), and fear of doing something wrong (22.7%). Students identify joint activities (42.3%) as primary solutions for improving relationships.Conclusions. Ukrainian secondary school students demonstrate predominantly positive attitudes toward inclusive education, with strong natural empathy and supportive instincts toward peers with special educational needs. The study reveals a critical gap between positive intentions and actual interaction patterns, with communication uncertainty emerging as the primary obstacle. This gap highlights the need for practical guidance and training. The research concludes that Ukrainian secondary school students show encouraging readiness for inclusive education, but this potential requires systematic development through enhanced communication training, increased joint activities, and structured peer support programs to bridge the gap between positive attitudes and confident interaction skills.