Examining teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education for all: development of a new scale

Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education are widely recognised as a key indicator of the inclusiveness of classroom environments. However, existing instruments inadequately capture teachers’ mindsets in relation to inclusive education for all learners. This study addresses this gap by developing and validating a new cross-cultural measurement instrument: the Attitudes Towards Inclusion for All scale (ATIFA), in both English (ATIFA-EN) and German (ATIFA-DE). Data were collected from pre-service and in-service teachers in Australia (n = 146) and Germany (n = 238). Exploratory factor analysis and Rasch modelling identified four robust subscales—Philosophy, Practice, Social Inclusion, and Support—with strong psychometric properties. Evidence of reliability and construct validity was further supported through correlations with teacher self-efficacy. The ATIFA provides a valid and reliable tool for assessing teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education for all and offers a foundation for future cross-cultural research and policy development.