Teaching Working Conditions and Perception of Educational Inclusion in Universities Across Five Latin American Countries

• Ámbar Annabelle Verdugo Arcos

  Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena, Ecuador.

  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6864-7773

• Ramón Rivero Pino

  Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena, Ecuador.

  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3035-2993

This study analyzes the extent to which university teachers’ working conditions are associated with perceived educational inclusion, considering that effective inclusive policies can improve job stability, support systems, and the institutional climate, which directly influence teachers’ perceptions of inclusive practices. A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational design was implemented with a sample of 564 faculty members from universities in Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Cuba, and Mexico. Using a 45-item Likert-scale questionnaire, the Socio-Occupational Integration Index (SOII) and the Educational Inclusion Index (EII) were constructed, both showing adequate levels of reliability (? = 0.78 and ? = 0.94). The results reveal a positive and significant association between both dimensions (Spearman’s ? = 0.709; p < 0.001), indicating that better working conditions job stability, operational support, institutional climate, and participation are related to higher perceptions of educational inclusion. No differences were found by sex or field of knowledge; however, variations were observed by country: Cuba and Ecuador reported higher SOII levels, while Ecuador and Argentina stood out in EII. The items with the highest consensus were linked to normative principles of inclusion, whereas the main weaknesses were related to faculty participation and access to support. It is concluded that faculty working conditions are a key factor in understanding perceived educational inclusion, and longitudinal and multilevel studies are recommended to strengthen institutional management and equity policies in Latin American higher education.

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