Teacher and Administrator Perceptions of Heterogeneous Education

1996 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Villa ◽  
Jacqueline S. Thousand ◽  
Herman Meyers ◽  
Ann Nevin
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Administrator Perceptions ◽  
Collaborative Relationships ◽  
Full Inclusion ◽  
Regular Education Initiative ◽  
Teacher Survey ◽  
Positive Attitudes

Perceptions of 680 licensed general and special education teachers and administrators related to the full inclusion of all students, including students with moderate and severe disabilities, were assessed using the Heterogeneous Education Teacher Survey and the Regular Education Initiative Teacher Survey-Revised. Respondents were from 32 school sites judged as providing heterogeneous educational opportunities for all children. Results favored the education of children with disabilities in general education through collaborative relationships among all educators—contradicting previous results suggesting that educators prefer pullout programs. For both general and special educators, administrative support and collaboration were powerful predictors of positive attitudes toward full inclusion.

Accomplishing More Together

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 256-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth E. Biggs ◽  
Carly B. Gilson ◽  
Erik W. Carter
Keyword(s):  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Professional Relationships ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
District Leaders ◽  
Collaborative Relationships ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

Fostering and maintaining strong collaborative relationships are critically important for paraprofessionals and special education teachers working together to provide a high-quality education for students with severe disabilities. Through in-depth interviews with 22 teachers and paraprofessionals comprising nine educational teams, we examined educator perspectives on what influences the quality of their professional relationships, as well as how their perspectives on these influences converged or diverged. Teachers and paraprofessionals identified five themes of influences to the quality of their relationships: teacher influences, paraprofessional influences, shared influences (i.e., related to the collective efforts of teachers and paraprofessionals), administrative influences (i.e., related to school and district leaders), and underlying influences (i.e., related to contextual or other factors). The findings highlight the complex nature of these relationships and emphasize the importance of supporting teachers and paraprofessionals as they work together to meet the needs of students with severe disabilities. We offer recommendations for future research and practice aimed at strengthening the quality and impact of special educator–paraprofessional collaborations.

scholarly journals Making the Shift to a Co-Teaching Model of Instruction: Considering Relational Trust as a Precursor to Collaboration

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-94
Author(s):  
Meg Vostal ◽  
Kristina N. LaVenia ◽  
Christy Galletta Horner
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Relational Trust ◽  
Instructional Change ◽  
Instructional Model ◽  
Teaching Model ◽  
Full Inclusion ◽  
State Test

Collaboration among teachers is necessary for school improvement efforts. In the case below, a high school shifts its instructional model to include students with disabilities in general education classes. The school needs to raise state test scores for students with disabilities and hopes this instructional change will help. To implement a full-inclusion model, general education and special education teachers will be assigned to teach classes together as co-teachers. Co-teaching, however, is a collaborative model that requires relational trust among colleagues. Leaders are encouraged to consider how developing trust for collaboration may be difficult during times of school improvement.

scholarly journals Breaking the Silence of Mainstream Teachers' Attitude towards Inclusive Education in the Bahamas: High School Teachers' Perceptions

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janelle Cambridge-Johnson ◽  
Yvonne Hunter-Johnson ◽  
Norissa Newton
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Bahamas ◽  
Mainstream Teachers ◽  
Education Data ◽  
Positive Attitudes

There has been a paradigm shift globally regarding the adoption of inclusive education policies and procedures. However, teachers still have varying views, anxieties, and preconceive misconceptions about the successful implementation of inclusive education practices in the general education classroom. This study utilized a qualitative approach to provide an informative exploration of teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education and its implementation, possible factors that influence teachers' attitude, and recommendations for promoting best practices in inclusive education. Data was collected utilizing semi-structured interviews from eight teachers throughout the New Providence District in the Bahamas. The results of the study revealed that teachers generally had positive attitudes toward inclusion. However, lack of funding, administrative support and minimal opportunities for training and development were identified as negative influential factors regarding teachers’ attitude towards inclusive education.

Teachers' Perceptions of the Supports Critical to the Success of Inclusion Programs

1996 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Gessler Werts ◽  
Mark Wolery ◽  
Erin D. Snyder ◽  
Nicola K. Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Training Support ◽  
Third Stage ◽  
Moderate To Severe Disabilities ◽  
General Education Classrooms

Two mail surveys, one with a follow-up, were conducted to determine if consensus existed among general and special education teachers on (a) the conditions and supports that are critical to including children with substantial disabilities in general education classrooms and (b) problems faced in implementing inclusive education. The data were collected in three stages. The first stage was a questionnaire sent to teachers in Pennsylvania who had experience including children with moderate to severe disabilities in general education classrooms. Through two open-ended questions, they were asked to identify critical supports for inclusion and major problems they faced when including children with disabilities. For the second stage, the same respondents were asked to rate the importance of the categories of supports and to rate the significance of the problems they faced. The results indicated that training, support from a team of professionals, and having help in the classroom were mentioned by a large portion of the respondents. The third stage involved a national sample of elementary, general education teachers responding to the open-ended questions. The respondents in the national sample (teachers who may or may not have been involved in a supported program of inclusion) identified the same three supports more often than other supports.

The Regular Education Initiative: Educational Reorganization for Rural School Districts

1992 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen A. Cappers ◽  
John Larkin
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Education Program ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Rural School ◽  
Full Inclusion ◽  
Regular Education Initiative ◽  
Educational Processes ◽  
Symbolic Processes

The purpose of this analysis is to explore how rural school administrators can implement educational processes to enable the full inclusion of students with disabilities into the general education program. First, we review related literature including the historical basis of inclusion, the limitations of traditional special education practices, arguments of those opposed to full inclusion, and the unique characteristics of rural communities. We ground our analysis in a theoretical framework comprised of a categorical description of organizational theories and behavior. We apply this framework to consider how rural community characteristics can enable or constrain the structural, human resource, political, and symbolic processes of restructuring schools to the benefit of all students. As the field of education moves into the twenty-first century, yet another challenge faces American educators. An issue, which both challenges and requires educational restructuring, is the full inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education program.

Special Education Faculty Positions Advertised from 1991 to 1997: Reflective of Current Practices?

2000 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Eichinger ◽  
June Downing ◽  
Kelly Evans ◽  
Amy Feck ◽  
Robert Ike
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Faculty Positions ◽  
Job Advertisements ◽  
General Education Classrooms

As inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms becomes more common, it is important for special education teachers to have the necessary skills and competencies to meet the needs of a heterogeneous group of students, some of whom may have severe disabilities. Given this need, it is imperative that institutions of higher education have faculty who can prepare future special educators to be successful in inclusive environments. The purpose of this study was to examine advertisements in The Chronicle of Higher Education to determine the demand for faculty positions from 1991 to 1997, particularly those related to severe disabilities, inclusive practices, and cross-categorical teacher preparation. Results indicated that for all years except 1997, 8%-10% of the job advertisements were for positions in severe disabilities. Position announcements that designated expertise in severe disabilities and used an inclusionary term (mainstreaming, integration, or inclusion) increased from 5% to 35% and then decreased to 20%. Position announcements for jobs other than in severe disabilities that also specified an inclusionary term increased from 8% to 22%.

Attitudes of Principals and Special Education Teachers Toward the Inclusion of Students with Mild Disabilities

1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 199-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan G. Cook ◽  
Melvyn I. Semmel ◽  
Michael M. Gerber
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Academic Outcomes ◽  
Regular Education ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Educational Opportunities ◽  
Mild Disabilities ◽  
Regular Education Initiative ◽  
Teacher Survey ◽  
Education Initiative

Attitudes of 49 principals and 64 special education teachers regarding the inclusion of students with mild disabilities were investigated. Results of a discriminant analysis indicated that principals and special educators were separated into groups with 76% accuracy according to their responses to items drawn from the Regular Education Initiative Teacher Survey (Semmel, Abernathy, Butera, & Lesar, 1991). items measuring attitudes toward the efficacy of included placements with consultative services, the academic outcomes associated with included placements, and the protection of resources devoted to students with mild disabilities correlated most highly with the discriminant function. Findings are discussed in relation to their implications for the implementation of inclusion reforms and the educational opportunities of students with mild disabilities.

Easy for you to Say: Teacher Perspectives on Implementing Most Promising Practices

1994 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara J. Ayres ◽  
Luanna H. Meyer ◽  
Nirmala Erevelles ◽  
Seunghee Park-Lee
Keyword(s):  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Teacher Perspectives ◽  
Promising Practices ◽  
Educational Innovations ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Implementation Of Innovations ◽  
Practice Literature

Difficulties in translating innovations that have been validated by researchers into practices that will be used by practitioners are widely acknowledged. Nevertheless, research on systems change is sparse and teachers are seldom asked for their perspectives on the implementation of innovations. Special education teachers (n = 83) from five states in regions known for their efforts to develop quality educational programs for students with severe disabilities were surveyed for their knowledge and skills, the actual presence of quality indicators in their programs, and difficulties they experience in implementing various most promising practices. The results indicate that the self-reported ratings of the presence of the indicators is correlated with both teacher skill and degree of implementation difficulty. Analyses of teachers' comments to an open-ended question reveal common concerns regarding time constraints and administrative support as major obstacles to implementation. The results are discussed in the context of the nature of education as an applied science, the need for a research-to-practice literature on the implementation process for practitioners, and the need to acknowledge explicitly the support variables present in research on educational innovations that may be essential to implementation in practice.

Teacher Workplace Bullying: How Pervasive is the Problem?

2021 ◽  
pp. 088840642110156
Author(s):  
Mary Catherine Scheeler ◽  
Andrew Markelz ◽  
Jonte C. Taylor ◽  
Divya S. Deshpande ◽  
Pamela Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Workplace Bullying ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
General Education Teachers ◽  
Work Related ◽  
High Level ◽  
Negative Acts ◽  
Bullying In Schools

Bullying in schools is a national problem receiving much needed attention. Teacher workplace bullying is a lesser known but equally debilitating problem. Our purpose in doing this study is to examine the problem of teacher workplace bullying and its effect on teachers, students, and schools. We surveyed 173 general and special education teachers to determine the extent that teachers report workplace bullying by other teachers and administrators. We used the Negative Acts Questionnaire–Revised to examine three constructs of workplace bullying—personal, work-related, and physical intimidation. We also examined differences in self-reported workplace bullying between general and special education teachers. Results suggest special education teachers reported a significantly high level of workplace bullying compared with general education teachers. Unsatisfactory administrative support was the most significant factor contributing to workplace dissatisfaction overall. We offer possible starting points to deal with the problem and discuss implications for teachers, students, and the field.

AAC and the IEP

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Hurd
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Team Member ◽  
General Education Teachers ◽  
Students With Special Needs ◽  
Speech Language Pathologist ◽  
Inclusion Classroom ◽  
Communication Needs ◽  
State Educational ◽  
Iep Team

Abstract The team in IEP team is a necessity for students with complex communication needs. These students need the expertise of each team member to design a custom education that allows them to make progress towards state educational standards and build communication competence across curriculum areas. This article covers the strengths each team member brings to the IEP team. Parents bring a long-term perspective of the student; general education teachers bring their knowledge of what curriculum will be covered in the inclusion classroom; and special education teachers bring their training in working with and making adaptations for students with special needs. The article also focuses specifically on ways the speech-language pathologist contributes information on how language is used across the curriculum. A vital part of the role of the SLP on the IEP team is to pinpoint specific areas of language need and to provide teachers with ways to address those areas of need within their curriculum.

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