Changing Teachers' Perceptions of Mainstreaming

Abstract

A questionnaire was administered pre and post-test to 154 regular classroom teachers enrolled either in an in service program or in university courses designed to prepare regular classroom teachers to teach handicapped children mainstreamed into their classes. The questionnaire explored the teachers' beliefs and perceptions about mainstreaming in the areas of teaching skills, time available to teach handicapped children, attitudes toward mainstreaming, availability of materials, support services, and need for additional training. Both the inservice and university courses produced significant changes in the participants' responses on the questionnaire. Significant changes were found on the total test and in the variables of skills, time, attitudes, materials, and services.