Professional Development Needs Reported by General Education Teachers at Inclusive Private Christian Schools

Abstract

As Christian schools offer inclusive education programs for students with significant cognitive disabilities, it is crucial that teachers have access to quality professional development (PD). The purpose of this study was to survey teachers at three inclusive Christian schools about their attitudes and beliefs toward inclusive education, as well as their reported PD needs through the framework of High Leverage Practices (HLPs). Findings suggest that teachers report the most PD needs in the HLP areas of teaching, behavior, scaffolding, resources, comprehension, and progress monitoring. Implications for practitioners and suggestions for future research are included.