Teacher Competence, Student Diversity, and Staff Training for the Inclusion of Middle School Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Abstract

The findings from the pilot phase of Project Destiny, a 3-year research and training project concerning the knowledge and skills that middle school teachers need to educate students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in inclusive settings, are reported. Teachers' self-ratings concerning their knowledge base and skill mastery in the area of EBD were assessed and analyzed. Results of the teacher self-assessments are reported in relation to their ratings of the diverse academic, social, and emotional behaviors of their students in these inclusive classrooms. These initial results suggest that teachers viewed themselves as having only little-to-some competence for working with the academic and behavioral challenges that students with EBD present. The Project Destiny Training Model was empirically developed from these preliminary results, and initial staff development activities in the model are discussed in terms of their value for expanding the knowledge, skills, and strategies of teachers in inclusive settings.