Teachers’ Beliefs About the Participation of Students With Severe Disabilities in School Clubs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ beliefs about the participation of students with severe disabilities (SD) in school clubs. Participants were special education teachers ( N = 60) of middle and junior high school students with SD from one state. Data were collected using a survey. Results indicate that teachers value including students in school clubs and believe that students benefit from engaging in club activities, yet they did not view this setting as a place to address curricula. Issues with supports, transportation, and planning were identified as barriers to participation. Prior experience sponsoring a school club positively affected teachers’ perceptions of benefits gained from participation.