Inclusive Education Classrooms Research Articles

The Awareness Compare of Inclusive Classroom Teachers' Instructional Adaptation on Inclusive Education Valuables

The Awareness Compare of Inclusive Classroom Teachers' Instructional Adaptation on Inclusive Education Valuables

Changing Pre-Service Teachers’ Beliefs to Teach in Inclusive Classrooms in Victoria, Australia

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of completing a course in inclusive education on pre-service teachers’ beliefs and confidence to teach in inclusive classrooms. Twenty seven pre-service teachers completed a survey and concept maps. It was found that participants’ beliefs and confidence level to teach in inclusive classrooms had improved significantly by the end of the course. At the beginning of the course participants were concerned if “they would be able to teach in inclusive classrooms”. At the end of the program the majority believed that they were ready to teach in inclusive classrooms but they were concerned if they will get necessary support to teach in such classrooms. The results of this study have implications both for teacher educators involved in preparing teachers for inclusive classrooms as well as researchers who are interested in using a new approach to evaluate impact of teacher training courses.

Emotional and behavioural barriers to learning and development in the inclusive education classrooms in South Africa: Developing a training programme for teachers

Objective: The interaction between teachers, classroom strategies and learners experiencing emotional and behavioural barriers to learning and development in a system of inclusive education results in multiple dynamics on different levels. Many teachers in mainstream education lack training to deal with learners experiencing emotional and behavioural barriers. Resistance towards inclusive education is therefore evident. This paper describes the process of developing an in-service training programme for teachers who deal with learners with emotional and behavioural barriers in their classrooms. Method: A process of action research was used to allow the researcher, in collaboration with 47 teachers from 2 primary schools, to develop a training programme to address the specific needs of teachers in dealing with learners experiencing emotional and behavioural barriers in their classes. Qualitative feedback from teachers and observations by the researcher and external observers were used to evaluate the appropriateness of the training. Findings: Teachers experienced that appropriate classroom management strategies made a significant difference in the behaviour of learners experiencing emotional and behavioural barriers. The training affected teachers’ attitudes, teacher–learner interaction, learner behaviour and school organisation. Conclusion: In-service training for teachers can affect the effective implementation of inclusive education. This programme can be adapted to address the needs of teachers in other areas.

A Study on the Necessity and Basic Mode of Implementing Cooperative Teaching in the Ideological and Political Theory Courses

This paper explores the necessity and basic mode of the implementation of cooperative teaching in the ideological and political theory courses. The practice of cooperative teaching in the Ideological and political theory courses is helpful for overcoming the deficiency of the traditional large-class teaching mode, and realizing complementary function of classroom teaching and practice teaching of the ideological and political theory courses, and bringing the advantage of the multimedia teaching and cooperative teaching into play. The establishment of cooperative teaching model needs to start from seven aspects: the first is to grasp the scientific concept of cooperation teaching, the second is to strengthen the interaction among teachers, the third is to change the teaching idea and adhere to the ‘student oriented’. the forth is to enrich teaching modes, the fifth is the reform of examination method, the sixth is the integration and optimization of four resources including classroom teaching, campus, network and the society, the seventh is to further strengthen the communication and exchange between students and teachers.

Effects of Cognitive Strategy Instruction on Math Problem Solving of Middle School Students With Learning Disabilities

The purpose of the study was to improve mathematical problem solving for middle school students with learning disabilities by implementing a research-based instructional program in inclusive general education math classes. A total of 40 middle schools in a large urban district were matched on state assessment performance level (low, medium, and high performing) and socioeconomic status. One school from each pair was randomly assigned to the intervention condition, and one eighth grade math teacher participated at each school ( n = 40). Because of attrition at the outset, 24 schools completed the study (8 intervention, 16 comparison). The intervention, Solve It!, a research-based cognitive strategy instructional program, was implemented for 7 months, and periodic progress monitoring was conducted. A cluster-randomized design was used, and the data were consistent with a three-level model in which repeated measures were nested within students and students were nested within schools. The results indicated that students who received the intervention ( n = 319) showed significantly greater growth in math problem solving over the school year than students in the comparison group ( n = 460) who received typical classroom instruction. Moreover, the intervention effects did not differ for students with learning disabilities, low-achieving students, and average-achieving students. Thus, the findings were positive and support the efficacy of the intervention when implemented by general education math teachers in inclusive classrooms.

Preparing pre‐service teachers for inclusive classrooms: revising lesson‐planning expectations

The purpose of this article is to explore the use of a lesson‐planning template designed to support and scaffold pre‐service teachers’ lesson‐planning techniques for a wide range of learners in inclusive classrooms. This template is currently used across the final three semesters of a dual certification inclusive elementary and special education teacher preparation programme. This article reports on an empirical study using a mixed methodology that addresses the following question: How do pre‐service teachers, university faculty, supervising teachers and field supervisors perceive their experiences using this template? Addressing that question led to revising the original template. This article concludes with that revised lesson‐planning template.

A Study on Inclusive Classroom Teachers' Qualifications and Roles: Perceptions from Administrators, Teachers, and Parents

A Study on Inclusive Classroom Teachers' Qualifications and Roles: Perceptions from Administrators, Teachers, and Parents

Analysis on Status of Instructional Inclusion and Readiness for Implementing Inclusion of Students with Disabilities of Inclusive Classroom Teachers in Elementary Schools and pre-service Teachers

Analysis on Status of Instructional Inclusion and Readiness for Implementing Inclusion of Students with Disabilities of Inclusive Classroom Teachers in Elementary Schools and pre-service Teachers

A Subjectivity Study on the Attitude of Elementary School Inclusive Classroom Teachers on the Inclusion for Children with Disabilities

A Subjectivity Study on the Attitude of Elementary School Inclusive Classroom Teachers on the Inclusion for Children with Disabilities

A Survey on Practices and Supportive Needs for PBS of Special and Inclusive Classroom Teachers in Elementary Schools

A Survey on Practices and Supportive Needs for PBS of Special and Inclusive Classroom Teachers in Elementary Schools

Preparing teachers for inclusive classrooms

Effective teaching skills consist of high levels of student engagement based on good classroom and time management skills; the ability to scaffold learning that is adapted to students' current levels of understanding; cognitively engaging students in higher-order thinking; and encouraging and supporting success. The research reported here suggests that in elementary classrooms, effective teaching skills are effective for all students, both with and without special education needs. Drawing on a research programme extending over nearly two decades, we make the case that effective inclusionary practices, and therefore overall effective teaching, depend in part on the beliefs of teachers about the nature of disability, and about their roles and responsibilities in working with students with special education needs. Elementary classroom teachers who believe students with special needs are their responsibility tend to be more effective overall with all of their students. We provide evidence to suggest that teachers' beliefs about disability and about their responsibilities for their students with disabilities and special educational needs may be part of a broader set of attitudes and beliefs about the nature of ability and about the nature of knowledge, knowing and how learning proceeds; that is, epistemological beliefs. The implications for these findings are considerable for teacher training and development. Little is known about how skills for effective inclusion are developed, or about how changes in teachers' beliefs about disability, ability and their epistemological beliefs may be reflected in changes in their practices. The literature on these topics is examined and implications drawn for teacher preparation for inclusive classrooms.

Perspectives on Inclusion: Students with LD, their Parents, and their Teachers

One of the most significant changes in education over the last few decades is the movement toward inclusive education. Many schools have adopted an inclusive approach of educating students with learning disabilities (LD) in the regular classroom. The present study utilized a multiple case study approach to examine the perspectives of stakeholders in inclusive education. Each case consisted of a student with LD, a parent of the student, and the inclusive education classroom teacher. A number of similarities and differences in perspectives among the stu-dent, parent, and teacher in each case were identified. Similarities and differences in perspectives were also found among each of the case studies. Several practical implications arose from the research.

Quality in Inclusive Preschool Classrooms

Research Findings: Quality of care for preschool children in inclusive and noninclusive classrooms was examined in two studies. In Study 1, comparisons across a large sample of classrooms (N = 1, 313) showed that inclusive classrooms were higher than noninclusive classrooms in global quality as well as on two dimensions of quality (Activities/Materials and Language/Interactions). In Study 2, a more diverse sample of 44 classrooms (20 inclusive and 24 noninclusive) did not reveal differences on the global measures of quality but did show a difference on a measure of teacher–child interactions. Teachers in inclusive classrooms had higher quality and more appropriate interactions with all children than did teachers from noninclusive classrooms. Ratings of perceived severity of children's disabilities were not related to any of the measures of classroom quality in either study. Practice or Policy: Both studies suggest that including children with disabilities in regular preschool classrooms does not result in lower quality programs or in less adequate teacher–child interactions, particularly for children with mild to moderate disabilities. Results illustrate the importance of continued education for early childhood professionals on high-quality teacher–child interactions. Faculty in personnel preparation programs as well as policymakers need to continue to promote high-quality interactions between teachers and children.

ADHD Assessment and Diagnosis in Canada: An Inconsistent but Fixable Process

Canadian teachers in inclusive classrooms are encountering more students with ADHD-like behaviours and making more referrals for formal diagnosis of the condition. Previous research suggests that ADHD diagnoses are susceptible to highly inconsistent and arbitrary assessment processes/criteria (Sanford & Rid-ley, 1995), thus probably contributing to teachers’ lack of effective interventions. This study sought to establish whether Canadian ADHD diagnosticians were spe-cifically identified, whether common diagnostic criteria/guidelines were used, and whether diagnostic processes were empirically grounded. One-hundred and se-venty-six official documents from the prominent Canadian organizations vested in ADHD diagnosis were examined. The results revealed that various professionals provide ADHD diagnoses, that few organizations had clear diagnostic guidelines, and that few organizations outlined theoretical foundations for ADHD aside from references to DSM-IV-TR criteria. This evidence suggests a three-fold potential for compounding inconsistencies in ADHD diagnoses. Recommendations for standardized criteria and processes to remediate these pervasive inconsistencies are provided.

Can inclusive education in South(ern) Africa survive the HIV and AIDS pandemic?

Fagan (1986, p. 859) stated many years ago that ‘school psychology has survived the complex interaction between education and psychology, and will continue to do so in future’. Applied and adapted to South(ern) Africa of 2007, one may ask whether inclusive education will survive the complex interaction with the HIV and AIDS pandemic, and whether it will continue to survive in future? This paper focuses primarily on the impact of HIV and AIDS on the inclusive education classroom and suggests that certain dynamics entering the classroom will increase the demands on educators exponentially. It is concluded that successful inclusive education is in jeopardy in South(ern) African classrooms unless drastic measures are taken soon. A lapse to ‘inclusion by default’ is on the cards in the absence of these measures.

Facing the Storm, Turning the Tide: Using Practitioner Research To Meet Children's and Families' Needs in an Inclusive Setting

The director and two teachers in an inclusive preschool, faced with forces within and outside the school that challenged school policies and practices affecting children with special needs and their families, responded by engaging in a year-long process of practitioner research. This voluntary, systematic, and intentional collaborative study of policy and practice was guided by four questions that arose from their personal experiences and convictions and the unique confluence of events in their context: • Do current administrative policies and practices match the current goals and values and mission of the school? • How can an administration best support teachers in inclusive classrooms? • What does it take for teachers to successfully include children with special needs in school classrooms? • What do families of all children need and how can we support them? This examination of both the process and outcomes of this study is set in the personal and institutional contexts of this work. Consonance between process and individual and institutional histories and values and the impact of this work on policies and practices and on the practitioners themselves are highlighted.

Experiences of New Teachers inInclusive Classrooms in BC

Current research states the need for special education training for preservice teachers; however, research examining best practice in special education training is limited due to a focus on preservice teachers and a lack of Canadian research. This phenomenologically informed study explores the experiences of new teachers in inclusive classrooms to gain an understanding of the knowledge and experiences these new teachers need so as to inform future teacher training practices. The participants include seven new teachers who teach in inclusive classrooms across British Columbia. Results indicate that due to the student diversity in their inclusive classrooms, these new teachers collaborated with colleagues, parents, and students to meet the academic, social, and behavioural needs of their students. Based on these new teachers’ experiences, initial recommendations are provided for teacher training institutions. Directions for further research are also discussed.

Preparing new teachers for inclusive schools and classrooms

This is an ESCalate development project led by Eileen Winter of Queen's University, Belfast. This project is both investigative and comparative in nature. It is specific to the N. Ireland context, and an extension of a similar project undertaken by the proposer at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada (2002-2003). It will allow for cross-jurisdictional comparisons in relation to preparing teachers for inclusive classrooms. It has long been recognised that new teachers are apprehensive about their ability to teach students with special educational needs (SEN), and have found their preparation for inclusive classrooms inadequate at best (Garner, 1996; Dwyfor Davis a Garner, 1997). The project will produce evidence of the current status of SEN in Initial Teacher Education in N. Ireland. Findings will draw from the experiences of current practitioners to establish guidelines for good practice in preparing teachers for inclusive settings. Findings will be compared with the Ontario study and, where appropriate, will be amalgamated into a set of recommendations pertinent in both jurisdictions. It includes a final project report

Changing Perceptions of Knowledge : Evaluation of an Innovative Program for Pre-Service Secondary Teachers.

Pre-service programs for secondary teachers have traditionally involved method subjects, where participants are inducted into the curriculum practices of two disciplinary or subject areas. In 2003, Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne, enrolled a small group of fourteen pre-service teachers into an innovative Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education that directly challenged these program assumptions. Method subjects were collapsed into an integrated study of the theory, skills and practices of classroom work and connections were drawn between all enrolled subjects or knowledge. Another key feature of the program involved all pre-service teachers being placed at the one school for their partnership experience, including classroom teaching and a requirement to undertake an applied curriculum project negotiated as being important for the school. Mentor teachers from the school presented a series of evening tutorials on issues such as systemic requirements, curriculum innovation and school organization. This approach to site-based teacher education builds on a project funded by Department of Education, Science and Technology and conducted by Victoria University some years ago. The paper describes the evaluation of the program and suggests some curriculum changes and the resources required. It also provides some advice for the establishment of similar site-based work that attempts to break the mould of traditional thinking on separated knowledge in teacher education.

Successful Teaching in Inclusive Classrooms: How Can We Help Teachers Utilize the Most Effective Strategies?

Reviews the book by McNary et al (see record 2005-03866-000), that appears be intended as a pocket reference to educational strategies that a professional can keep with him or her and consult as needed. The book lays out 60 educational strategies, each briefly described with regard to its purpose, application, summary of relevant research about efficacy, and precautions and possible pitfalls. The book aims to be a comprehensive compendium of useful teaching strategies divided into six sections grouped by types of instructional categories. However, the reviewer argues that the sections are heterogeneous and lack cohesion, and at times the reader is not sure why a given technique was placed in a specific section. Still, the book's most significant potential strength lies in its research base. Rather than providing personal opinions based on anecdotal evidence and case studies, the book discusses principles and techniques that appear to have at least some research support. The volume is a good start, as more books that summarize effective teaching strategies in a succinct, convenient format are needed. If this book had been somewhat better organized, provided more actual strategies, and explained the strategies in a little more detail, it would have been a highly useful and significant resource for psychologists and school professionals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)