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Teachers’ experiences and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment

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Teachers’ experiences and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment

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Content Running Head: TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 1 TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH IN AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT by Gina S. Avila A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION (Education (Leadership)) May 2020 Copyright 2020 Gina S. Avila TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 2 Dedication This is dedicated to my loving family, who has sacrificed so that I could pursue my doctorate degree. Thank you, Ruben, for always believing in me, even when I doubted myself, and for always supporting my efforts. I truly am the luckiest girl in the world. To my daughter, Savannah, thank you for being amazing, understanding, and always encouraging. Adam, thank you for genuinely “getting it”. I pray that one day God opens the door for you to experience this journey. To Mom and Dad, thank you for teaching me to value education and instilling in me the desire to learn. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 3 Acknowledgements I would like to thank Dr. Green for his calm demeanor, guidance, and support during this process and Dr. Hinga for her positive outlook when my writing needed to head in a different direction. I would also like to thank Dr. Mason for his help with edits and Dr. MacCalla for her support through the program and motivating me to complete this dissertation. I will also be forever grateful to the wonderful teaching staff at “A” Middle School, who willingly offered their time and shared personal stories as part of this research project. They are a group of dedicated teachers who wholeheartedly support their students and colleagues. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 4 Table of Contents Dedication 2 Acknowledgements 3 List of Tables 6 List of Figures 7 Abstract 8 Chapter One: Introduction 9 Statement of the Problem 11 Purpose of the Study 12 Significance of the Study 14 Key Definitions 15 Organization of the Study 16 Chapter Two: Literature Review 17 A Brief History of Special Education 17 Critical Disability Theory 19 Empirical Evidence 20 Teachers’ Perceptions of Students 23 Teachers’ Expectations on Student Outcomes 24 Attitudes Towards Inclusion 25 Inclusion Best Practices 27 Teacher Preparedness 29 Conceptual Framework 30 Summary 31 Chapter Three: Methodology 34 Sample 35 Setting 35 Overview of Participants 36 Data Collection and Instruments 39 Instruments/Protocols 39 Data Analysis 41 Limitations and Delimitations 42 Credibility 43 Ethics 44 Chapter Four: Findings 46 Introduction 46 Findings 47 Teachers’ Experiences with Inclusion 50 Strength Experiences with Inclusion 51 Deficit Experiences with Inclusion 52 Teachers’ Experiences with Accommodations 53 Teachers’ Experiences with Special Needs Students 54 Strength Experiences with Students with Special Needs 54 Deficit Experiences with Students with Special Needs 55 Factors That Influence Teacher’s Experiences 55 Childhood Experience 56 TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 5 Childhood Views 59 Teacher Training Program 60 Professional Development 61 Teaching Experience 62 Preparedness to Teach in an Inclusive Environment 63 Teacher Self-Efficacy 64 Barriers to Providing Adequate Support 67 Class Size 68 Paraprofessional Support 68 Parental Support 69 Co-Teaching 71 Time 71 Summary 72 Chapter Five: Discussion 74 Purpose of Study 74 Summary and Discussion of Findings 75 Limitations and Strengths 81 Implications for Future Research 82 Implications for Practice 82 References 85 Appendices Appendix A: Initial Survey Description Questions 94 Appendix B: Interview Protocol 95 Appendix C: Study Participation Request 96 Appendix D: Information Sheets for Subjects 97 TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 6 List of Tables Table 1: Participant Demographics 37 Table 2: Supports for Inclusive Teachers 84 TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 7 List of Figures Figure A: Concept Model of Teacher Experiences on the Inclusive Classroom 31 Figure B: Research Questions in Relation to Themes 49 Figure C: Teachers’ Experiences with Inclusion 51 Figure D: Teachers Prepared for Inclusion by Preparatory Program 61 TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 8 Abstract Federal legislation has addressed the need for accountability for all students, including those labeled with disabilities, in the least restrictive environment. Inclusion settings are becoming increasingly more common so that special needs students are given the same opportunities available in the general education programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher experiences with inclusion, factors that influence them, and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment, as these inform expectations and affect learning outcomes. This study used a qualitative method to allow for a deeper understanding of the human experience using an open-ended questioning format. This method allows for the subjects to give meaning and perhaps reasoning to their views and how they interact with students labeled with special needs. Twelve teachers from a middle school in California participated in the semi- structured interview consisting of 10 open-ended questions. This study found that the majority of general education teachers’ experiences at this middle school produced deficits for special needs students, inclusion, and accommodations. Teachers’ experiences were found to be impacted by many factors, including experiences from childhood, pre-training programs, years of teaching experience, self-efficacy, and lack of support. Teachers were found to be overwhelmed with large class sizes, the time demands of modifying work, accommodating a large number of students, attending IEP meetings, and dealing with behavioral problems. Implications from this study suggest that further research be conducted which focuses on teachers’ experiences before and after receiving and implementing extensive training in special education to support their teaching in an inclusive classroom. It is also suggested that future studies focus on special education students’ achievement before and after implementing co-teaching. Keywords: inclusion, teacher experiences, teacher preparation TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 9 CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY Introduction Students labeled with learning disabilities continue to be the largest population of dropouts in the United States (Zablocki & Krezmien, 2013). Although educational reform focuses on increased access (and by extension increased achievement) to the general education curriculum for students labeled with disabilities, those same disability-labeled students continue to perform lower on state testing in language arts, math, and science than general education students (National Center of Learning Disabilities (NCLD)). For example, the 2014 State of Learning Disabilities Report from the NCLD revealed that 69% of fourth grade students with one or more performed below basic in reading (compared to only 31% of general education students) and 45% were below basic in math (compared to only 15% of their general education counterparts). Regardless of their criteria or label of disability, students within disabilities subgroups continue to show a lower average achievement and slower achievement growth rate than students without disabilities. Even students who exit the special education program are at risk for lower math achievement (Schulte & Stevens, 2015). Decades of policy changes have not improved the results for students in this subgroup. Despite advances in the special education system, these students still lag behind their non-disabled peers (Aron & Loprest, 2012). However, it is fair-minded to mention that members of this subgroup who begin to make gains and are academically successful, no longer qualify for special education services and those who are entering the special education program are struggling academically. This turnover of students, in and out of special education, can mask the success of special education programs since test scores in this subgroup reflect those that are labeled as receiving services, not those who were previously labeled (Schulte, & Stevens, 2015). TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 10 Federal legislation addressed the need for accountability for all students, including those labeled with disabilities, in the least restrictive environment (LRE) through the 1989 court case, Daniel R.R. v. State Board of Education. It was determined that students with disabilities have a right to be included in both academic and extracurricular general education programs. State boards of education and school districts continue to set high standards of accountability to educate all students. Therefore, educators continue to be held to the highest standards in meeting the educational needs of all students in their classrooms, including those who require additional support and accommodations. According to Schulte and Stevens (2015), this may cause concern for general education teachers since students with disabilities are the only subgroup where classification can include cognitive limitations, making it problematic for some to reach grade- level proficiency. Grade-level proficiency means students are considered to be in a specific range academically for a specific grade. This pressure on educators may be another factor which creates bias, as they are not all prepared to teach to the varying needs of their classrooms nor able to focus on what their students with different learning modalities are able to do. Understanding teachers’ perceptions and experiences with students labeled with learning disabilities is important, as those teacher perceptions directly impact student experiences and outcomes. Students with learning disabilities often have negative general education classroom experiences due to their labeling and academic struggles. Teachers and administrators need to facilitate a more positive experience for these students (MacFarlane & Woolfson, 2013). They need to be better prepared to teach to all students regardless of their varying abilities. A positive classroom experience begins with the teacher. Research shows that teachers have a powerful impact on student motivation and performance (Teklu & Kumar, 2013) and their expectations TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 11 may affect the type and level of instruction that students with learning disabilities receive. This may have a significant influence on overall learning and performance. Setting goals and having high expectations for improving learning outcomes has been shown in many studies to improve student achievement (Cameron & Cook, 2013; Pantaleo, 2016). Although research studies that focus on teacher attitudes and perceptions of special needs students have been contradictory, what is clear is that teacher perceptions are often formed during their initial teacher education programs (Greenfield, Mackey, & Nelson, 2016; Woolfolk-Hoy, & Spero, 2005). Nonetheless, there is currently a paucity of research that focuses on other factors, such as childhood experiences, that may impact teacher experiences with inclusion and the relationship of those experiences to teacher preparedness in creating an inclusive environment. This study sought to investigate teacher experiences with inclusion, factors that influence them, and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment, as these inform expectations and affect learning outcomes. Educators may be held accountable without the proper training and resources that would enable them to educate all students in their classroom without regard to their disabilities or cultural differences. Statement of the Problem According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2016), 13% of all public- school children are receiving special education servicers (NCES, 2016). The national movement towards inclusive education highlights varying opinions from educators on how to best serve this population of students. Although many provisions have been made through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to support students with special needs, the U.S. Department of Education reported that 28.3% of students with disabilities dropped out of school during the 2004-2005 school year. These figures were compared to the 10% drop out rate of students TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 12 without disabilities (Zablocki & Krezmien, 2013). Students labeled with disabilities continue to fall behind those without disabilities and the efforts being made to close this academic achievement gap have failed in the public education system. The gap between the level at which students with learning disabilities perform and the level they are expected to perform is vast (Kennedy & Deshler, 2010), and students labeled with learning disabilities continue to perform lower than the remaining student population. There is currently a lack of research uncovering, exploring, and understanding factors that impact teachers’ experiences and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment. There is also a need to explore elements of professional development and teacher preparation programs that may also impact these experiences and preparedness in order to support all learners in the classroom. Learning about these factors that impact teachers’ experiences with inclusion and their associated practices towards students labeled with learning disabilities could possibly assist in the development of appropriate teacher education programs. Such programs could better address training in making curriculum accessible to all students, as well as challenge such programs to change their overall perception of students who have a different approach to learning. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher experiences with inclusion, factors that influence them, and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment, as these inform expectations and affect learning outcomes. As there is a desperate need to examine why so many students labeled with a disability are achieving at a lower rate than their general education counterparts (Annamma, Connor, & Ferri, 2013), this study hoped to gain insight into teachers’ experiences with inclusion, factors that influence their experiences, and their preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment. It is important to ascertain teachers’ experiences with special TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 13 needs students and their experiences with inclusion because these encounters can dramatically affect the learning outcomes of special education students in the general education classroom. This study attempted to answer the following research questions: 1. What are general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? 2. What factors influence the experiences of general education middle school teachers with inclusion of students labeled with disabilities? a. To what extent do childhood experiences impact general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion of students labeled with disabilities? b. What elements of professional development influence general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? c. How does experience working with students labeled with disabilities influence general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? 3. To what extent do general education middle school teachers feel prepared to teach in an inclusive environment? TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 14 Significance of the Study Data from educators at performing middle schools could provide valuable information for school authorities in understanding teachers’ experiences with students labeled with learning disabilities, experiences with inclusion, and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment. Thus, the significance of this study was that it could provide much needed information for educators and administrators in order to develop opportunities in professional development and teacher education programs that focus on opportunities for supporting all students in the classroom regardless of labels. Teacher education programs may not be preparing teachers properly for inclusion or teaching to a variety of students with varying abilities and therefore may be an attributing factor in deficits of teacher experiences with students labeled with learning disabilities in their classrooms. The goal of this study was to further emphasize the need to improve teacher education programs in supporting the learning of all students, regardless of labels, and challenge them to alter the conception of students labeled with learning disabilities. As the number of students labeled with disabilities continues to grow, it is imperative to conduct assessments, not on their disabilities, but rather on their capabilities, academically and in other areas (Van der Steen, Steenbeek, Wielinski, & Paul, 2012). In order to bring about positive changes in special education, it is important for teachers to be able to examine these students through an alternative lens of what they are able to do and focus on their strengths using culturally responsive pedagogy to conform to the student rather than the alternative. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 15 Key Definitions There are many terms and acronyms used in this dissertation that need defining to ensure reader understanding. The following are provided as explanations: Ableism is a set of beliefs or practices that devalue and discriminate against people with physical, intellectual, or psychiatric disabilities and often rests on the assumption that disabled people need to be ‘fixed’ in one form or the other (http://cdrnys.org, 2019). Attitude is defined as a feeling or opinion about something or someone, or a way of behaving that is caused by this (dictionary.cambridge.org, 2018). Disability is defined as a physical or mental condition that makes someone unable to act in a way that is usual for most people (dictionary.cambridge.org, 2019). Expectation is defined as a strong belief that something will or should happen (dictionary.cambridge.org, 2018). Experience is defined as the practical contact with and observation of facts or events (dictionary.com, 2019). Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) is defined as an educational program that is individualized to a specific child, designed to meet that child's unique needs, provides access to the general curriculum, meets the grade-level standards established by the state, and from which the child receives educational benefit (U.S. Department of Education, 2018). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a four-part (A-D) piece of American legislation that ensures students with a disability are provided with (FAPE) that is tailored to their individual needs (U.S. Department of Education, 2018). TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 16 Inclusion, for the purpose of this study, is referred to children labeled with disabilities participating in classroom activities with children who are not labeled with disabilities (Leatherman & Niemeyer, 2005). Perception is defined as a thought, belief, or opinion, often held by many people and based on appearances (dictionary.cambridge.org, 2018). Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments (apa.org, 2019). Organization of the Study This study used critical disability theory as a framework to investigate middle school general education teachers’ experiences with inclusion and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment. This theory states that “disability is a social construct, not the inevitable result of impairment. Disability is a complex inter-relationship between impairment, an individual's response to that impairment and the physical, institutional and 'social' environment (Hosking, 2008). Furthermore, Hosking (2008) states that the “social disadvantage experienced by disabled people is the result of the failure of the social environment to respond adequately to the diversity presented by disability.” Chapter 2 presents the theoretical framework and current literature reflecting the need for further investigation of factors that may influence teacher experiences and teacher preparedness to teach in an inclusive classroom setting. Chapter 3 gives a detailed account of the methodology used in this study. Chapter 4 presents the data findings. Chapter 5 discusses the implications of the study and future usefulness based on the findings. It includes recommendations for further research and suggestions on how to improve teacher preparation programs to reduce deficits and prepare teachers to educate all students, regardless of labels. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 17 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction This literature review briefly highlights the history of special education, as it is important to understand the background that has propelled districts towards full inclusion of students labeled with learning disabilities into the general education setting. It then describes one theoretical concept: Critical Disability Theory (CDT). This section contains an explanation of CDT and its relation to teachers’ perceptions and experiences with their students who have learning disabilities and the impact it has on performance expectations. Teacher experiences may be attributed to lack of understanding or knowledge and play a role in what is expected from students in the classroom and therefore are discussed in the literature. Through the CDT framework, this literature review examines current studies on teachers’ perceptions of students, the importance of teachers’ expectations on student outcomes while drawing attention to the effect of teachers’ experiences on student performance. Lastly, this literature review highlights recent studies on experiences with inclusion followed by research conducted on teacher preparedness, as this was the premise for answering the questions related to this study. A Brief History of Special Education Brown v. Board of Education, which is the 1954 landmark case for civil rights, would eventually include students with disabilities. Yet, prior to the 1970’s, only a few children labeled with disabilities were educated in the public-school system. After the 1972 case, Mills v. Board of Education, students with disabilities had the right to a public education and due process. By 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) required states to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to all students qualifying as having special needs. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 18 Prior to this act, children with disabilities were often denied an education based on their disabilities. In 1990, the American Disabilities Act (ADA) became law, which prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities. In 1997, the IDEA, formally (EAHCA), read that students with disabilities should be included in general education classrooms with non-disabled students, which would enable them to perform to the best of their ability. These students were also to be included in state and district assessments. Not long after, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 stated that students labeled with disabilities must be given the instructional opportunity to access the general education curriculum taught by highly qualified teachers. This law also stated that by 2014, all students, including those with disabilities were to be proficient in math and reading. However, the State of Learning Disabilities Report in 2014 reported that 69% of fourth grade students with disabilities performed below basic in reading and 45% were below basic in math in comparison with 27% and 14% of student without disabilities (National Center of Learning Disabilities (NCLD). Students tested in eighth grade performed similarly with 60% scoring below basic in reading and 65% scoring below basic in math in comparison to 18% and 21% of students without disabilities performing below basic in these categories (NCLD). Today, students labeled with disabilities represent approximately 13% of the student population in public education and the disparity of this subgroup continues to grow (NCES, 2016). The United States’ total dropout rate in 2014 was 6.5% compared to 19% of students in special education (NCES, 2016). Investigating and understanding the cause or factors that may impact these numbers is important in educational research, as many factors have not been thoroughly examined to explain the discrepancy. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 19 Critical Disability Theory Theory Critical disability theory is a framework in which disability is understood as a form of oppression. “In contrast to placing the disability in the individual, critical disability places the ‘problem’ of disability away from the individual and into the collective responsibility of society as a whole” (Edmonds, 2012). The emergence of this theory dates back to the disability rights movement (Shuttleworth, & Meekosha, 2012). Critical disability theory critiques the idea of disability to create social change (Pena, Stapleton, & Schaffer, 2016). People live in an ableist society with mainstream sociological ideologies and academic disciplines, which allows them to remain ignorant of disability and enables them to maintain the privileges that come with normalcy (Shuttleworth, & Meekosha, 2012). Critical disability “focuses on ways that the forces of racism and ableism circulate interdependently, often in neutralized and invisible ways, to uphold notions of normalcy” (Annamma, Connor, et al., 2013, p. 11). Classrooms are filled with students of varying abilities and differences. Educators should take the opportunity to learn from each student’s differences to further improve their own teaching methodology and build their self-efficacy. Critical disability theory should resist distinctions between disabled and non-disabled subjects. It does not mean to view everyone as disabled, according to Hall (2019). All students are different, and eliminating one’s identity of being disabled is in effort to stop empowering those who chose to identify themselves as non-disable, thus creating a superiority complex and a means of oppression. All students need to be viewed as different as they enter a classroom with varying strengths, abilities and styles of learning that are distinctive to them. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 20 It is a goal of critical disability theory to emphasize the connection with critical race theory (CRT) and criticize the conception of normal. In an effort to change views of normalcy and value differences with consideration to race, ability, language and one’s culture, one must rid the old conception of normal, how it is established in public schools, and expose the inequalities that are “supported by racism and ableism” (Annamma, Boele, Moore, & Klingner, 2013, p. 1280). In shifting views from disability to difference, there is a potential to improve the self- confidence in children and impact how others view them (Edmonds, 2012). Through the lens of critical disability theory, this research hoped to gain insight into the need of teacher preparation programs that erase old perceptions of “normal” and embrace the fact that everyone has different needs and is worthy of an education that is free of oppression and segregation. This study sought to examine teachers’ experiences and what they felt was needed to provide an environment inclusive to all types of learners, regardless of labels. Inclusion was not meant to segregate and create division within the same classroom. It was meant to include all students with varying abilities and different approaches to learning. Students with labels of disability are at a disadvantage due to the stigmatism that comes with being labeled. These labels continue to support an unfair system with definitions of what is normal. Those that do not fit between these lines are consider “abnormal” or labeled with a disability and placed in an inclusive classroom with teachers that are not prepared to teach to the vast array of learners before them. Empirical Evidence Special education has become another way to provide separate services for a small group of students (Pena, et al. 2016), many who are disproportionately students of color (Annamma, TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 21 2014; Blanchett, Klingner, & Harry, 2009). Studies as early as 1968 brought out evidence that between 1948 and 1966 there had been a 400% increase in the number of African American and Hispanics identified as mentally retarded, a label that has since been renamed, intellectually disabled (ID). After desegregation in the 1960’s, White teachers were face to face with African- American students and described them as intolerable and menacing, and began labeling them as mentally retarded in an effort to isolate them (Annamma, Boele, et al., 2013). Although, the diagnosis of learning disabilities has decreased for these ethnicities, African Americans continue to be twice as likely as other students to be identified as learning disabled and spend less time during the school day in the general education setting when compared to their White peers (Annamma, Boele, et al., 2013; Annamma, Connor, et al., 2013; Blanchett, Klingner, et al., 2009). According to Blanchett, Klingner, et al., (2009), students of color labeled with disabilities suffer many inequities provided by the special education system limiting their future outcomes. “The intersection of race, culture, language, and disability still remains largely unexplored and largely a missing component in the urban education research literature because urban education rarely addresses disability as a component of the larger urban education agenda” (Blanchett, Klingner, et al., 2009, p. 392-393). A continuing factor in the need for additional research examining teachers’ perceptions is the over representation of African Americans and Hispanics classified with learning disabilities (Annamma, Connor, et al., 2013; Bialka, 2015). There is a history of theories, based on white supremacy, regarding race and ability that have become embedded in many ways into the present day (Annamma, 2014; Annamma, et al., 2013). For students of color, the label of disability puts them in place where they are considered less that than their white peers with or without a label of disability (Annamma, Connor, et al., 2013). TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 22 These students are often found in settings segregated from the general education population more frequently than whites labeled with the same disability (Annamma, Connor, et al., 2013). The label of “disabled” is subjective, based on opinion, and continues to change over time. What defines normalcy is also subjective. Therefore, it is possible to alter the perception. Normal, as it pertains to schools, is usually based on placement on the Gaussian bell-shaped curve measuring achievement and ability (Annamma, Boele, et al., 2013). Although this tool is used for its reliability and validity in measuring distribution of random events, it cannot account for experiences and behaviors of humans, which are not random (Annamma, Boele, et al., 2013). How one conceptualizes normal is part of the problem in the educational field. Anything that falls outside of the standards that are deemed “normal” must be considered poor, or corrupt. As stated by Annamma, Boele, et al. (2013), “normal continues to imply ‘good’ across social disciplines, such as psychology, medicine, economics, history and education. The concept of “normal” does nothing but create boundaries where many students do not fit in and some are ostracized based only on their differences. Rutherford (2016) writes that people value the normal over the abnormal and therefore they invest their time and resources in an effort to normalize everyone, which is the approach taken in special education. Teachers are expected to differentiate instruction, which is designed to provide support to all students so that they all reach the same high expectations. Unfortunately, this practice is often misused in schools in the United States (Annamma, Boele, et al., 2013) and often locks students into ability levels that are based on assumptions of what students can and cannot do. Educators must stop trying to find ways to make students fit into this ideology or concept of normal. It is time to focus the attention on how concepts being taught fit the students. Studies must continue to examine the social structures that restrict and oppress disabled people TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 23 (Shuttleworth & Meekosha, 2013). What is normal and abnormal is a concept that needs to be challenged, especially in the educational system. Teachers’ Perceptions of Students Dispositions are representative of teachers’ assumptions and beliefs about teaching, learning and students (Bialka, 2015). “Educators’ prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory behaviors toward individuals with disabilities go unquestioned. These perceptions create dysfunction when the accommodations provided for individuals with disabilities focus solely on their “disability,” neglecting other aspects of their identity and systemic ableism” (Pena, et al., 2016, p. 86). Research has shown that the influence of teacher perceptions is not limited to the educational system in the United States. Van den Bergh, et al. (2010) investigated implicit ethnic prejudices of teachers between their Dutch students and those that were of Turkish and Moroccan decent and found them to be relevant when it came to their different expectations of their students and the ethnic achievement gap. Teachers that had negative prejudiced attitudes evaluated their ethnic minority students as being less intelligent. It was also discovered that the achievement gap between the ethnic minority students and the Dutch students in those classrooms was larger. Van den Bergh, et al.’s 2010 study is the only one to date that has examined the impact of teacher’s implicit ethnic prejudiced attitudes (Peterson et al., 2016, p. 125). This study was conducted using the Implicit Association Task (IAT) to measure the implicit and the Modern Racism Scale to measure the explicit prejudiced attitudes. Since there were limitations to the study, Peterson et al., hoped to address them in their 2016 study of implicit expectations on academic achievement of different ethnic groups. He found that teachers needed to be explicit about their high expectations in all subject areas for all students in an effort to minimize their implicit prejudiced attitudes (Peterson, et al., 2016). TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 24 Teachers’ Expectations on Student Outcomes Research has proven that although learning is dependent upon several factors, one of the most important components is the role of the teacher, as they “are seen as the key persons to implement inclusive education” (de Boer, Pijl & Minnaert, 2011, p. 331). The role of the teacher in the classroom is to facilitate learning to all students. Teachers have a certain set of expectations for their students and these are greatly affected by their own personal beliefs and attitudes (Teklu & Kumar, 2013), which further impacts the individual student. “Teacher achievement expectations are defined as beliefs teachers hold about their students' academic capabilities and subsequent levels of achievement” (Peterson, Rubie-Davies, Osborne, & Sibley, 2016, p. 123). Research studies have shown that students, through observation of their teacher, are able, from a very young age, to know whether they have high or low expectations of them (Peterson et al., 2016). Teachers and teaching practices are extremely influential in student achievement (Jacobs & Harvey, 2010; Teklu & Kumar, 2013). In the 2010 study by Jacobs and Harvey, teachers’ perceptions, attitudes and expectation were found to contribute significantly to student academic achievement. All students deserve teachers “who understand them as learners, have high and appropriate expectations of and for them and who have strong pedagogical content knowledge” (Pantaleo, 2016, p. 90). Research consistently reports on the importance of expectations and how they may affect the opportunities for student learning. Unfortunately, teachers’ preconceived notions or deficits in understanding certain subgroups might influence their academic expectations of said groups. Teachers’ knowledge, experiences, and skills, combined with their realistic expectations for students are vital for the advancement of all students and those labeled with disabilities in TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 25 particular (Teklu & Kumar, 2013). According to Van den Bergh, Denessen, Hornstra, Voeten, & Holland (2010), teacher expectations may be accurate and the effects small, but they tend to have a stronger influence with students in stigmatized groups based on social class and ethnic background. This further suggests that marginalized groups, such as students with special needs, are more at risk, as these students have a history of being failed by the educational school system and therefore may already perpetuate low expectations of themselves. Students labeled with special needs and placed in a general education classroom may not actually be getting the opportunity that “inclusion” claims to give when confronted with a teacher that views them as “disabled” and thus lacking ability. Attitudes Towards Inclusion Current literature has been shown to be contradictory on teacher deficits in relation to their experiences with inclusion. This is as expected, since it may be difficult for one to self- assess or acknowledge deficits. However, these beliefs are important and attitudes that teachers hold are an important aspect in developing a positive inclusive environment where all students are able to achieve academic success (Beacham & Rouse, 2012). Segregating children with labels prevents equal access to educational opportunities, which is why changes in legislation has moved towards inclusion over the last two decades (MacFarlane & Woolfson, 2013). Inclusion is the restructuring of the educational system to promote belonging (Avramidis, Bayliss, & Burden, 2000). The intention has been to bring about issues of quality of education and issues of social justice. Inclusion also means to make society critically examine its institutions (Miles & Singal, 2010). TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 26 As inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom is becoming more prevalent, it is important to understand issues that may be influencing its success or failure. Inclusion also suggests that every school can accommodate every child no matter the disability. It is thought that inclusion embraces diversity as opposed to integration, which refers to helping the child fit into what is the existing provision (Avramidis, et al. 2000). However, one of the main barriers of integrating students with significant disabilities into the regular classroom has been teachers’ attitudes (Avramidis, et al. 2000; Avramidis & Kalya, 2007). Attitudes regarding inclusion generate concerns about student achievement, teacher evaluation, and support. Teacher attitudes and preparation have also been identified in studies as a major factor in the success or failure of special needs students, especially in the area of science (Kahn & Lewis, 2014). Other attitude studies have indicated that there is a lack of empathy and understanding of the conditions of these students and there seems to be a lack of acceptance of them by general educators (Avramidis, et al. 2000). This further demonstrates that teacher experiences may create deficits and strengths in the inclusive environment dependent upon their preparedness to teach to all learners. Researchers have reported resistance to inclusion by teachers due to a lack of confidence in their ability to deliver inclusion with the resources that are available (Allen, 2010). Teacher attitudes also differ according to the type of disability of the student (de Boer et al., 2011). Various studies have found that children with mild intellectual disabilities and are less likely to require extra instructional or management skills from the teacher are viewed in a more positive manner for inclusion than children with more complex needs (Avramidis & Kalyva, 2007). Although, there are various outcomes from studies based on types of disabilities that students have been labeled with, there is an overwhelming argument that teaching practices have not changed dramatically since inclusion has been put into effect (Beacham & Rouse, 2012). TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 27 This demonstrates the need to develop teacher education programs that critically examine issues of “exclusion, diversity, and inclusion” (Beacham & Rouse, 2012, p. 3). Furthermore, it is imperative that the intent of inclusion or the manner in which it was meant to be practiced by teachers, is understood. Inclusion Best Practices Inclusion is defined by Google Dictionary (2019) as ‘the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure.” Inclusion in education, for all intents and purposes, was meant to do just that. Reese, Richards-Tutor, Hansuvadha, Pavri, & Xu (2018) defined inclusion as a place where students are valued and active participants and where they are provided supports needed to succeed academically and socially (p. 18). Classrooms were to include all students, regardless of differences, in an environment conducive to learning. Teachers were expected to teach a variety of students with varying needs and abilities. Inclusion was not designed to be a placement, but a practice that has not yet been demonstrated throughout our system of education. It is known in education that children with exceptionalities are able to learn by observing the behavior of others. With this knowledge, segregation of students during play time or extracurricular activities has been heavily promoted by the school system and teachers alike, especially special education teachers (Somme, 2018). With respect to curriculum classrooms, teachers believe that students with exceptionalities have the same rights as all other students and therefore should not be segregated (Somme, 2018). However, creating a positive inclusive environment has been difficult to achieve as a common practice for general education teachers. Students entering an inclusive classroom should feel welcomed and empowered by their own individual abilities. Teachers should know all their students’ strengths and weaknesses so TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 28 that they are able to provide lessons that challenge, encourage, and engage all students in the classroom. According to Woodcock and Woolfson (2019), “inclusive education is a process of responding to diverse learner needs through modifications of the curriculum and changes to teaching delivery alongside the vision that it is the job of the mainstream school system to educate all children.” Teachers need background knowledge, training, skills, and attitudes of self-confidence that allows them to embrace inclusion and create a successful inclusive environment (Somma, 2018). The education preparatory system currently in place is not preparing teachers to be successful in an inclusive environment. According to Woodcock & Woolfson (2019), major changes in training have been taking place to prepare teachers for diverse classrooms. It is well understood that teachers need support for this environment. Schools can elicit discussions to create a supportive culture. As teachers may be apprehensive to their overall ability, as stated by Woodcock & Woolfson (2019), they may blame the professional development as well as previous teacher training programs. Open communication to the needs of teachers should be addressed openly to prevent feelings of isolation and lack of support. “Teachers need proper training, planning time, administrative support, and knowledge of policies regarding students with disabilities” (Reese, Richards-Tutor, Hansuvadha, Pavri, & Xu, 2018, p. 18). Dual credentialing programs are also being investigated as needed to provide teachers with the background knowledge enabling them to successfully teach culturally, linguistically diverse students and those with special needs. Providing teachers confidence and proper training programs will enhance their self-efficacy and limit deficits in the inclusive environment. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 29 Teacher Preparedness Teachers’ perceptions of preparedness and self-efficacy are indicators that can predict how well they will be able to meet the challenges of the classroom and thrive in their teaching careers (Brown, Lee & Collins, 2015). In a research study by Sobel and Taylor in 2005, it was stated that 80% of teachers polled felt ill equipped to teach to diverse populations. Current research has presented similar results suggesting that not much has changed over the course of a decade in teacher preparation programs. Salazar and McCluskey’s (2017) study indicated similar results in Australia and Spain with participants stating a mismatch between their expectations and the reality of being a teacher. In a 2012 study of 130 teacher candidates who had just completed their student teaching in their preparation program, there was a lack of consistency in students’ responses regarding preparation in planning for culturally diverse students. One of the lowest ratings reported was being prepared to promote family involvement (Lee et al., 2012), indicating there are many aspects of the teaching profession that are just not taught in teacher education programs. It is important for teachers to feel confident to instruct all students in the classroom. The self-efficacy of a teacher is “one of the few individual characteristics that can reliably predict instructional practices and student outcomes” (Brown, Lee & Collins, 2015, p. 79). The results of the study by Brown, Lee, et al., (2015), showed that pre-service teachers felt that being in the classroom teaching lessons to students was the most valuable part of their pre-service program. However, student teaching consists of a very limited amount of time for practice and the majority of the teacher education program is still situated in a classroom. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 30 Conceptual Framework Through the lens of critical disability theory, this research intends to gather information on factors that may impact teachers’ experiences with inclusion and their preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment. A disability interpretive lens focuses on disability as a difference and not a defect, according to Creswell and Poth (2018). Teachers’ experiences affect their behavior in the classroom and experiences are shaped by deficits and strengths, whether implicit or explicit (Figure 1). These experiences need to be examined and questioned as to their nature. It is the hope of this research to examine factors that influence teacher experiences and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment for the purpose of gathering information that may help improve future teacher preparation programs, create professional development that meets the needs of the inclusive classroom teacher, and provide an environment of support for all learners in an inclusive classroom. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 31 Figure 1. Concept Model of Teacher Experiences on the Inclusive Classroom. Summary Students labeled with learning disabilities represent about 13% of the population in public schools (NCES, 2016). After years of struggling for policy changes, these students now have the right to be included in the general education program. However, they struggle to meet the demands of the general education classroom and therefore continue to largely impact the dropout rate (Zablocki & Krezmien, 2013) when compared to their general education peers. These students also perform lower than general education students on state testing across curriculum reflecting a need for accountability and an examination of available supports for them in the general education classroom setting. One of the main barriers for student success in an inclusive environment has been teachers’ attitudes (Avramidis, et al. 2000; Avramidis & Kalya, 2007). Inclusive Classroom Experiences with focus on disabilities What can't this student do? low teacher and student self- efficacy low student achievement Experiences with focus on abilities What can this student do? high teacher and student self- efficacy high student achievement TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 32 Through the lens of critical disability theory, which views disabilities as a disadvantage, this study seeks to understand teachers’ experiences and expectations of their special needs students, their experiences of inclusion, and factors that may influence them. Inclusion is a basic right for students with disabilities to gain access to the same education as general education students. Teachers’ perceptions of what is “normal” in the classroom needs to change because segregation is another form of oppression. Although inclusion is now a right for students labeled with disabilities, do teachers understanding how to differentiate, accommodate, and modify instruction to support all learners? Inclusion offers that students with labels belong in the same environment with their non-labeled peers. However, if teachers have deficits and are unprepared for these students, they are not receiving the same education. They are just in the same classroom. Teachers’ perceptions and expectations of students with disabilities affect their academic success. These deficits tend to focus on the disability instead of what students are able to do. Teachers need to set high standards for all their students and be explicit in the matter (Peterson, et al., 2016), understanding that these expectations are affected by their own beliefs and attitudes (Teklu & Kumar, 2013). The teacher’s role is of the utmost importance for a successful inclusive program (de Boer, Pijl & Minnaert, 2011). They impact student motivation and performance by their own level of expectations, which has a direct influence on the type of instruction and goal setting for students labeled with disabilities. This, in turn, affects whether their students succeed or fail. Therefore, investigating factors that may impact teachers’ expectations of students labeled with special needs is important in educational research. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 33 Investigating teacher experiences and factors that influence them will help to establish a deeper understanding of how and when these deficits and strengths are formed and what is needed to create a “real” inclusive environment, where all students feel like they belong. Chapter 3 provides a description of the research design, sample, methodology, used in this study, which served to explore teachers’ experiences and factors that may influence them. Gathering this information helped to understand teachers’ perceptions, where they stem, and how to better support them in meeting the needs of all students in their classrooms, regardless of labels. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 34 CHAPTER THREE: METHODS The methodology chosen for this study was qualitative in nature. Qualitative research allows for a deeper understanding of the human experience using an open-ended questioning format. It was also selected because it allowed for the subjects to give meaning and perhaps reasoning to their views and how they interact with students labeled with special needs. This type of research usually begins with assumptions of the researcher that inform the study and allows for a personalized inductive and deductive data analysis. The researcher’s interpretation of data being gathered significantly impacts the findings (Creswell & Poth, 2018). According to Saldana (2011), the researcher is considered by many as the primary instrument. Thus, the setting and relationship between researcher and participant impacts the responses and analysis of data collected. The aim of this study was to better understand teachers’ experiences with inclusion and their preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment, while examining factors that may influence these experiences. The researcher was also interested in what types of professional development may impact teachers’ experiences with students labeled with disabilities. As teacher experiences and their strengths and deficits can influence their expectations of students, this study sought to gather information about factors that may impact those experiences. The six research questions for this particular study were: 1. What are general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? 2. What factors influence the experiences of general education middle school teachers with inclusion of students labeled with disabilities? a. To what extent do childhood experiences impact general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion of students labeled with disabilities? TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 35 b. What elements of professional development influence general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? c. How does experience working with students labeled with disabilities influence general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? 3. To what extent do general education middle school teachers feel prepared to teach in an inclusive environment? This study aimed at exploring personal experiences and strengths and deficits, which demands that the method be qualitative with a grounded theory approach (Creswell & Poth, 2018). It is appropriate to conduct a study using qualitative research when a particular issue needs to be explored (Creswell & Poth, 2018). Although one cannot generalize the findings through qualitative research, the details and information gathered from open-ended questioning can lead to a deeper understanding, further research, and development of other theories. Sample Setting This study was conducted at “A” Middle School located in a suburb of Los Angeles County in the state of California. This particular district is also a District of Choice (DOC), whereas a small percentage of students come from outside the district borders. This school district is similar to many other high performing districts, both in student demographics and teacher population. “A” Middle School is a National Blue Ribbon and California Distinguished School comprised of 1,320 middle school students and 50 teachers on staff. Approximately 25% of “A” Middle School students are DOC. The student population is 64% Asian, 25% Hispanic, 7% white, 2% black, and remaining students are mixed races or designated as other. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 36 “A” Middle School was an excellent site to conduct this study. It is the goal of the organization for all students to reach grade level proficiency in all subject areas. All teachers are highly qualified to teach in their academic content. It is noted that some are dual-credentialed and teach in more than one content area. The departmental teachers are divided up as follows: 14-language arts, 12-math, 6-physical education and health, 9-science, 8-social studies, 6-special education, 5-enrichment, and 4-visual and performing arts. Some staff members fall into more than one department. Ongoing evaluation and teacher collaboration of student progress and achievement help to refine the instructional program so students can achieve academic proficiency (“A” Middle School Website, 2017). “A” Middle School is a National Blue Ribbon and California Distinguished School. During the 2016-2017 school year, “A” Middle School was also nationally designated as a School to Watch. The findings of this study may be representative of other similar middle schools. Of the student population, 10% qualify for English Language Learner support, and 10% qualify for free or reduced price lunch. Overview of Participants There are varying opinions to the number of participants needed for qualitative research (Saldana, 2011). Breadth, not quantity, was the goal, as this researcher was aiming to recruit 12- 16 participants for this study. McEwan and McEwan (2003) state that quality in qualitative research comes from the depth and extent of its observations. It is expected that this number of participants at one site will be enough to represent the varying opinions of the entire school site. The investigator requested to the principal at “A” Middle School permission to e-mail the 44 general education teachers a sampling request for interview selection. The participants sought out to interview for this study were all middle school (grades 6-8) general education teachers. An email with a link to initial survey (Appendix A), which included three demographic questions TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 37 and option for interview was sent to entire general education staff. Interviews were selected from the first four volunteers in each content area. Of the 44 teachers, 12 opted to participate in the survey. The interviews were conducted in person by investigator at a location of convenience to the participants. The teacher demographics are shown in Table 1. There were 9 females and 3 males who participated in the study. The years of teaching experience ranged from 2 to 34 years, with half of the teachers having over 20 years of experience. A brief overview of each participant, represented by his or her self-selected pseudonym, follows Table 1. Table 1 Participant Demographics Participant Gender Years of Experience Subject Matter Jonas Michael Shawn Lauren Samantha Sarah Ashley Cheryl Jane Carol Belinda Mary Ann Male Male Male Female Female Female Female Female Female Female Female Female 2 8 32 3 4 5 5 20 20 22 30 34 Language Arts Social Studies Physical Education Science Math Language Arts Physical Education Band/Orchestra Social Studies Science Science Math TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 38 Jonas is a sixth and seventh grade language arts teacher in his second year of teaching. He shared that he had a limited number of special education classes that prepared him for inclusion. He recalled only one class in his teacher preparatory program that focused on students with special needs. Michael teaches sixth and seventh grade social studies and is currently in his eighth year of teaching. He was able to recall one special education class during his teacher preparatory program. Shawn is a veteran physical education teacher with 32 years of experience. He had a plethora of special education classes in his background as he minored in special education. He also claimed that none of the classes in his teacher preparatory program were related to special education. Lauren teaches seventh grade life science and is in her third year in this role. Prior to this, she taught biology for seven years at the college level. She recalled having one class in her preparatory program related to special education. Samantha teaches seventh grade math and is in her fourth year of teaching. She stated that she took one class during her teacher preparatory program that was related to special education. Sarah is in her fifth year of teaching sixth grade language arts and one ELD class for second language learners. She does not recall having any classes related to special education in her preparatory program. She commented that she wasn’t positive, but if she had taken any courses, she could not remember. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 39 Ashley teaches eighth grade physical education with five years teaching experience. She stated during the interview that she had two classes related to special education during her teacher preparatory program. Cheryl is in her 20 th year teaching band and orchestra to sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. During her interview, she was able to recall having one class dedicated to students with special needs in her teacher preparatory program. Jane teaches eighth grade social studies and has 20 years of experience. She could not remember taking any special education classes during her teacher preparatory program. Carol has been teaching science for 22 years. She stated that she had zero classes in her background related to special education. Belinda teaches eighth grade science and is in her 30 th year of teaching. She remembered taking one special education class in her teacher preparatory classes. Mary Ann teaches eighth grade math and theater and is currently in her 34 th year of teaching. She remembered having three or four classes related to special education. She was not positive whether all these classes were during her teacher preparatory program or after she began teaching. Data Collection and Instruments/Protocols Instruments This research study was qualitative in design to allow for open-ended responses from interviewees. Through careful observation of the participants’ responses and behavior throughout the interview, this researcher intended to illicit information using an instrument designed by the researcher (Appendix B). This semi-structured interview allowed questions to be expanded upon when needed and omitted when they interfered with the natural dialogue. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 40 The instrument consisted of 10 open-ended questions. The first two questions of the interview protocol were related to background experiences and impressions. These interview questions helped to answer and develop themes related to the first research question. Interview questions 3, 4, 7, and 8, were related to overall experiences with students labeled with special needs and inclusion. These questions were also used in the development of themes relating to experiences and addressed the first research question. Interview question 5 was related to preparedness to teach from experience. This interview question addressed research question number three. Questions 6 and 10 were related to previous training and continuing education by professional development. These questions addressed the second research question. Question 9 was an open-ended question used to gather information and opinions from teachers regarding what they believed was needed as effective support and training to be a successful inclusive teacher. It enabled the researcher to understand the needs of the general education teachers and gain knowledge towards the development of an effective teacher education program. One last theme was developed from the interview process and was not linked to the research questions, but created to further examine needs of teachers, which in turn may be a contributing factor to these experiences. These interviews ranged from 12-20 minutes in length. It was important to understand the factors that influence or impact teachers’ experiences with inclusion and students labeled with learning disabilities in their classrooms, as these experiences and strengths and deficits inform expectations and student outcomes. There may be common factors that attribute to teacher preparedness to teach students labeled with special needs and their experiences with inclusion. The researcher, using critical disability theory, attempted to address the meaning of inclusion by examining general education teachers’ perspectives through an open-ended questionnaire. This questionnaire sought to understand TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 41 teachers’ experiences and examine the information provided to further explain why inclusion is failing students with labels of disability. Data Analysis Each interview was audio recorded, uploaded, and transcribed using Rev.com. This study used grounded theory, which “meticulously analyzes qualitative data in order to understand human processes and to construct theory,” (Saldana, 2011, p. 6). Creswell and Poth (2018) developed a qualitative approach which focuses on procedures which allow the participant to answer questions to enable an understanding of how social problems develop. The first step was to create and organize the data files and read through the text. It is the researcher who must formulate the initial codes and decide what is valuable information. The researcher used quotes from participants to develop codes or categories using open-coding. The process entailed identifying a particular text segment that appeared significant to the researcher and assigning a code label. The researcher continued this process and began searching through the remaining text segments to develop common themes and opposing opinions among participants’ data in relation to the conceptual framework and literature review. In examining the data, the researcher determined comments to be bias or unbiased and attempted to understand their nature. Comments were determined to be biased when they were deemed, by the researcher, to be against inclusion, students with labels of disability, and their accommodations. Unbiased comments were deemed supportive of inclusion, students labeled as special needs, and accommodations, as determined by the researcher. It is the hope that these results may help, in the future, to alter the current preconceived notions of students with labels of disability and give a deeper understanding of what is needed for teachers to be successful in an inclusive classroom. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 42 Limitations and Delimitations Limitations This study was focused on experiences of general education teachers on inclusion and factors that may influence those experiences. It was assumed that the information gathered from teacher responses was honest and forthright and any assumptions were limitations in themselves. Another limitation of the study may have included teacher deficits due to self-reporting during interviews. Teachers may have expressed themselves in a more favorable manner. Teacher deficits may be implicit and affect behaviors in the classroom. However, since these may be unconscious attributes, they are often denied. Although the interviews were reported with fictitious names so that participants remain anonymous, the researcher is an education specialist within this district and some may have felt uncomfortable in accurately reporting explicit deficits. As a support provider for their students, however, the researcher was sympathetic to the difficulty in supporting a large number of students labeled with special needs and these teachers may have been able to express themselves openly. Another limitation is the demographic make-up of the middle school teachers surveyed, which may or may not be similar to other high or low performing school districts. The researcher also considers the interview questions used to be a limitation. “All instruments, including self-report questionnaires, have some level of measurement error that, if unchecked, can lead to uncertainty of measures and flawed inference” (Ainsworth et al., 2012). Delimitations One delimitation of this study was the total number of 44 general education middle school teachers, which was not a large sample to begin data collection. Perhaps, the researcher could have included other middle schools from the district or other districts to draw from a larger TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 43 population or have broadened the scope to include all secondary general education teachers within this district. Credibility and Trustworthiness The researcher planned to maintain credibility and trustworthiness of the study by using pseudo names for recorded interviews. However, the information gathered was only useful and credible if participants answered in an honest manner with integrity. It was the hope that this study was efficient in eliciting the true opinions of teachers that participated. Some methods used for gathering information that was credible were reflexivity, verbatim data, and review of negative or discrepant cases. Reflexivity in qualitative research refers to manner in which the researcher positions himself or herself in the study. The researcher must convey their background and its relation to the study because this informs the interpretation of the information in the study and what they hope to gain (Creswell & Poth, 2018). The researcher for this study is an education specialist with a background in teaching in a general education setting at the secondary level. This allowed for an empathic view of the participants’ perspectives and their position, while also understanding the educational needs of students labeled with learning disabilities. Verbatim data was used in this study. Through the use of an on-line transcription service, the audio files were transcribed in exactly the manner they were spoken, including pauses and other sounds. It was important to get all the words correct and hear what was being said, but it was also important to understand the manner in which a person was stating something. Was he or she hesitant? Was he or she having a difficult time in stating how he felt? The manner in which a person stated something may have given the researcher a deeper understanding of their feelings and perspectives. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 44 A researcher must actively look for negative or discrepant cases. In gathering a complete understanding of participants’ responses, it was necessary to look for viewpoints that may have differed from the majority of responses and explain the reason for the position in an effort to strengthen the general opinion. This researcher examined closely and sought to find reasons for responses that were discrepant to validate the data collected. Ethics According to Creswell and Poth (2018), researchers must plan ahead and consider any ethical issues that may arise during the course of the study. Throughout all phases of the study, issues may surface. It is important to consider respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. These three principles were operationalized in this study and were a priority of this researcher. Creswell and Poth (2018), wrote that respect for persons involves the treatment of participants and the data obtained from them. The purpose of this study was disclosed to all participants. Participants were given a copy of the information sheet (Appendix A) pertaining to the research and were asked to read through it. Questions arising from the information sheet were answered by researcher prior to interview. Under no circumstances did volunteers feel pressure to consent to interview, or complete if they began to feel uncomfortable during the process. Participants were asked to contact the researcher if any questions or problems arose from participating in the survey. Appropriate consent was obtained before beginning. Participants verbally responded whether or not they agreed to be recorded during the interview. All agreed to be recorded. Researcher provided rewards for participating in the study. However, the information obtained for the raffle drawing was in no way linked to actual survey information. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 45 Respect for privacy is important when interviewing participants and was maintained. All participants were given equitable opportunities to discuss questions. All views were given the same value, as all contributions informed this study. The interviews were conducted and recorded using pseudo names and no personal information was requested to enable readers to identify the participants. Data was stored in a secure location with no personal information linked. When reporting data, researcher reported multiple perspectives to respect all points of view. Researcher honestly reported composite responses in a manner that protects individuals from being identified. The researcher did diligence to maximize the benefits of the study for participants and society while minimizing the risk to participants. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 46 CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS The methods in which students labeled with special needs are taught are continuing to evolve. It is no longer the aim of school districts to isolate students who have disabilities or other learning disorders, but to include them in the least restrictive environment, which is the general education classroom. Inclusion is noted to have a profound impact for all students and shown to benefit the disabled student by giving him or her the opportunities available to general education students (Avramidis, et al. 2000). The inclusion model being used today was designed to support students labeled with special needs in the general education classroom allowing them to gain higher academic achievements and confidence. According to the United States Department of Education, more than six million students with disabilities spend all or part of the school day in the general education setting. This allows them to participate in social activities and be challenged (Brownell, Smith, Crocket, & Griffin, 2012). Thus, the general education teacher plays a vital role in the success of these main-streaming students. It is due to these changes that this study sought to explore teacher experiences with inclusion and the factors that may influence them. Teachers today have classrooms filled with very diverse learners. It is crucial that they are prepared and in a positive mindset to teach to students with varying strengths. This chapter briefly describes the participants in the study, reviews the methodology, and gives a summary of the findings. A link to the survey, using Survey Monkey, was e-mailed to all 44 general education teachers at the school site. Twelve general education teachers from “A” Middle School in California volunteered to participate in this study. All teachers who volunteered were invited to participate for the purpose of collecting data. All interviews were conducted at the school site at a location and time selected by the participants. The interviews TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 47 took approximately five weeks to schedule and complete and ranged from 12 to 22 minutes in length. The interviews were recorded and reviewed for clarity. The files were then uploaded and transcribed by Rev.com. Once transcribed, the researcher began to review transcripts and create codes or common themes based on interview question responses with the use of Atlas.ti. Findings There was a total of 10 themes that emerged from the interview responses and the coding process in an attempt to answer the following research questions: 1. What are general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? 2. What factors influence the experiences of general education middle school teachers with inclusion of students labeled with disabilities? a. To what extent do childhood experiences impact general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion of students labeled with disabilities? b. What elements of professional development influence general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? c. How does experience working with students labeled with disabilities influence general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? 3. To what extent do general education middle school teachers feel prepared to teach in an inclusive environment? In response to the first research question, three themes emerged from the interviews as follows: Deficit and strength experiences with inclusion, accommodations, and with students with special needs. In response to the second research questions and its corresponding sub-questions, five themes emerged which include childhood experiences, childhood views, benefits of teacher TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 48 preparation program, benefits of professional development, and teaching experience. Two themes emerged from the third research question entitled, teacher self-efficacy and barriers to providing adequate support. These themes are displayed in Figure B with their related research question. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 49 Figure B. Research Questions in Relation to Themes RQ 1. What are general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? Deficits and strengths with inclusion Deficits and strengths with accommodations Deficits and strengths with students with special needs RQ 2. What factors influence the experiences of general education middle school teachers with inclusion of students with special needs? RQ 2a. To what extent do childhood experiences impact general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion of students with special needs? Childhood experiences Childhood views RQ 2b. What elements of professional development influence general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? Benefits of teacher preparation program Benefits of teacher professional development RQ 2c. How does experience working with disabled individuals influence general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion? Teaching Experience RQ 3. To what extent do general education middle school teachers feel prepared to teach in an inclusive environment? Teacher self-efficacy Barriers to providing adequate support TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 50 Teachers’ Experiences with Inclusion According to Avramidis, et al. (2000), attitude studies have indicated that there is a lack of empathy and understanding of students with special needs and there seems to be a lack of acceptance of them by general educators. Through the course of the interviews, participants made 51 responses related to their experiences of inclusion. Some of these responses were direct answers to questions asked by interviewer. Some were indirect comments made while answering other questions during the interview process. There were 13 statements that were considered strength experiences of inclusion. There was one undecided view, 14 conditional views, and 22 deficit experiences related to inclusion. The following graph (Figure C) gives a visual of the total comments related to inclusion. Responses were categorized as a strength, undecided, conditional, or deficit experience of inclusion. Responses that were conditional, based on students’ abilities or other attributes were considered deficit experiences by investigator. The conditional statements reflected specifics about types of labels of disabilities that were preferred in their classroom or the type of behaviors that may be exhibited, which they felt were acceptable from students labeled with special needs. Approximately 72% of the comments shared regarding inclusion were deficits or conditional in nature. Although the majority of teachers expressed an understanding of their students’ need to be included in the general education setting, they also shared feelings of defeat, lack of support, lack of knowledge, and overwhelming obstacles to success, which is not productive to teaching all students in the classroom. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 51 Figure C. Teachers’ Experiences with Inclusion Strength Experiences with Inclusion When asked specifically if they felt that children with special educational needs had the right to be educated in the same classroom as typically developing students, five teachers stated that special needs students have the right to be in a general education classroom and their responses were definitively voiced. Ashley, Lauren, and Jonas responded with, “Yes,” and gave no further comment. Mary Ann said, “Yes, I think they have to.” Belinda added, “I still think they'd be better served in here [general education classroom] but, it depends on an individual basis.” One statement that defined inclusion and experiences that are needed for a positive learning environment was made by Mary Ann, “I'm a believer that people should get opportunities no matter what, and my job as an educator is to help facilitate those opportunities.” She continued to comment on her beliefs that “everyone should get opportunities.” Teachers' Experiences With Inclusion Strength 26% Deficit 44% Conditional 28% Undecided 2% TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 52 Two of the three definitive positive responses were reported from the two teachers that shared personal experiences of feeling different. One teacher was in a GATE program, which separated her from other general education students and the other was diagnosed with dyslexia. The other three teachers that shared a majority of the strength responses teach physical education and music. Deficit Experiences with Inclusion When asked the same question, seven teachers did not comment with a definitive yes or no, but added comments or conditions for students. These teachers made statements regarding the impact it may have on their general education students. Belinda stated, “As long as it doesn’t impede significantly the learning in the classroom or the rights of other children in the room, then yes.” Some felt that an inclusive classroom may take away from the class, but that the students had the right to be there. One teacher was concerned that the student with special needs may not be getting their needs met in the general education classroom due to the number and varying levels of students in the classroom. Jane felt that students who were “really low” suffered in the general education classroom. She stated, “In a class of 35 [students], if you’ve got a couple kids that are struggling and the skills are lacking, I think it’s overwhelming for them.” Some teachers raised concerns that behaviors from students labeled with special needs often disrupted their classroom. Another negative experience stemmed from teachers that had difficulty with students that were far below grade level. These students were not able to understand the reading material and some did not have the critical thinking skills to enable them to participate in the classroom. Samantha stated, “Ultimately, it makes sense to have them separate so you can challenge the advanced kids a little bit more without feeling that the rest of TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 53 them are, I guess you could say, ‘dropped’.” Lastly, teachers have a plethora of standards to cover during the course of the school year and Lauren stated, “Because of the number of standards, I have to move really quickly, and I just don't have the time.” Belinda teacher felt an inability to support all the mainstreamed students and said, “It’s hard to bring it [curriculum] down to a first grade [level]. I don't have the time or the energy or the ability to do it.” Statements categorized by researcher as deficit experiences with inclusion were made by teachers that teach core curriculum in language arts, math, science, and social studies. Teacher Experiences with Accommodations During the course of interviews, only four teachers made statements reflecting their experiences with accommodations. These teachers were divided in their strengths and deficits with accommodating students. Two teachers’ comments were viewed as strengths. Lauren made the following statement. “I always felt it [accommodations] made it fair for them. You probably need double the test time that other students would get.” These two teachers felt that services leveled the playing field. Accommodations were to be expected when supporting students with special needs in the classroom. These two teachers made remarks to the importance of knowing and understanding their students. The two other teachers that commented on accommodations made statements viewed as deficits regarding their understanding of how modifying a test would make it an equal opportunity for a student. Samantha stated that making accommodations took time for them to do and felt that sometimes they were being taken advantage of. “I feel like ever since they were growing up, they were given all these accommodations…but it has kind of sheltered them from thinking that they could do more than what they really can.” She felt that students who had the accommodation of more time tended to overuse it and turn all work extremely late. She further TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 54 stated, “There's just too much padding for them to actually show what they can accomplish.” Accommodations were felt by some to hinder the student instead of supporting them. These four teachers varied in their comments and experiences of student accommodations. The two teachers, one who was part of the GATE program and one who personally had a learning disability, were responsible for the majority of strength responses regarding inclusion and accommodating students. Teacher Experiences with Special Needs Students Teacher experiences with students labeled with special needs was a theme continuously developed upon when reviewing the interview transcripts. Teachers made statements during the course of the interviews that were descriptive in nature or reflective of their experiences with special needs students in the general education classroom. There was a total of 34 statements attached to this particular theme. The statements were segregated by their connotations, whether a strength, neutral impression, or deficit in reflection of special needs students, as perceived by investigator. Of the total statements related to teachers’ experiences of special education students, there were 22 deficit, 2 neutral, and 10 strength comments. One of the neutral statements was a general comment based on a participant’s student roster. There were twice as many statements categorized as deficits made by eight of the teachers throughout the interviews. Strength Experiences with Students Labeled with Special Needs The majority of strength comments were made by the two teachers who shared stories of struggling in reading and participating in the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program. These teachers felt separated from the majority of the general education population or different at some point in their early educational years. The remaining were made by the music and physical education teacher. Samantha shared, “When I started interacting with them, I'm like, Oh my TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 55 goodness, they're just like any other student.” She added that she felt they just needed a little more support and if you set high expectations, they would meet them. Teachers that had a strength experience with inclusion, also had shared strength comments regarding accommodations and their students labeled with special needs. Deficit Experiences with Students Labeled with Special Needs There were twice as many deficit comments from participants in comparison to strength comments. The deficit comments were focused more on difficulties of teaching and the extra time involved in supporting students with accommodations and modifications. Carol shared, “It is hard to be able to cater to some of the needs of the kids, and I noticed that early on.” She added, “I know that student is going to be a lot more work and I have a lot more requirements.” One teacher felt that the time involved to support each special needs student was not worth it when there was no support from home because the student needed parents and teachers to be willing to invest in their success. There was a common feeling among the teachers that parental support was lacking in the home of the majority of their special needs students. They claimed that parents would meet during IEPs and make promises to check homework completion or the progress of their child, then neglect to do so. This appeared to be demoralizing to the teachers who invested time to modify assignments that did not get completed. Factors That Influence Teachers’ Experiences This study was designed to understand teachers’ experiences of inclusion and factors that may impact those experiences. Teachers were asked specifically about their first experience or encounter as a child with another student in special education. They were also asked to share their impressions or feeling as well as could be remembered. Of the 12 teachers interviewed, nine shared feelings of compassion, experiences of separation from others that they presumed to TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 56 be “different”, and indifference to the classes that they were not a part of. Many claimed that they did not notice anyone that was receiving special education services. Yet, some remembered seeing different classes on their school site where others, who they did not see throughout the day, attended classes. The two teachers that shared personal experiences of struggling in an academic area or participating in a GATE program, which separated her from others, shared the majority of positive comments related to special needs students, inclusion, and accommodations. The teacher with the most classes in special education in his teacher preparatory program also had strength comments to share. Childhood Experiences Childhood experiences were not personal views or opinions, but actual events that responders were able to recall seeing or experiencing during their early childhood years. These were found to have an impact on teachers’ experiences of inclusion, accommodations, and students labeled with special needs. Teachers that experienced isolation, struggled with a learning disability, or experienced others with special needs in their own general education classroom, had strength responses to inclusion, accommodations, and students labeled with special needs. Of the twelve teachers, one had no experience or encounter as a child with another student in special education. She was not aware due to being in a private school with no special education department. Another claimed he noticed an aide with a student in his class, but they remained separated from the others in the class. Two of the teachers had personal experiences of feeling different. One was in a GATE program which separated her from general education students. This made her feel isolated from others at school. The other struggled with a reading TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 57 disability, receiving outside services, but continued her schooling in the general education setting. The remaining eight teachers noticed that there were others whom they viewed as “different” than them, who were separated from the general population at school. Most stated that they hardly noticed or paid attention to them. Overall, there was a shared sense of isolation from students with disabilities. Belinda shared that her first experience with special education was very personal and occurred while she was in first grade. She had begun to struggle in school and her parents were informed by the teacher that their child was “retarded”. She stated, “Well, the teacher told my parents I was retarded.” Belinda’s parents were educated and did not agree with the teacher. Belinda shared that in New York there wasn’t a special education program at her school so her parents took her to a doctor in New York City. She consequently spent every Saturday taking the Staten Island ferry to a doctor for therapy. This was in the late 60's, early 70's. Later she would learn that she had dyslexia. This experience deeply impacted her and how she views her students today. She recalls not feeling any different in school and that perhaps this was because her services occurred outside of the school day. She stated that because of her parents’ belief in her abilities and the fact that they were educated and able to get her help, she was able to earn advanced degrees. Belinda has strength experiences with inclusion, accommodations, and students labeled with special needs. Other participants with similar experiences had similar outcomes. Cheryl’s first memories of special education involved a child from her neighborhood that was picked up by a small yellow bus. While in elementary school, she was designated as a GATE student and also was picked up by a yellow bus and “carted to a different school with a few other kids to participate in…a magnet pull-out GATE program.” She recalled by the time TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 58 she was in junior high, seeing some “special ed.” students going out to lunch in a smaller group. Sheryl has strength experiences of inclusion, accommodations, and students labeled with special needs. MaryAnn shared that when she was in an elementary school, the only “special ed.” kids she knew were what would be classified as the “county class today”. She could remember that they had a “little kitchen in there and got to do all kinds of really cool things that the rest of us didn’t get to do.” As she got older, she was placed in the GATE program and stated that she did [school] work that was harder than everybody else had to do. She said that she didn’t notice that other kids were struggling because she was struggling emotionally. She was not part of the “regular population”. She had to spend her time with the “GATE kids” all day long for two years. She also had to participate in the same physical education class as her GATE peers. Sheryl also shared strength experiences with inclusion, accommodations, and students labeled with special needs. Sarah’s first experience occurred in middle school where there was an aide in the classroom. She was in seventh grade and the student working with the aide did not “really socialize” with other students. Most of the time the student stayed with her aide. She also recalled that whenever they had group work or partner work, the student did not participate with other students, only her aide. Sarah was able to recall that in high school there was a student who was “valued on campus”. She shared that it was the type of school where the special education students were treated in a really respectful manner. It was more inclusive comparison to her middle school. Making sure all students felt comfortable and not out of place was part of the culture in the school. Sarah shared many strength experiences with inclusion and supporting her students labeled with special needs. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 59 The remaining participants shared similar experiences of seeing students, who they viewed as “different”, separated in their elementary school setting. Carol was able to recall that there were special classes at her school, but for students with severe needs. She never saw them at recess or during the school day. She stated that they had “their own room and did their own thing.” Jonas noticed “they had the same teacher all of the time.” Samantha remembered that all the students who “looked different and acted differently were always grouped up in the back corner of the campus. Childhood Views The interview question related to childhood views elicited 24 responses or statements during the interview process. The responses coded were the participants’ impressions and feelings recalled when first introduced to special education as a child. These were not events that occurred, but personal thoughts and emotions felt by participants during these first encounters. In the course of interviews, nine respondents shared feelings of compassion, jealousy, and indifference. Carol, when asked about her impressions of the students she had noted in special classes, she stated, “I didn’t think too much about them. I just knew that they were different and they were not in with the rest of the kids.” Jonas thought “it was a little odd at the time.” He didn’t recall understanding why students were being pulled out, but he thought it was kind of interesting. At the time, he thought, “they were the kids that were kind of dumb or low. It was like they couldn’t control their emotions or they had some… I’m not sure how to describe it. It was like a third grader in the body of a high school student.” TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 60 Teacher Training Program The second research question examined the elements of professional development and its impact on the general education middle school teachers’ experiences with inclusion. Teachers were asked about their teacher preparatory program and the number of classes they took related to special education. Special education classes may help to equip teachers with the necessary tools and strategies needed to teach in an inclusive environment, including strategies for various learning disabilities, how to follow IEP accommodations, and how to modify curriculum to meet the diverse levels of their students. Two of the teachers interviewed stated that they had no classes in special education to prepare them for teaching. Six teachers stated that they had one class in their preparatory program related to special education. Two teachers had two classes and two had three classes or more classes in special education. Ten of the twelve teachers interviewed stated they were not given the classes in their teacher education program to prepare them their students labeled with special needs. Teacher preparatory programs are created to prepare teachers for classroom instruction. However, teachers are not given enough special education classes to teach in an inclusive environment. Only 16.6% of the teachers interviewed were given enough classes, in their opinions, to support them in instructing and accommodating their special needs students. Figure D displays the number of teachers who were prepared by their preparation program for inclusion. Teachers do not have the self-efficacy or background in their first years of teaching to be successful in an inclusive environment. The lack of early teacher training was shown to have a relation to their experiences with inclusion. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 61 Figure D. Teachers Prepared for Inclusion by Preparatory Program Professional Development Professional development is important to support teachers in keeping up with changes in the educational system. Many of these classes that are offered are focused in the use of technology of the 21 st century in supporting student learning or are directed towards teaching a school-wide strategy. Although these professional development classes enable teachers to improve their classroom teaching, teachers are struggling to meet the demands of supporting all students. When teachers were asked about professional development in relation to supporting their special needs students, eight of the twelve interviewees commented. Continuing education and professional development were not found to be instrumental in supporting teachers for inclusion of students labeled with special needs. Teachers stated that the varying needs of their students were too diverse for a workshop or professional development meeting to be of any help. Carol reported that although she felt she Teachers Prepared for Inclusion by Preparatory Program Prepared 16.6% Not Prepared 83.3% TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 62 could use more ideas in the classroom, she also felt that “no amount of class, no amount of workshop is going to help because it’s really all on them [special needs students].” Mary Ann reported, “The hard part is I don’t know what I don’t know. There's probably really good strategies out there and really good ideas that I just don't even know what they are.” Others stated that they are always excited about learning and gathering new ideas for helping their students. While one felt that a focused workshop would be helpful since the ones previously held for special needs students were not applicable to them. One teacher stated that it would be difficult to find a helpful workshop because it is hard to generalize with these students. Sarah stated, “They're so different. You really have to learn about them in particular, their accommodations and also their history as well.” She felt that the amount of support they received in the past may or may not still work for them. It also won’t work for other students who are going through the same thing or have the same difficulties. Overall, most teachers stated that students are so different that it makes it difficult to support individualized learning in the classroom. Workshops are needed to cater to their specific students and personalized needs for that particular time, as students’ needs fluctuate yearly. Student rosters vary so much from year to year that it is a struggle to figure out what their special needs students may require in the general education classroom. Teachers conveyed that by the time they begin to learn more about those students, it is very late in the year to really help them individually. Teaching Experience Teachers were specifically asked about background experience, or on the job training, as preparation for inclusion. Eight of the teachers elaborated on their teaching experience as preparation for inclusion. Teachers were found to value their experience over teacher TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 63 preparation classes and professional development in supporting them in an inclusive environment. Samantha stated, “it's more of what I've learned and picked up in the classroom” that has helped with inclusion and “it's a learn by doing kind of thing. I don't think that is something you can get out of a book.” Comments were made that subbing in a variety of classes helped to prepare them. “Thirty-something years of teaching” has given Belinda “experience in my toolbox for sure.” However, she also stated that when the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) program was brought to the school site, she was not prepared for what happened in her classroom. She explained further in detail that from the first day when her second period entered the room, she had one boy running around all year saying, “Get the hell away from me, get the hell away from me!” She had another boy at first grade level repeatedly shouting what room number he was in. She then thought to herself, “Where am I?” She felt that she was not prepared at all. One teacher was fortunate enough to begin her career in a collaborative classroom co- teaching with a special education teacher. She stated that she didn’t begin knowing about or understanding that there were different lessons for different students. She began to understand the necessity to differentiate instructions and provide assistance. This experience was influential in preparing her for teaching solo in an inclusive environment. Preparedness to Teach in an Inclusive Environment The majority teachers interviewed have many years of experience and shared that classroom teaching with practice making accommodations and modifying work has been the most effective element for their success. Five of the twelve teachers interviewed stated they felt prepared to teach in an inclusive environment (Figure 3). Although some felt prepared, TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 64 responses indicate that due to lack of knowledge, skills and support, many have deficit experiences with inclusion and their students labeled with special needs. Teacher Self-Efficacy The majority of teachers who participated in this study were found to lack self-efficacy in an inclusive environment. Allen (2010) wrote that there has been resistance to inclusion by teachers due to a lack of confidence in their ability to support inclusion with the resources available to them. Teachers were asked during the interview whether or not they felt prepared to teach in an inclusive environment. Five teachers out of the twelve felt prepared or had the experience of years in education that equipped them for special needs students in the classroom. However, only one teacher felt the classroom setting in their teacher preparation program helped them prepare for inclusion. One physical education teacher interviewed stated he was prepared to teach special needs students. This particular teacher happened to minor in special education and felt that those classes helped him in his career to adapt to these changes. The other teacher shared that physical education classes were a great outlet for students with special needs. She felt somewhat prepared but, would have liked more classes to help with the challenges, which she explained were more behavioral based. It should be noted that there are written tests given periodically throughout the school year in physical education classes. Both of these teachers stated they modified the tests for special needs students. The daily lessons, however, did not require the time needed by other core academic teachers to modify for students with special needs. The majority of the students on IEPs were able to participate in the required physical education activities. Otherwise, they would have an adaptive physical education teacher who pulled them out of class to work on specific goals. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 65 Cheryl, Shawn, and Lauren responded to the same question with a strong, “Yes.” Cheryl also shared that she felt prepared because music was for everyone and she was able to include students that entered her classroom and give them an experience that was meaningful and that they could “be proud of at the end of the year.” The other teacher that was positive shared that her personal experiences with her own child and years of teaching have equipped her to be ready. The third that responded in this manner stated that she had lots of experience accommodating students because she worked in a place where EL and special needs students attended the same classes. She had on the job training and that it was of great interest to her to attend all meetings for these students to develop a sense of what was needed from her to support them. Lauren added that the class she took helped her, but she felt that since every teacher preparatory program is different, each person’s experience will differ from someone else’s. She was taught specific adaptations to lessons with a focus on different categories of disability. She learned to create and modify lessons based on the varying needs of her potential students. She felt that this practice had prepared her to accommodate and modify lessons for her students. However, she also stated that at the beginning of her first year of teaching she had about seven students on her roster with IEPs in her first period class. She read through them and said, “Oh my gosh!” The volume of students and adaptations needed for each lesson on a daily basis was overwhelming. Carol stated, “I cannot say I feel totally prepared. I think I would need more support to be effective, especially in classes where I also have English learners (EL) in the classroom. Some of the these [EL] students fall into the category of being [in] special ed, but haven’t been identified yet.” She followed stating she really appreciated the aide support in the class, but TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 66 “reality is always different, because people are different. Even the experiences that we have with each individual kid is different, so there's nothing that can really prepare you fully.” One teacher answered the question abruptly stating she was not at all prepared. This experienced teacher appeared to feel helpless and irritated by the fact that she was not prepared for what inclusion entailed. The others responded with minimal preparedness. Jane, with 20 years of experience, stated that it was “trial and error. Sometimes I’m like, ‘ugh’, how else can I help this kid? What else can I do because, I mean, I can modify and cut questions off and things like that. Beyond that, there’s not a whole lot I can do for them.” Samantha stated that the training did not prepare her. Special needs students were talked about, “but then it's very different, because you have so many different types of special needs students. So, it was very hard to really pinpoint what to do with an exact situation. I don't think that class really prepared me.” Jonas shared that he feels “somewhat prepared in modifying and accommodating,” but wishes that he knew how to measure a student’s understanding in a different way. He also shared that there isn’t the time in an instructional day to verbally assess all of their students with special needs. “I don't feel like I have enough time to do everything.” Lastly, one teacher reported that when he started teaching, he did not feel prepared, but experience has helped. On the job training has been this particular educator’s best lesson. Overall, teachers shared that experience has been necessary for teaching in an inclusive environment. Yet, years of experience do not always make a successful classroom. It seems to be a gray area, whether or not experience helps on a year-to-year basis. Students are so different each school year and the time needed to individualize curriculum for each student is not available. The level of self-efficacy varied for each teacher interviewed, but these teachers were consistent in stating that their teacher preparatory program was not sufficient and the current TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 67 professional development classes they were taking were not supporting them for an inclusive environment. Teachers believed that practice and experience has benefitted them the most, but it has not been enough. Barriers to Providing Adequate Support This researcher hoped to gain insight on what teachers valued as support in the inclusive classroom. School districts vary in ways they define inclusion on their campuses. For this particular campus, it was important to understand what those working in this situation believed was needed to be a successful teacher to all students. The last open-ended interview question helped to develop this last theme. Teachers were asked directly, “What do you believe would make teaching special needs students in your classroom easier?” Responses from teachers as to what they thought would be most beneficial for an inclusive classroom were similar. It was apparent that the first and foremost was smaller classroom sizes. Teachers also commented that they needed more para-professional support, co-teaching support, parental support, and more time. Based on interview comments, in an attempt to support all students, teachers can become overwhelmed in the inclusive environment. Classes were found to be too large in size with the general education student population of diverse learners, EL students, and special needs students. The demands of modifying work, accommodating a large number of students, attending IEP meetings, and dealing with behavioral problems add stress and impact teachers’ experiences regarding special needs students. It was evident that these teachers needed more planning time, effective strategies, and support staff in the classroom. Having smaller classroom and more time may allow for teachers to get to know what their students are able to do, as opposed to reading a TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 68 list of what their students are not able to do. Focusing on abilities may allow them to view their students differently and plan lessons accordingly. Class Size While there were six teachers who mentioned class size, five teachers made strong concerns about the number of students in each period affecting their performance in the classroom. The ratio of students to teacher makes it difficult for teachers to meet the needs of the general education population, which already includes English learners. Replacing some of those students with those in special education make it over-whelming for some. Jonas stated, “I feel like if I was in a small classroom of like 20 kids and 4 kids were special education, then they would be just fine. But I have 34 kids.” Jonas emphasized the need for smaller class sizes. Carol, who emphasized the difficulty of a large group of students, stated, “It would be nice if I had the help so these students could get a lot more individualized attention, because I cannot give it to them in my regular classroom in the midst of 36 kids and be able to cater to them and their needs.” Ashley shared, “…more training, maybe smaller class sizes. If we didn't have everyone in one giant class, then it might be easier.” Paraprofessional Support Another significant suggestion from 50% of the teachers interviewed was the need for an aide in the classroom. Currently, these teachers are limited to the aide support they receive. Aides may be available to them for support with students in a class period where there are high numbers of special needs students, possibly five or more. Considering, all class periods may have students with special needs, teachers commented on the difficulties of meeting their needs when being alone in the classroom. Belinda, who also mentioned the need for smaller classes, shared the need for aide support stating, “A smaller class size would help. A paraprofessional and more TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 69 hours in the day would help.” Carol shared, “I would just like having somebody next to them all the time to make sure they’re on task and make sure they’re accountable for the work.” She believes it would help some be successful. The need for aide support and how this would be utilized was discussed by one of the six teachers. Jane stated, “I could do the lesson and get through the stuff that I needed to get through, and then those kids would peel off a lot of times and go with the aide.” She shared that it was beneficial for the some student to go to a separate area and work with the aide. Sometimes, students just needed clarification or support to finish tasks. When there was enough support staff in the classroom all students felt included in the activities. She also shared that currently there just isn’t enough support to do that. Overall, teachers in an inclusive environment with a large number of students and no para-professional support are in a difficult position. Teachers’ experiences are greatly impacted by being overwhelmed in the classroom and feeling unsupported. The ability to meet the individual accommodations of each student is “not doable,” according to Lauren. This makes it difficult for teachers to give all students what they need. Students labeled with special needs are placed in an environment where they are not being supported. This is not the positive impact inclusion was meant to have. The deficit experiences teachers are having are impacting the learning taking place in their classrooms. Parental Support Lastly, parental support was of major concern to a few teachers. Parental support was mentioned by 25% of participants as a factor that was needed for their students on IEPs to be successful in the classroom. Parental support was deemed as being involved in IEP meetings or actually showing up. One participant mentioned the lack of involvement by parents with these struggling students. Accommodations that were agreed upon in IEP meetings were met by TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 70 teachers, but teachers reported that parents failed to follow through with the part they agreed upon in the meeting, which may have consisted of reviewing homework, checking teacher notes on agenda, reading with student, or replying to teacher e-mails. Overall, teachers felt that there were many expectations for teachers, but none for parents of these students. They mentioned a lack of parental support at home with projects, homework, or follow through with support systems set in place during IEPs. Teachers attended meetings with data and suggestions for a particular student while parents were not present. Some mentioned this lack of parental support as impacting morale and motivation for them to support the student, again impacting overall experiences with students labeled with having special needs. Michael’s comment was reflective of the views of other interviewees and in itself reflective of experiences with inclusion, accommodations, and special needs students. He stated, “I really believe IEPs should be a contract between a teacher and the parent. When we go into the meetings, I have a list of the things, as a teacher, that I need to do for your child.” He felt that if teachers are doing a list of items for their student, then there should be support at home and parents doing their own list of items to support their child. Michael explained further that too many times, teachers attend IEP meetings and parents make promises that they never follow through with at home. They forget to check the binder reminders or go over any of the homework. Michael felt that at that point, it is too difficult to expect success when the teacher is the only one doing the work. The student and parent have both neglected to do their part. He stated, “I am not going to go above and beyond to do my part if you're not willing to do yours. Because at the end of the day, no matter what I do in my classroom in that one hour, I can't accomplish it without your help at home.” Another teacher shared a similar opinion regarding the role of the parent. It was demoralizing to work hard for a student and feel that the parent did not share in the responsibility. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 71 Co-Teaching Through the course of interviews 25% of teachers mentioned a collaborative classroom setting, where there is a general education and special education teacher working together in the same room as an ideal support system. Co-teaching has various models that districts have utilized. These teachers mentioned that this school has implemented co-teaching in the past for a few classes. One teacher claimed that just being able to collaborate with an education specialist often, would be of significant support. Jane stated, “I think what's more helpful…is working with case carriers and getting ideas from [them…I think they know the students.” She felt that the case carriers knew their students better than anyone on campus and having them for a few years helped to understand the students’ strengths and weaknesses. Time Lastly, time was mentioned by 25% of teachers as a needed factor in supporting inclusion. Lauren shared, “If we only had more time…” Teachers discussed the volume of work involved in following accommodations, collaborating with case carriers, modifying work, and attending meetings. This all involves time and impacts teachers’ experiences with inclusion, accommodations, and students labeled with special needs. Time is not something that can be changed by district policy. However, the number of students in each classroom and support staff available all impact the amount of time needed by teachers to support their students. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 72 Summary This study was designed to understand teachers’ experiences with inclusion and factors that may impact whether they are strength or deficit experiences. The researcher presented qualitative data collected in semi-structured interviews from 12 general education teachers. There were 13 themes that emerged from the interview responses and the coding process. They included teachers’ deficit and strength experiences, factors that may have influenced these experiences, and barriers to providing adequate support. Teachers were found to have deficit and strength experiences with special education students, inclusion, and accommodations for those students. The majority of shared responses in those categories were of deficit experiences. However, most of the teachers stated that they believed special education students had a right to be in an inclusive classroom. The teachers who had first-hand experience of feeling “different”, one with a learning disability and one in a GATE program, which separated her from the majority of the general education population, had the most strength experiences towards special needs students, inclusion, and accommodating students. Although most teachers felt compassion towards students with special needs and wanted to support them, they shared deficit experiences with said students and inclusion during the course of the interviews. The deficit experience comments shared were focused more on difficulties of teaching to many levels in a classroom, the extra time involved in supporting students with accommodations and modifications, lack of support, and not understanding what students may need to be successful in their learning. Teacher preparatory programs did not prepare 83% of teachers to support special education students in an inclusive environment. Continuing education and professional development classes were not viewed as helpful by participants. They favored years of practice TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 73 in the profession as giving them the most support. Teachers’ experiences were impacted by childhood experiences, lack of training, self-efficacy, and demands needed to support the wide variety of students in their classrooms. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 74 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher experiences with inclusion, factors that influence them, and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment, as these inform expectations and affect learning outcomes. Students labeled with a disability are achieving at a lower rate than their general education counterparts (Annamma, Connor, & Ferri, 2013). This study hoped to gain insight into teachers’ experiences with inclusion and their perceptions of preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment. Teachers’ experiences with special needs students and inclusion can dramatically affect the learning outcomes of special education students in the general education classroom. As special education continues to change due to policies, so does the learning environment. It is no longer the aim of school districts to isolate students who have disabilities or other learning disorders, but to include them in the least restrictive environment, which is the general education classroom. Teachers today have classrooms filled with very diverse learners. It is crucial that they are prepared and in a positive mindset to teach to students with varying strengths. This qualitative research study produced several results, such as teachers’ deficit and strength experiences with inclusion, accommodations, and special needs students, factors that influence teachers’ experiences, and teacher preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment that aligned with the literature review. The conceptual framework used to examine these results was based on the critical disability theory and research findings. The disability interpretive lens focuses on disability as a difference and not a defect (Creswell and Poth, 2018). Teachers’ experiences affect their behavior in the classroom, whether implicit or explicit, and dependent TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 75 upon whether they are deficits or strengths can affect learning outcomes. These experiences were examined and addressed as to their nature through this research. Examining factors that impact teacher experiences and teacher preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment may help improve future teacher preparation programs to better meet the needs of students in an inclusive classroom. This chapter presents a review and discussion of the results from Chapter 4 based on the data presented. It also addresses limitations and strengths of this study and includes concluding remarks and implications for future research. Summary and Discussion of Findings The research found that the majority of attitudes towards inclusion, where all learners are together in the same classroom, accommodations, and special needs students were biased among the 12 teachers interviewed. These deficit and strength experiences were found to be impacted by childhood experiences, lack of training, self-efficacy, and demands needed to support all their students in the classroom. The researcher examined the data in search for explanations why some educators had more strength experiences than others. Both physical education teachers had more strength than deficit experiences in all categories, but also have minimal classroom instruction that requires daily modification of curriculum. Although, physical education teachers accommodate special needs students, the daily lessons with differentiated instruction and modifying assignments for different levels is not as overwhelming as it is for core curriculum teachers. Not to say that physical education teachers don’t need time to lesson plan, but modifications for reading and writing assignments are at minimal, which does not cost them a lot of time. This is only an assumption of why these teachers hold more positive experiences of students on IEPs. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 76 It is the opinion of the researcher that the experiences of both teachers, who suffered isolation and overcame adversities in the school setting, were impacted by their childhood experiences and have shaped their expectations of their students. One overcame her circumstances that made her feel “different” and one overcame her disability to reach high academic achievements. It is a possibility that they view their students as themselves and have the same expectations of them, thus giving them a more positive experience and belief in their students’ success. The study by Peterson et al. (2016) found that the beliefs teachers held about their students’ capabilities impacted their students’ outcomes. Some students are fortunate in that there is already an expectation in place when they enter those particular classrooms of teachers who have been through similar experiences and succeeded academically. It should also be mentioned that the other teacher who stood out as having positive comments reflecting positive experiences with special needs students, inclusion, and accommodating students was the one with the most special education classes in his teacher preparatory program. This was due to his minor in special education. He was more prepared than others in this manner, had many years of teaching practice, and also taught physical education. It is speculated that his self-efficacy played an important role in his experience. Unfortunately, the majority of teachers have not had these experiences during their childhood nor the adequate classroom experience, and do not feel prepared for inclusion. Inclusion is an environment where all learners, despite labels, are together in the same classroom. The majority of these teachers’ early experiences with students labeled with special needs were of segregation. Inclusion has slowly made its way into their classrooms and some have had many years of experience with students on IEPs that do not reach their full potential. In these teachers’ eyes, it may also set a precedent to how they predict the next year’s special TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 77 needs students’ outcomes. From this educator’s experience, teachers are disappointed when their students fail to meet academic goals. This can have an impact on their own self-efficacy. Teachers rate their own success by their students’ achievements. If students are not growing academically, it is often a reflection on them. Teachers also shared comments regarding the various levels of disability and behavior problems in the classroom. Avramidis and Kalyva (2007) wrote that teachers favored those students that required less support more positively than those with multiple needs. This was found to be reasonable and was evident when reporting from two teachers who explained that many of their students with IEPs happened to be the most disruptive. Although this may be true for some cases, it is too easy to eliminate the problem by moving disruptive students with IEPs to a segregated classroom. For general education students, this is not an option. Students with IEPs should not be discriminated against for the same actions. Teachers tend to fall back on old policies where behavior is concerned. If there was no such place as a segregated classroom to move them to, teachers would find other strategies and ways to correct the displayed behavior. This is an area where teachers need support and an understanding that students on IEPs have the same rights as students in the general education program. It should also be mentioned that students are not given to teachers by selection process. For teachers who may prefer to work with students with specific disabilities in their classroom or ones which they may deem easier, needing less support, this sorting process would be difficult and also discriminatory. We also cannot state that some students are more disabled than others when considering inclusion. Avramidis, et al. (2000) wrote, “Such differentiation of values cannot describe the process as one of inclusion; inclusion does not discriminate by category, but where teachers may discriminate as individuals the bases of such discrimination ‘attitude’ are TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 78 crucial.” The general education classroom is already full of diverse learners at different levels. These middle school teachers struggle to modify curriculum to those who are reading at a first or second grade level. This was one of the reasons teachers believed that some students “should not be there” (Carol). Teachers have multiple barriers to adequately support inclusion. This is where self-efficacy is affecting their experiences with specific students. They are not prepared or educated on how to address all the learning disabilities within their classrooms. Teaching to special needs students in addition to the diverse array of learners in the general education classroom of 35 students has teachers feeling like they are failing one end of the spectrum of students. Teachers are not feeling as though they are accomplishing the plan they intended to from the beginning of the year. This impacts experiences with inclusion of special education students. With 83% of teachers thinking negatively with deficits, students are not being treated equitably. Teachers mentioned that they believed the accommodations given to some of their students were being abused and did not agree that some are necessary. This experience suggests that they may not value some of the supports given to their students. This could also mean the team is creating an IEP that is not befitting the student or teachers are letting their deficits affect the way they view what their students may need to succeed. Either way, we are failing that student. It is also possible that there needs to be more input from general education teachers in IEP meetings to reflect their opinions of what a particular student needs. As a student progresses, the need for specific accommodations may change during the school year. Many times, these students continue to have accommodations on their IEPs that are no longer needed. Thus, the teacher feels the student is taking advantage, when in fact, it may be something that is merely left in writing on the IEP and should be removed at the annual meeting. This researcher has experienced many IEP meetings where general education teachers agree with TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 79 the recommendations for accommodations written by the education specialist. With more openness and suggestions by general education teachers during these meetings, there is a greater hope that they will positively implement the accommodations agreed upon. Although teachers shared deficit experiences regarding inclusion, special needs students, and accommodations, the majority of responses were focused on the difficulties of teaching and the extra time involved in supporting students with accommodations and modification. This suggests that these experiences can change if teachers are given the proper education, time, tools, and aide support to provide a successful inclusive environment for all their students. Teacher preparatory programs are created to prepare teachers for classroom instruction. However, teachers are not given enough special education classes to teach in an inclusive environment. Only 16.6% of the teachers interviewed were given enough classes, in their opinions, to support them in instructing and accommodating their special needs students. The remaining teachers did not feel prepared by classroom instruction in their preparatory program or professional development classes. It has taken some of the veteran teachers years to learn how to modify assignments and adjust to the inclusive classroom and even some of those teachers do not feel prepared. Teaching education program are not graduating teachers with the skills they need to be effective in the inclusive classroom. Teachers do not have the self-efficacy or background in their first years of teaching to be successful in an inclusive environment. This greatly impacts their experiences with inclusion. Therefore, continuing education is necessary for teachers to learn specific skills to support them in teaching students with special needs. Continuing education and professional development were not viewed as helpful with those participating in this interview. Teachers stated that the varying needs of their students were too diverse for a workshop or professional development meeting to be of any help. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 80 Teachers know that a one or two-hours class will not prepare them for working in an inclusive environment. It is the hope that new programs begin to prepare general education teachers with a multitude of special education courses as part of the program, since it is now the standard in most districts. For veteran teachers, opportunities are needed to take a set of workshops with specific skills to support in level planning and modifying assignments to build self-efficacy and change classroom experiences. The majority teachers interviewed have many years of experience and shared that classroom teaching with practice making accommodations and modifying work has been the most effective element for their success. Teachers self-efficacy in the classroom also involves their ability to manage the students. Experience is helpful with classroom management and may impact how comfortable these teachers are with their classroom population. Practice in dealing with specific behaviors that some special needs students may exhibit may have given some teachers a sense of self-efficacy. However, what is of most concern is the 50% of teachers that did not feel prepared to teach in an inclusive environment. This is similar to Sobel and Taylor’s 2005 study, in which 80% of teachers were found unprepared to teach in a diverse classroom of learners. Self-efficacy is important for students and especially for their teachers (Brown, Lee & Collins, 2015). Most of these teachers had years of practice and yet claimed to not be prepared. Overall, general education teachers are not as skilled in working with students on IEPs and would benefit from collaboration time with education specialists during the day to modify lesson plans, discuss student accommodations and learn best practices for specific disabilities. Time to plan for the large number of students in the classroom was one of the most common complaints. In order to change teacher experiences, it is suggested to change the methods of practice in which these experiences evolve. Teachers are in dire need of smaller class sizes, TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 81 professional development that supports their student rosters, and support staff, to be effective in the classroom. Giving teachers what they believe they need to succeed with their students will empower them and in effect produce positive learning outcomes for all their students. Limitations and Strengths Limitations Limitations of this study include the small number of participants. All who volunteered were included in the interviews. It is possible that those who did not volunteer for the study may not have wanted to share deficit experiences with inclusion, accommodations, and special needs students. Thus, suggesting a greater need for change to the support systems currently available to these teachers. In any event, a larger sample size would have been more effective, in that it may have provided a wider range of experiences. There are also factors or alternate explanations which may impact these teachers’ experiences that may have been overlooked in this study. One additional concern with this middle school study is that it is a high achieving school within a high achieving school district. The gap between the students label with special needs who need support and the high achieving students within the same classroom may be greater than an average school site. These teachers have to teach to a wider array of student levels. Strengths One strength of this study was that it addressed topics that need to be investigated further. This research may also lead to ideas for proper training in teacher preparation programs and professional development for veteran teachers to support teachers’ self-efficacy. This study has given suggestions for possible factors that may impact teachers’ experiences. Teachers TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 82 interviewed were open and experiences appeared truthful. The teachers interviewed are experienced, hard-working individuals who dedicate themselves to their students as witnessed by the researcher. Any deficit experience openly shared in this study should be recognized as a cry for help in supporting their students. It is the hope that barriers faced by general education teachers in an inclusive classroom are recognized and remedied. Suggestions made by teachers who participated in this study, such as smaller class sizes, instructional aide support, and co- teaching classrooms are realistic changes that are a possible. Creating a positive educational environment begins with teachers’ experiences. Implications for Future Research It is the opinion of this researcher that quantitative research should be conducted at the middle school level which focuses on teachers’ experiences before and after receiving and implementing extensive training in special education to support their teaching in an inclusive environment. Another study suggested would be a quantitative study of various co-teaching models in middle schools and teachers’ experiences with them. Future studies should also focus on special education students’ achievement before and after implementing co-teaching. Implications for Practice This study found that the majority of general education teachers’ experiences at this middle school were deficit in nature with inclusion, accommodations, and special needs students. This is not to say that teachers are not compassionate and willing to work hard for their students labeled with special needs. The problem stems from teacher preparation programs that do not fully prepare teachers for inclusion, opportunities for professional development that would truly benefit their needs and boost self-efficacy, large class size, insufficient planning time, and feelings of lack of support to meet demands of teaching in an inclusive environment. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 83 Co-teaching was suggested during the interviews, as practice had been tried at this school site, but was not continued after the first year. This approach, which may impact districts monetarily because there are two certificated teachers for the same class period, may be worthy of investigating. Some co-teaching models are more preferred than others, but research has shown and found that the special education teachers co-teaching with a general education teacher lacked a distinct role and therefore assumed a position similar to that of a paraprofessional (Conderman and Hedin, 2014). Another study by Magiera et al. (2005), found that the special education teacher was rarely the primary instructor but monitored student work, reviewed homework, or observed students solving problems independently. Although, this idea has merit and may well be worth the effort and cost, it may take years of trial and error to perfect a model that is efficient for districts to implement. A proper co-teaching model should elicit positive, unbiased attitudes from both the general education and special needs teacher. This collaboration between both teachers is essential when implementing inclusion. Teachers working together to create appropriate lessons for the inclusive classroom, establishes a positive environment for students and shared accountability. Teachers’ classroom experiences were found to be impacted by many factors, including experiences from childhood, pre-training programs, and years of experience in the field. These experiences may or may not be affected by district changes that support teachers in this role. Teachers would benefit from specific courses that trained them in differentiated instruction, modifying work for various levels, and teaching strategies for the variety of student disabilities they may encounter in their classroom. Teachers’ beliefs in the positive effects of inclusion for all their students is also imperative. General education students may benefit from inclusion in that it creates acceptance and awareness of students with special needs. Teachers who have TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 84 positive experiences with inclusion create a positive environment for all students. Table 2 are suggestions based on the findings of this study to support the inclusive teacher. Table 2 Supports for Inclusive Teachers Build Self-Efficacy with Training • Provide teacher preparatory programs which contains student teaching in an inclusive environment and lesson planning with accommodations, modifications, for various learning disabilities. • Provide training specifically for an inclusive environment to support students labeled with special needs. • Implement co-teaching models that are valued by both general education and special education teachers • Provide special education teachers with content area training in order to be effective in lesson planning with co-teaching partner or to support the general education teacher in planning lessons with modifications Provide Support in the Classroom • Provide para-educational staff in the classroom • Lower number of students in each class • Provide adequate planning time TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 85 References Ainsworth, B. E., Caspersen, C. J., Matthews, C. E., Masse, L. 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Zhang, D., Wang, Q., Stegall, J., Losinki, M., & Katsiyannis, A. (2017). The construction and initial validation of the student teachers’ efficacy scale for teaching students with disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 74193251668605. doi:10.1177/0741932516686059 Zohrabi, M. (2013). Mixed method research: Instruments, validity, reliability and reporting findings. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 3(2), 254. doi:10. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 94 APPENDIX A INITIAL DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY QUESTIONS 1. How many years have you been teaching? 2. What is the subject area you teach in? 3. What is the number of special education classes taken during your teacher preparation program? (0-2; 3-4; 5-6; 7 or more). 4. Would you be interest in participating in a 30-45 minute interview? If yes: a. Please type your phone number and e-mail address in case you are selected for an interview? TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 95 APPENDIX B INTERVIEW PROTOCOL INTRODUCTION A. Introduce myself. B. Explain the purpose of the study and expected time length of interview C. Ask for permission to audio-record. Explain confidentiality procedures. Let participant know they will be given a number that is linked to their interview. D. Present Information Sheet E. Verify Initial Survey Information a. What is the subject area do you teach in? b. How many years have you been teaching? (0-2, 3-5, 6-10, 11+) c. What is the number of special education classes taken during your teacher preparation program? (0-2; 3-4; 5-6; 7 or more) INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 1. When did you first learn about special education as a child and as a teacher? a. Can you tell me a little about the experience? 2. How much do you believe your childhood experiences with students who had learning disabilities impact your current experiences with your students labeled with special needs? 3. Do you believe children labeled with special needs have the right to be educated in the same classroom as typically developing students? a. If no: Please explain your answer. 4. Do you believe it is possible to teach children with average abilities and exceptional needs in the same classroom? a. If no: Please explain your response. 5. Do you feel prepared to teach students labeled with special needs in your classroom? 6. How much training do you have in teaching to students labeled with special needs? 7. Do you become anxious when you find out that a student labeled with special needs will be in your classroom? 8. Do you feel as a general education teacher that it is too much work to have students labeled with special needs in your classroom? If answer is yes... Where do you feel students labeled with special needs would be better served? 9. What do you believe would make teaching in an inclusive environment easier? 10. Do you feel professional development workshops would help you to teach in an inclusive environment? TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 96 APPENDIX C STUDY PARTICIPATION REQUEST Dear Colleagues, I am a doctoral student at the Rossier School of Education. I am conducting a research study as part of my dissertation, which focuses on factors that impact teachers’ experiences with inclusion. For this study, I am interviewing 12-16 new and veteran teachers. Participation would require one 30-45 minute interview. Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. Your identity as a participant will remain confidential at all times during and after the study and all interviews will take place in a location of your convenience (classroom, conference room, or other). If you would like to participate, please select “yes” and type your phone number in the last question text box of this quick survey. Although there is no payment for participating, if you are selected for an interview, you will be entered into a drawing for a $100 Target gift card. If you have any questions, please contact me at ginaavil@usc.edu or at 626-252-5012. Thank you for your consideration, Gina S. Avila, Principal Investigator ginaavil@usc.edu University of Southern California USC UPC IRB-Approved. Study ID: UP-18-0036 Valid From: 2/5/2018 TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 97 APPENDIX D INFORMATION SHEET FOR SUBJECTS University of Southern California (Rossier School of Education, Los Angeles, CA) INFORMATION/FACTS SHEET FOR EXEMPT NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH Teachers’ Experiences and Preparedness to Teach in an Inclusive Environment You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by Gina S. Avila under the supervision of Dr. Alan Green and Dr. Briana Hinga at the University of Southern California for the purposes of a dissertation. You are invited to participate because you are a general education teacher at “A” Middle School, with knowledge and professional experience involving inclusion. Your participation is completely voluntary. You should read the information below and ask questions about anything you do not understand before deciding whether or not to participate. Please take as much time as you need to read the consent form. You may keep a copy of this form. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of this study is to investigate factors that impact teacher experiences with inclusion and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment, as these inform expectations and affect learning outcomes. The researcher hopes to learn more about how teachers’ childhood experiences, their preparation classes, and their professional career influence their experiences with inclusion. PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT If you volunteer to participate in this study, you will be asked to answer a series of interview questions over a period of approximately 30-45 minutes. The interview will be audio-recorded and will be conducted at a location of your convenience. If you do not wish to be audio-recorded, you may not participate in the study. Participation is completely voluntary. POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS There are no anticipated risks. You do not need to answer any questions you do not want to. POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO PARTICIPANTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY There are no direct benefits to participants. The anticipated benefits to society are the opportunity to gain knowledge and a deeper understanding of factors that impact teacher experiences with inclusion. This knowledge may help to better prepare teachers in the future for an inclusive classroom. PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION At the completion of the interview, you will be given a raffle ticket for a chance to win a $100 Target gift card. You will be included in the drawing whether or not you complete the interview. At the completion of all interviews for this study, the winner of the raffle will be notified by phone number left on raffle ticket by participant. TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PREPAREDNESS TO TEACH 98 ALTERNATIVES TO PARTICIPATION Your alternative is to not participate. CONFIDENTIALITY Any information collected from this interview or subsequent interactions will be kept confidential as far as permitted by law. However, if we are required to do so by law, we will disclose confidential information about you. The members of the research team and the University of Southern California’s Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews and monitors research studies to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects. A transcriptionist, who has signed a confidentiality agreement, may transcribe the audio data. The audio data will be stored in a password-protected computer and the interview notes will be stored in a locked filing cabinet. Your responses will remain separately from any identifiable information. At the completion of the study, audio recordings will be destroyed. Identifiable data will be destroyed three years after the study has been completed. The remaining de-identified data may be maintained indefinitely and used in future research studies. If you do not want your data used in future studies, you should not participate. When the results of the research are published or discussed in conferences, no identifiable information will be used. Confidentiality will be maintained by using interviewee numbers in the written report. PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL Your participation is voluntary. Your decision whether or not to participate will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. You may withdraw your consent at any time and discontinue participation without penalty. You are not waiving any legal claims, rights or remedies because of your participation in this research study. INVESTIGATOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact Gina S. Avila at (626) 252-5012 or ginaavil@usc.edu. IRB CONTACT INFORMATION If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about your rights as a research participant or the research in general and are unable to contact the researcher, or if you want to talk to someone independent of the researcher, please contact the University Park Institutional Review Board (UPIRB), 3720 South Flower Street #301, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0702, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Federal legislation has addressed the need for accountability for all students, including those labeled with disabilities, in the least restrictive environment. Inclusion settings are becoming increasingly more common so that special needs students are given the same opportunities available in the general education programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher experiences with inclusion, factors that influence them, and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment, as these inform expectations and affect learning outcomes. This study used a qualitative method to allow for a deeper understanding of the human experience using an open-ended questioning format. This method allows for the subjects to give meaning and perhaps reasoning to their views and how they interact with students labeled with special needs. Twelve teachers from a middle school in California participated in the semistructured interview consisting of 10 open-ended questions. ❧ This study found that the majority of general education teachers’ experiences at this middle school produced deficits for special needs students, inclusion, and accommodations. Teachers’ experiences were found to be impacted by many factors, including experiences from childhood, pre-training programs, years of teaching experience, self-efficacy, and lack of support. Teachers were found to be overwhelmed with large class sizes, the time demands of modifying work, accommodating a large number of students, attending IEP meetings, and dealing with behavioral problems. Implications from this study suggest that further research be conducted which focuses on teachers’ experiences before and after receiving and implementing extensive training in special education to support their teaching in an inclusive classroom. It is also suggested that future studies focus on special education students’ achievement before and after implementing co-teaching.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Avila, Gina Sophia (author)

Core Title Teachers’ experiences and preparedness to teach in an inclusive environment

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 02/11/2020

Defense Date 11/14/2019

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag critical disability theory,inclusion,OAI-PMH Harvest,teacher experiences,teacher preparation

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Green, Alan (committee chair), Hinga, Briana (committee member), MacCalla, Nicole (committee member)

Creator Email ginaavil@usc.edu,lv2run4fun@verizon.net

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-267160

Unique identifier UC11675081

Identifier etd-AvilaGinaS-8163.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-267160 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-AvilaGinaS-8163.pdf

Dmrecord 267160

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Avila, Gina Sophia

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA