General Education Teachers' Perceptions of Their Interactions with Moderate/Severely Disabled Secondary Students in the Inclusion Classroom: A Qualitative Case Study

Overview & Synopsis

This qualitative case study aimed to explore how general education teachers described their interaction with students with moderate/severe disabilities in an inclusive education setting. The problem addressed by this study was that the negative perceptions of secondary-school general education teachers regarding the inclusion of a student with disabilities in the general education classroom can negatively affect student/teacher interactions and may contribute to negative student outcomes. The target population was general education teachers who taught students with special needs in an inclusive education setting. A purposive sampling of 10 general education teachers participated in the interview to share their teaching inclusion education experiences. Data were collected through narrative interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results were organized according to research questions, and the participants' experiences were described through a composite narrative. The themes included: (1) perceived benefits of inclusive education;(2) feeling unprepared to teach; (3) lack of collaboration with special education teachers; (4) learning adaptation; (5) challenges of an inclusive classroom; and (6) lack of support from the special education department. These themes indicated that participants had similar experiences teaching and interacting with special-needs students in an inclusive education setting. Recommendations for practices were that the school district should provide concrete expectations and guidelines for inclusive education, hire an inclusive specialist, and provide hands-on training for general education teachers. Furthermore, the recommendation for future research included a quantitative study exploring the correlation between general education teachers' positive attitudes and inclusion. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]