Date
4-18-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Michael Gibson
Keywords
Special Education, Individual with disability, individual with special needs, inclusive teaching practices, general education teacher attitudes, inclusive classroom strategies, educator beliefs about inclusion, teacher efficacy inclusive settings, differences in perception among school levels, inclusion and developmental stages, special education integration, inclusive education in early childhood, comparative study general vs special education, TEIP, History of Special Education, IDEA, All Handicapped Children Act (AHCA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Efficacy in Collaboration (EC), Efficacy in Managing Behavior (EMB), Efficacy in Using Inclusive Instruction (EUII), Individualized Education Program (IEP), Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEA)
Disciplines
Education | Special Education and Teaching
Recommended Citation
Sayway, Boimah G., "A Quantitative Casual-comparative Study to Determine the Difference in Perception of Inclusive Education Among Teachers in Preschool, Elementary and Middle School" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6667.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6667
Abstract
This quantitative, causal-comparative research examines differences in Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) scores based on perceptions of inclusive education among preschool, elementary, and middle school teachers. The study involved a survey of 450 teachers from three districts in a large Eastern city in the U.S., yielding 159 responses, which surpasses the minimum sample size of 126. Researchers assessed teachers' self-efficacy in inclusive instruction, collaboration, and behavior management using the TEIP scale, analyzing the data with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and a One-Way ANOVA. There was a statistically significant difference found between preschool and both elementary and middle school teachers, but no significant differences existed between elementary and middle school teachers. Similarly, significant variations in collaboration and behavior management perceptions were noted between preschool and both elementary and middle school teachers, with no significant differences found between the latter two groups. These findings underscore important differences in teacher efficacy across educational levels. Future research on teacher effectiveness in inclusive practices should encompass various school levels, consider environmental and systemic factors, and examine disparities in training, experience, and funding to enhance understanding of their impact on education.
