Lynn WogamonFollow

Date

11-2013

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Chair

Sandra Battige

Keywords

Disabilities, Inclusion, Secondary Education, Special Education, Teacher Attitude

Disciplines

Disability and Equity in Education | Educational Leadership | Educational Psychology | Secondary Education and Teaching | Special Education and Teaching | Teacher Education and Professional Development

Abstract

This correlational research study examined the relationships between secondary general education teachers' attitudes toward inclusion, hours of professional development in topics related to special education and hours of support from special education personnel addressing the needs of students with disabilities received weekly. The research also investigated whether this information could be used to predict secondary general education teachers' attitudes towards inclusion. General education teachers in six South Carolina high schools completed the Scale of Teacher Attitudes Toward Inclusive Classrooms (STATIC) and a demographic survey that asked about hours of professional development in special education topics and hours of support received weekly from special education personnel and administrators regarding students with disabilities. Correlational and regression analyses were conducted to determine the strength and direction of relationships, as well as the predictive nature of the data to determine secondary general education teachers' attitudes toward inclusion. Results indicated statistically significant positive correlations between variables, with a slightly stronger correlation when hours of professional development and hours of support were considered together. These findings suggest that additional training and support for teachers in inclusive classrooms may lead to more positive attitudes toward the concept of inclusion, ultimately improving learning outcomes for students with disabilities.

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