Date

4-29-2026

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Nathan Street

Keywords

teacher self-efficacy, music education, special education, inclusion, rural, urban

Disciplines

Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Special Education and Teaching

Abstract

This quantitative causal-comparative study aimed to determine whether there is a significant difference in overall teacher self-efficacy scores between rural and urban elementary schools and between music educators with and without formal special education training. This study is important because teacher efficacy directly impacts teachers’ engagement in learning with students with special needs. Therefore, this study contributes to the literature on teacher efficacy by examining differences between music teachers with formal special education training and those without such training who teach in inclusive classrooms. The sample included 146 music educators from rural and urban elementary schools who teach students with special needs. Data were collected using the Teacher Efficacy of Inclusion Practices Test, administered via Qualtrics and distributed through an embedded link. The two-way analysis of variance results showed no significant difference in teacher self-efficacy for implementing inclusive practices, as measured by the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusion Practices Scale, between music teachers who received formal special education training and those who did not. Further research is recommended to examine higher education institutions offering music education programs to explore the effectiveness of including limited coursework in special education for preservice music education students, which may increase teacher efficacy.

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