Abstract
Preservice teachers from seven universities were studied as part of a three-year project focusing on how preservice teachers develop an awareness of the needs of academically diverse learners and then implement or modify instruction to meet those needs. The research reported here describes the impact of the study's interventions on preservice teachers' attitudes, beliefs, and practices as they relate to academically diverse learners. All participants completed a survey designed to assess their attitudes, beliefs, and practices regarding struggling and gifted learners prior to and upon completion of the interventions.
Using a univariate repeated analysis of variance technique, statistically significant differences were found between the two intervention groups' attitudes toward differentiation. Results suggest that, as novices become more acquainted with the realities of the classroom, they gain a clear picture of the complexity involved in appropriate curriculum modifications to address the academic needs of diverse learners.
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