This paper presents the findings of a study of learning gains made by students with disabilities and those without disability when taught by teacher candidates completing a unified teacher preparation program. The Student Academic Performance Sample, the culminating performance-based assessment of the program was the primary data source. This assessment permits analysis of student learning on a curriculum unit of instruction that is differentiated to meet the needs of all K-12 learners. Units of 20 teacher candidates were examined to determine: (a) the learning demonstrated by students with disabilities; and, (b) the teaching models and strategies used by the teacher candidates. Evidence of student learning was determined through analysis of disaggregated data from class-wide results. These data reveal that students with disabilities achieved within the range of their typical peers in 14 of the 20 units. The teaching model most frequently associated with learning by these students was cooperative learning. The implications of these results for inclusive teacher preparation are discussed.
Arends, R.I. (2007). Learning to teach (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
2.
Blanton, L.P., Griffin, C., Winn, J., & Pugach, J. (1997). Teacher education in transition: Collaborative programs to prepare general and special educators. Denver, CO: Love.
3.
Blanton, L.P., & Pugach, M.C. (2006). Collaborative programs in general and special education: An action guide for higher education and policymakers. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers, Center for Improving Teacher Quality.
4.
Brownell, M.T., Ross, D.D., Colon, E.P., & McCallum, C.L. (2005). Critical features of special education teacher preparation: A comparison with general teacher education . The Journal of Special Education, 38(4), 242-252.
5.
Cawley, J., Cade, E., & Baker-Kroczynski, S. (2002). Including students with disabilities into the general education science classroom. Exceptional Children, 68(4), 423-435.
6.
Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Thousand, J. (2003). What do special educators need to know and be prepared to do for inclusive schooling to work? Teacher Education and Special Education, 26, 42-50.
7.
Goodlad, J.I. (1994). Retrospect and prospect. In J. I. Goodlad & P. Keating (Eds.), Access to knowledge: The continuing agenda for our nation's schools (pp. 329-344). New York: The College Board.
8.
Goodlad, J.I., & Field, S. (1993). Teachers for renewing schools. In J. I. Goodlad & T. C. Lovitt (Eds.), Integrating general and special education (pp. 229-252). New York: Merrill.
9.
Hambleton, R.K. (1996). Advances in assessment models, methods, and practices . In D. C. Berliner & R. C. Calfee (Eds.), Handbook of educational psychology (pp. 899-925). New York: Simon & Shuster/ Macmillan.
10.
Hamre, B., & Oyler, C. (2004). Preparing teachers for inclusive classrooms: Learning from a collaborative inquiry group. Journal of Teacher Education , 55(2), 154-163.
11.
Iceman-Sands, D.J., Anderson-Parsons, B., & Duffield, J.A. (2006). A participatory and utilization-focused process for evaluating a merged general education and special education teacher preparation program. Action in Teacher Education, 28(4), 92-103.
12.
Jenkins, J.R., Antil, L.R., Wayne, S.K., & Vadasy, P.F. (2003). How cooperative learning works for special education and remedial students. Exceptional Children, 69(3), 279-292.
13.
Keefe, E.B., Rossi, P.J., de Valenzuela, J.S., & Howarth, S. (2000). Reconceptualizing teacher preparation for inclusive classrooms: A description of the dual licensure program at the University of New Mexico. The Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 25(2), 72-82.
14.
Marzano, R.J., Pickering, D.J., & Pollock, J.E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development .
15.
Miller, P.S., & Stayton, V.D. (1996). Personnel preparation in early education and intervention: Recommended preservice and inservice practices. In S. L. Odom & M. E. Mclean (Eds.), Early intervention/ early childhood special education: Recommended practices (pp. 329-358). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed .
16.
National Center for Education Statistics. ( 1999). Teacher quality: A report on the preparedness and qualifications of public school teachers. Washington, DC: U.S. Office of Education.
17.
National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. (1996). What matters most: Teaching for America's future . New York: Author.
18.
O'Connor, R.E., & Jenkins, J.R. (1996). Cooperative learning as an inclusion strategy: A closer look. Exceptionality, 6, 29-51.
19.
Orkwis, R., & McLane, K. (1998). A curriculum every student can use: Design principles for student access (ERIC Clearinghouse on disabilities and gifted education). Washington, DC: Council for Exceptional Children.
20.
Patterson, R.S., Michelli, N.M., & Pacheco, A. (1999) Centers of pedagogy: New structures for educational renewal. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass .
21.
Paulsen, K.J. (2005). Infusing evidence-based practices into the special education preparation curriculum. Teacher Education and Special Education, 28, 21-28.
22.
Pecheone, R.L., & Chung, R.R. (2006). Evidence in teacher education: The Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT). Journal of Teacher Education, 57(1), 22-36.
23.
Schalock, H.D., & Myton, D. (1998). Effectiveness along with quality should be the focus. Phi Delta Kappan, 79(6), 468-470.
24.
Schalock, H.D., Schalock, M.D., & Ayres, R. (2006). Scaling up research in teacher education: New demands on theory, measurement and design. Journal of Teacher Education, 57(2), 102-119.
25.
Schalock, H.D., Schalock, M.D., & Girod, G., (1997). Teacher work sample methodology as used at Western Oregon University. In J. McMillan (Ed.), Grading teachers, grading schools: Is student achievement a valid evaluation measure? (pp. 15-45). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
26.
Shippen, M.E., Crites, S.A., Houchins, D.E., Ramsey, M.L., & Simon, M. (2005). Preservice teachers' perceptions of including students with disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education, 28, 92-99.
27.
Smith, W.F. (1999). Serving as moral stewards of the schools. In W. F. Smith & G. D. Fenstermacher (Eds.), Leadership for educational renewal: Developing a cadre of leaders (pp. 155-188). San Francisco : Jossey-Bass.
28.
Sobel, D., Iceman-Sands, D.J., & Basile, C. (2007). Merging general and special education teacher preparation programs to create an inclusive program for diverse learners. The New Educator, 3(21), 241-262.
29.
Stayton, V.D., & McCollum, J. (2002). Unifying general and special education: What does the research tell us? Teacher Education and Special Education , 25, 211-218.
30.
Stiggins, R.J., Arter, J.A., Chappuis, J., & Chappuis, S. (2004). Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right-using it well. Portland, OR: Assessment Training Institute.
31.
Tateyama-Sniezek, K.M. (1990). Cooperative learning: Does it improve the academic achievement of students with handicaps? Exceptional Children , 56(5), 426-437.
32.
Tomlinson, C.A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
33.
Udvari-Solnar, A., & Thousand, J.S. (1995). Promising practices that foster inclusive education. In R. A. Villa & J. S. Thousand (Eds.), Creating an inclusive school (pp. 87-109). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
34.
Van Laarhoven, T., Munk, D.D., Lynch, K., Wyland, K., Dorsch, N., Zurita, L., et al. (2006). Project ACCEPT: Preparing pre-service special and general educators for inclusive education. Teacher Education and Special Education, 29, 209-212.
35.
Welch, M. (1996). Teacher education and the neglected diversity: Preparing educators to teach students with disabilities. Journal of Teacher Education, 47(5), 355-362.
36.
Wiggins, G.P., & McTighe, J. (2005).Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.
37.
Wineburg, M.S. (2006). Evidence in teacher preparation: Establishing a framework for accountability. Journal of Teacher Education , 57(1), 51-64.
38.
Wolery, M., Brookfield, J., Huffman, K., Schroeder, C., Martin, C.G., Venn, M.L., et al. (1997). Encounters with general early education: Lessons learned. Journal of Behavioral Education, 7(1), 91-98.
