The Inclusion of All Students: Concerns and Incentives of Educators

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate educator's concerns and incentives in relation to inclusive education for all students. A stratified proportional random sampling procedure was utilized to select a total of 558 district personnel from a mid size Colorado school district including elementary, middle, junior, high school teachers and administrative staff. The School and the Education of All Students Scale (SEAS): Concerns and Incentives Subscales, composed of 51 items using a 5-point Likert-type scale, was administered to selected school district staff during 1994-1995 school year. The results revealed that participating educators identified as their primary concerns (a) time pressure for teaching all students well, and (b) proper training for managing challenging behaviors. The findings also documented the specific incentives the participants considered important for a successful inclusive education practice in their schools.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Aldinger

L. E.

, Warger

C. L.

, & Eavy

P. W.

(1994). Strategies for teacher collaboration. Ann Arbor, MI: Exceptional Innovations.

Blenk

, & Fine

D. L.

(1995). Making school inclusion work: A guide to every day practice. Cambridge, MA: Brookline.

Field

, Leroy

, & Rivera

(1994). Meeting functional curriculum needs in middle school general education classroom. Teaching Exceptional Children, 26(2), 40–43.

Ganshow

, Weber

, & Davis

(1984). Pre-service teacher preparation for mainstreaming. Exceptional Children, 51, 74–76.

Gartner

, & Lipsky

(1987). Beyond special education: Toward a quality system for all students. Harvard Educational Review, 57, 367–95.

Johnson

, Pugach

, & Devlin

(1990). Professional collaboration. Teaching Exceptional Children, 22, 9–11.

Kyllo

, & Wagner

(1990). Shared Responsibility In Educational Service Delivery to Mildly Handicapped and Other Low Achieving Students: A Study of Staff Attitudes and Beliefs About Current Statues and Program Needs. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Education.

Lombardi

T. P.

(1994). Responsible inclusion of students with disabilities. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappan Education Foundation.

Myles

, & Simpson

(1989). Regular educators modification preferences for mainstreaming mildly handicapped children. The Journal of Special Education, 22, 479–489.

10.

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), (1990). Standards, procedures, and Policies for the accreditation of professional education units. Washington, DC: Author.

11.

O'Connell

(1983). Education of handicapped preschoolers: A national survey of services and personnel requirements. Exceptional Children, 49, 538–540.

12.

Pearman

E. L.

, Barnhart

, Huang

, & Mellblom

(1992). Educating all students in general education: Attitudes and beliefs about inclusion. Education Training in Mental Retardation, 27, 176–182.

13.

Phillips

, Aldred

, Brulle

, & Shank

(1990). REI: The Will and Skill of Regular Educators. (Eric Document Reproduction Service No. ED 320 323).

14.

Reynolds

M. C.

, Wang

, & Walberg

(1987). The necessary restructuring of special and regular education. Exceptional Children, 53, 391–398.

15.

Smith

, & Schindler

, (1980). Certification requirements of general educators concerning exceptional pupils. Exceptional Children, 46, 394–396.

16.

Stainback

, & Stainback

(1984). A rational for the merger of special education and regular education. Exceptional Children, 51, 102–111.

17.

U.S. General Accounting Office (1994). Special education reform: Districts grapple with inclusion programs; Statement of Linda G. Morra. (Eric Document Reproduction Service No. ED 372 552).

18.

Will

M. C.

(1986). Educating children with learning problems: A shared responsibility. Exceptional Children, 52, 411–415.