Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Joshua Bass
Abstract
AbstractMany schools have employed inclusion practices as an instructional framework, meaning general and special educators are expected to coteach students with disabilities in the general education classroom. The research problem at the local study district was that inclusion as an instructional framework challenged the roles of general and special education coteachers as well as the students they were intended to benefit. The conceptual framework for this project study was the social constructivist theory. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to gain an understanding about inclusion as an instructional framework. The research questions addressed how the experiences of the participants in this study shaped their thinking about successful inclusive practices. Semistructured interviews focused on the perception and experiences of the 10 teachers from four different elementary schools. Interview responses were analyzed on a continuous basis during data analysis, and themes through a coding process were identified. The key findings were that participants at the local study district site believed that they were unprepared to teach students within the inclusion framework. Some key elements were highlighted for professional learning that would support inclusion as an instructional framework. This research can foster social change for coteachers through ongoing professional learning that is sustainable, which could improve the working relationship between coteachers that would benefit the social and academic outcome of the students they teach.
Recommended Citation
Greenidge, Nini Asheki, "Teachers’ Perceptions of Their Roles and Challenges with Inclusion" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12371.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12371
