Perceptions of Teachers with Inclusive Classrooms

Abstract

Because of the increasing trend of providing inclusive educational classrooms, many different attitudes and perceptions are circulating regarding how teachers feel about having students with disabilities in their classroom. Many veteran teachers have seen both models in practice and may have mixed feelings about the models of inclusion currently in use. Also, many states require students to be taught by teachers who are highly qualified in that subject area and many special education teachers are not qualified at the high school level to be solely teaching core curriculum classes. This in turn requires General Education teachers to have students with disabilities included in their classrooms so that those students can receive the same diploma as their peers. The goal of this research is not to determine whether teachers find that inclusion is being successfully implemented in our schools, rather, it is to determine how they feel about students with disabilities in their classrooms. What are the teachers' perceptions of students with disabilities being included in all general education classes in order to receive credits and a diploma like their peers without disabilities?