Increasing the Comfort Level of Teachers Toward Inclusion Through Use of School Focus Groups

Autor/in	Smith, Beth Ann
Titel	Increasing the Comfort Level of Teachers Toward Inclusion Through Use of School Focus Groups
Quelle	(2007), (96 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit Qualifikationsarbeit (Dissertation, Habilitationsschrift)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Hochschulschrift; Dissertation; Researchers; Physical Disabilities; Learning Disabilities; Human Services; Group Dynamics; Focus Groups; Attitudes toward Disabilities; Inclusive Schools; Regular and Special Education Relationship; General Education; Responses; Scoring Rubrics; Interviews; Comparative Analysis; Secondary School Teachers; United States + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Thesis; Dissertations; Academic thesis; Researcher; Forscher; Physical handicap; Körperbehinderung; Learning handicap; Lernbehinderung; Humanitäre Hilfe; Gruppendynamik; Inclusive school; Integrative Schule; Allgemein bildendes Schulwesen; Allgemeinbildung; Scoring formulas; Auswertungsbogen; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; USA
Abstract	The purpose of this study was to increase the comfort level of teachers toward inclusion of students with learning, behavioral, and physical disabilities in general-education classrooms for one high school. Participants included 3 focus groups of teachers with 2 groups consisting of 6 teachers and 1 group consisting of 7 teachers. One special-education teacher was represented in each group. Although all special-education teachers were participating in inclusion, all of the general-education teachers were not. Using a researcher-made rubric, each individual teacher's comfort level was calculated, averaged with other members of the same group, and the preinterview and postinterview results were compared. To analyze the responses to the open-form questions asked during the focus-group interviews, the researcher developed a category system to draw out major themes, look for core insights, common phrases and words, and specific mood or tone to group interaction. Direct quotes were used to support the researcher's narrative report. Results of the study indicated that the comfort level of teachers toward inclusion increased after participating in focus groups. After group interviews, teachers were found to be most comfortable with students with learning disabilities and least comfortable with students with behavioral disabilities. In addition, comments from the focus group demonstrated that teachers did not feel prepared to teach students with disabilities in inclusion classes. Overall, students with disabilities are unsuccessful in general-education classes taught by coteachers. Lack of planning time was one of the greatest frustrations for the teachers. However, they were willing to learn new ways to teach and discipline students who are higher functioning than students with more severe or profound disabilities. Appended are: (1) Rubric; (2) Study Prompt; (3) Guidelines for Conducting an Interview; (4) Interview Guide; and (5) Responses of Focus Groups. (Contains 1 table.) [Ed.D. Dissertation, Fischler School of Education and Human Services.] (Author).
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10