Mainstreaming and inclusion of students with learning disabilities: Perspectives of general educators in elementary and secondary schools

Poonam Chanchal Dev, Purdue University

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate the attitudes of general education teachers (K-12) toward the mainstreaming and inclusion of students with learning disabilities in regular education settings, and to determine the extent to which their attitudes were influenced by the grade levels they taught, and the amount of post-secondary coursework in special education they had taken. For the purposes of this study, questionnaires were sent to 700 elementary (N = 490) and secondary (N = 210) teachers from 70 schools in the state of Indiana. Overall, the teachers expressed more positive attitudes toward mainstreaming than toward inclusion. The results of the survey showed that there was a significant relationship between the grade levels taught by the respondents (N = 278) and their attitudes toward mainstreaming. The secondary teachers' attitudes were found to be decidedly more negative than those of elementary teachers toward mainstreaming students with learning disabilities (LD). However, there did not seem to be any significant association between grade levels taught and teacher attitudes toward inclusion. Analysis of the data yielded a significant relationship between the amount of coursework in special education the respondents had taken, and their overall attitudes toward the mainstreaming and inclusion of students with LD. More than half the number of respondents had taken no courses in special education at the post-secondary level. About 42% had taken special education courses at the undergraduate level, and about 34% had taken special education courses at the graduate level. More coursework in special education was significantly associated with more positive attitudes toward mainstreaming and inclusion. Special education courses taken at the undergraduate level were significantly related to attitudes toward mainstreaming and inclusion of students with LD. The link between coursework at the graduate level and teacher attitudes toward mainstreaming was stronger than that toward inclusion. Results are discussed in terms of teacher attitudes toward the mainstreaming and inclusion of students with LD, and the relationship of grade levels taught and special education background with these attitudes.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Scruggs, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Special education|Elementary education|Teacher education|Secondary education

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