Preparing future educators to support inclusion: college students' attitudes following pre-professional preparations

Abstract

In an ongoing effort to improve quality of education for persons with disabilities, initiatives have been made to integrate children with exceptional needs into the regular education setting. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of future educators regarding their experience with a pre-professional course in inclusion of students with exceptional needs, specifically their personal assessment of their own preparedness regarding inclusion. The study took place at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in the spring of 2002. Data was collected via a questionnaire given to all students who took SPED 430/630 “Inclusion of Students with Exceptional Needs” during the fall semester of 2001. Subjects were chosen as a cluster sample of 110 undergraduate and graduate education majors who were under the instruction of one professor, Lynn LaVenture. The requests for participation, instructions, and online link to the questionnaire were sent via electronic mail by the researcher. The data was collected by the UW-Stout Web-master within a two-week time period, and forwarded to the researcher. The research examined the attitudes of future educators regarding their experience with a pre-professional course in inclusion of students with exceptional needs, specifically their personal assessment of their own preparedness regarding inclusion. The researcher found that, overall, future educators believed that the course prepared them to work with children with exceptional needs and that they completed the course equipped with resources they planned to utilize in their upcoming professions. The results found in this study offered valuable information to evaluate inclusion curriculum and instruction for higher education administration, public school systems, future educators, and other parties advocating for the education of individuals with exceptional needs. It is hoped that this study will provide insight into the efforts currently being taken to improve and enhance inclusion in education and spark recommendations for continued initiatives.