Preservice Teachers' Confidence in Teaching Students with Disabilities: Addressing the INTASC Principles

A survey was developed from the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium’s (INTASC) ten principles that specify what all general and special education teachers should know and be able to do to teach students with disabilities. Two groups of students, those in a general education only and a dual elementary/special education program, were surveyed. Teacher candidates in the general education program scored significantly lower across all variables as compared to those who were completing the dual preparation program. These results, similar to studies of general education teachers, indicate general education preservice teachers need more training concerning students with disabilities. Preservice Teachers’ Confidence in Teaching Students with Disabilities: Addressing the INTASC Principles Public school classrooms are becoming more diverse with general education teachers responsible for meeting the educational needs of all of their students. This requires that they have the knowledge and skills to support students with diverse learning needs. However, many general educators 1 Jenkins and Ornelles: Preservice Teachers' Confidence in Teaching Students with Disabil Published by CORE Scholar, 2007 do not perceive themselves as prepared to provide a meaningful education to students with diverse needs (Cook, 2002; Semmel, Abernathy, Butera, and Lesar, 1991). Included in this diverse population are children who live in poverty, who come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and who have disabilities. Of particular concern is the education of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. The responsibility of all teachers is to ensure that students with and without disabilities are accessing appropriate curriculum and benefiting from their educational experiences. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) originally passed as the Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, regulates the identification of students with disabilities. At present, approximately 11% of all school-aged children are identified as having a disability under IDEA. Approximately 95% of students with disabilities are included in general classroom settings for at least part of the school day, and 32% of all students with disabilities receive education in general classroom environments for most of the school day (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). The inclusive schools movement necessitates that general education teachers be prepared to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Legislative mandates, organizations, parents, and advocates for individuals with disabilities have embraced the philosophy of inclusive schooling, that is, including students with disabilities in the general education setting to the greatest extent appropriate. The IDEA requires that students in special education be provided with access to the general education curriculum. There is an explicit requirement to include students with disabilities in general education classes unless they are not benefiting from their education. We continue to see movement towards the inclusion of students with disabilities, such as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 that calls for allowing all students access to the general education curriculum with the goal of their demonstrating academic competence. Further, NCLB emphasizes the use of scientifically supported teaching methods (NCLB, 2001). 2 Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education, Vol. 2, No. 2 [2007], Art. 6 http://corescholar.libraries. wright.edu/ejie/vol2/iss2/6 The IDEA has emphasized teachers’ accountability for the progress of all students, including those with identified disabilities. The requirement that all students participate in statewide testing requires that students with disabilities be provided with classroom experiences that will support their academic performance (Bowe, 2005). While the number of students with disabilities in general education classrooms has increased (O’Shea, Stoddard, & O’Shea, 2000), only one third of general educators feel well prepared to teach students with disabilities (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). The Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) recently developed a set of licensing standards that specifies what all teachers, general and special education, should know and be able to do to effectively teach students with disabilities. INTASC’s Model Standards for Licensing General and Special Education Teachers of Students with Disabilities: A Resource for State Dialogue (2001) outlines the knowledge, dispositions, and performances deemed essential for all teachers in meeting the needs of students with disabilities, regardless of the subject or grade level being taught. Drafted by a committee of teachers, teacher educators, and state agency officials, the “standards represent a common core of teaching knowledge and skills that will help all students to acquire an education appropriate for the 21 century” (p. i). The intent of INTASC was for members of the public and profession to use standards to “(a) critically examine what a beginning teacher must know and do to teach students with disabilities effectively; (b) thoughtfully consider how teacher policy should change to support the vision articulated by these standards, and (c) creatively explore how K-12 schools and teacher preparation programs can be restructured to advance this vision” (INTASC, 2001, p. i). The philosophy guiding the INTASC standards, referred to as principles, is consistent with the IDEA. An underlying belief is that all students should have access to the general education curriculum. INTASC developed principles that are specific to the field of special education that are required of both general and special educators. The ten INTASC principles are: • · Principle #1: The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create 3 Jenkins and Ornelles: Preservice Teachers' Confidence in Teaching Students with Disabil Published by CORE Scholar, 2007 learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students. • · Principle #2: The teacher understands how children learn and develop and can provide learning opportunities that support he intellectual, social, and personal development of each learner. • · Principle #3: The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. • · Principle #4: The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving and performance skills. • · Principle #5:The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. • · Principle #6: The teacher uses knowledge of affective, verbal, nonverbal, and media communication technologies to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom. • · Principle #7: The teacher plans instruction based on knowledge of subject matter, students, the community and curriculum goals. • · Principle #8; The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure continuous intellectual, social and physical development of the learner. • · Principle #9: The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally. • · Principle #10: The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, families, and agencies in the larger community to support students learning and well-being (INTASC, 2001). Specific competencies were identified for each of the ten principles; four to six competencies were identified for each of the ten principles. To date, there is no instrument that has been used to assess general education teachers’ perspectives on their competence to meet the needs of students with disabilities based on INTASC principles. Understanding teachers’ self-assessment of their knowledge and skills related to education, and specifically to providing support for students with disabilities is important for our understanding of what areas may need to be addressed through teacher preparation programs or through other professional development opportunities. The ten principles that all teachers, general 4 Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education, Vol. 2, No. 2 [2007], Art. 6 http://corescholar.libraries. wright.edu/ejie/vol2/iss2/6 and special education, need to know are of particular importance as these align with and support inclusive practices. Although there have not been any studies that have specifically examined teachers’ attitudes on their ability to effectively address these standards, a number of studies have examined general educators’ attitude toward and competence in teaching students with disabilities. Research indicates that general education teachers question their knowledge and skills when teaching students with disabilities and often feel that making adaptations are not feasible, and do not see the merit of individual accommodations (Schumm & Vaughn, 1991). Teachers in general education classes have tended to use generalized “blanket” approaches when providing instruction to their class (Baker & Zigmond, 1990; McIntosh, Vaughn, Schumm, Haager, & Lee, 1993). Further, teachers with less positive attitudes toward inclusion have reported using fewer and less substantive accommodations and modifications for their students with exceptional learning needs than teachers who have a more positive view of inclusion (Bender, Vail, & Scott, 1995). It is difficult to determine which precedes