Relationship between Teachers' Attitudes Toward Inclusion and Professional Development

Relationship between Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Inclusion and Professional Development by Patricia Chatman MA, State University of New York at Brockport, 2002 BS, State University of New York at Geneseo, 1996 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University February 2017 Abstract Integration of general and special education students in the classroom has become common in many educational systems. Researchers have found that some general education teachers may have negative attitudes of inclusion when they are inadequately prepared to instruct in an inclusion setting. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to investigate the relationship of teachers’ professional development (PD) on theirIntegration of general and special education students in the classroom has become common in many educational systems. Researchers have found that some general education teachers may have negative attitudes of inclusion when they are inadequately prepared to instruct in an inclusion setting. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to investigate the relationship of teachers’ professional development (PD) on their attitudes about teaching in an inclusive classroom at a northeast Georgia middle school. Using Vygotsky’s sociocultural developmental theory, the research question examined the difference in teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion as measured by the Scale of Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Inclusive Classrooms (STATIC) based on the number of PD workshops taken. All 150 general and special education teachers at the study site were invited to participate and the sample included 74 teachers who completed the STATIC. Analysis of variance results indicated that teachers who completed 3 or more PD courses had significantly more positive attitudes toward teaching in inclusive classrooms than did teachers who took fewer than 3 courses. As an outcome of the study, a PD workshop was created that provided teachers with strategies to operate within an inclusive classroom. Informing administrators about the necessity to expose teachers to PD if they teach inclusion classes is essential to improving teacher attitudes, which creates an environment that promotes student success. Relationship between Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Inclusion and Professional Development By Patricia Chatman MA, State University of New York at Brockport, 2002 BS, State University of New York at Geneseo, 1996 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University February 2017 Dedication To my husband, Reginald, I appreciate your support throughout the long journey of completing this program. You have witnessed the tears, complaints, and joys of survival. I acknowledge my mother who did not have the opportunity to see the outcome due to her death. I felt her presence throughout the journey cheering me on to end. To my children, I pray that my success inspires you all to soar and reach for your dreams. To my family and friends, I am blessed to have so many encourage me and share this journey! Acknowledgments I would like to give God thanks and praise for blessing me with the strength to finish my journey of receiving a doctorate degree. Also, I would like to thank my committee and URR reviewer for all of their encouragement, dedication, and support throughout this process of achieving my goal. Thank you all for keeping me on task and encouraging me not to give up. I salute you all!