| The purpose of this study was to investigate third, fourth, and fifth grade general education teachers' perspectives of the changes they have made to their classroom policies, practices, and procedures as a result of inclusion. Nine elementary schools from one southern county participated in this study. Information was gathered via the Inclusive Education Practices in the Elementary Grades survey constructed by the researcher. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered by using forced-choice questions based on a five-point Likert scale and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics and thematic coding were used to analyze the data. Results of this study indicate that teachers perceived an increase in their day-to-day classroom responsibilities such as lesson planning, classroom organization, behavior management, and non-instructional paperwork. Teachers reported that the instructional strategies they used were more oriented to small group instruction, a slower pace, and a decrease in the depth of content. Teachers expressed an increased sense of responsibility for the academic progress of all students, including the attainment of the Individual Education Plan goals and objectives of their students with disabilities. The majority of the respondents indicated an increase in the stress they experienced in the classroom citing frequent interruptions from other school personnel and an increase in behavioral disruptions as sources of the atmospheric change. Areas of needed professional development reported by the teachers included planning effective lessons for students with disabilities, adapting instruction, and grading procedures. |
