| dc.description |
A positive attitude toward mainstreaming or inclusion among general education teachers is necessary, although not sufficient, for the success of the Regular Education Initiative. Previous research assessing general education teacher views is limited by an emphasis on questionnaire methodology and failure to account for teacher experience with integrated programs. This study sought to overcome these limitations by using interviews supplemented by a range of qualitative data to clarify the context in which the data were gathered. In this study, the views of general education teachers participating in integrated pull-in programs were compared to those of colleagues whose students were served by pull-out programs. Support for integrated programs and novel categories of responses emerged in this process, as did group differences. Pull-in teachers stressed that pull-in met student needs and provided benefits to the teacher and the class, whereas pull-out teachers were less positive about pull-in and emphasized disadvantages to the teacher. Pull-in teachers related the success of pull-in to teacher-dependent variables such as qualities of participating teachers and appropriate planning. Pull-out teachers attributed the success of pull-in programs to student characteristics. Pull-in teachers suggested that these programs could be improved by planning of appropriate instruction, whereas pull-out teachers focused on logistical improvements such as space, schedule, and class size. Implications of these findings for future research and for those seeking to implement integrated instruction are discussed. |
