Dissertation
A mixed methods study of Iowa world language teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with disabilities
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Spring 2020
DOI: 10.17077/etd.005404
Abstract
This mixed methods case study investigates the inclusion of students with disabilities in middle school and high school World Language classes in the United States. In particular, the aims of this study are to determine the attitudes of middle school and high school World Language teachers in Iowa regarding teaching students with disabilities as well as to determine what training and support they reported receiving to teach students with disabilities.
The study uses a concurrent parallel mixed methods design with two sources of data, surveys of 41 Iowa World Language teachers and semi-structured interviews with eight of the survey participants regarding their attitudes toward inclusion, Special Education training, and Special Education support. The survey data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and the interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The two sets of findings were combined after data analysis to explain: Iowa World Language teachers’ attitudes toward teaching students with disabilities, factors related to differences in World Language teachers’ attitudes toward teaching students with disabilities, World Language teachers’ pre-service and in-service training to teach students with disabilities, and the level of support World Language teachers received when teaching students with disabilities.
Findings suggested that middle school and high school World Language teachers in Iowa had positive attitudes toward the inclusion of students of disabilities in their classes, but they felt there were weaknesses in the training and support they received to teach students with disabilities. Several factors were found to relate to the participants’ attitudes toward teaching students with disabilities, including their perceptions of the usefulness of their pre-service and in-service training, the level of administrative support, and the structure of the WL program. Throughout the interviews, teachers spoke of the benefits of hands-on, World Language-specific training and support for the successful inclusion of students with disabilities. World Language teachers in the study who felt they received the training and support they needed tended to report consistent communication between World Language and Special Education teachers, seeking out training and support, and building relationships with others in the school community.
The conclusion includes implications for teacher education programs, school administrators, and World Language teachers in addition to suggestions of areas for future research regarding inclusion in the World Language classroom.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A mixed methods study of Iowa world language teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with disabilities
- Creators
- Ann Elise DeVault
- Contributors
- Pamela Wesely (Advisor)Allison Bruhn (Committee Member)David Cassels Johnson (Committee Member)Leslie Locke (Committee Member)Kari Vogelgesang (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Teaching and Learning (Language, Literacy, and Culture)
- Date degree season
- Spring 2020
- DOI
- 10.17077/etd.005404
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- xii, 253 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2020 Ann Elise DeVault
- Language
- English
- Description illustrations
- illustrations
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 218-243).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
This mixed methods case study examines Iowa middle school and high school World Language teachers’ attitudes toward teaching students with disabilities as well as their Special Education training and support experiences when teaching students with disabilities.
In order to investigate these questions, 41 secondary school World Language teachers in Iowa completed a survey related to their attitudes toward inclusion, the characteristics of their Special Education training, and the characteristics of the support they received when teaching students with disabilities. Eight of the teachers who completed the survey also participated in interviews that addressed these same topics of attitudes, training, and support.
Based on the data from the surveys and interviews, most middle school and high school World Language teachers in Iowa held positive attitudes regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities. Teachers who perceived themselves as knowing how to teach languages to students with disabilities, those who rated their Special Education training as useful, and those who felt they received high levels of support from administrators when teaching students with disabilities had the most positive attitudes. The study highlighted similarities in the type of training World Language teachers received and also variability in the amount of inclusion in their schools and the types of Special Education support they received. The findings suggested that World Language teachers believed that students with disabilities should be included in language courses, but that World Language teachers would benefit from more hands-on, World Language-specific training and support to be successful in including students with disabilities.
- Academic Unit
- Teaching and Learning
- Record Identifier
- 9983949592602771
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