“More dynamic, more engaged”: Faculty perspectives on instructing students with intellectual disability in inclusive courses

“The change was as big as night and day”: Experiences of professors teaching students with intellectual disabilities

“…This knowledge and individualized approach is illustrated in the path model and directly relates to student outcomes. While understanding the student, their abilities, and their needs seem to support previous research (Stefansdottir & Bjornsdottir, 2016;Taylor et al, 2021), the findings on cultural awareness are unique to this study. Because culture is embedded in teaching on all levels, including PSE, "teaching ethnically diverse students has to be multiculturalized" (Gay, 2002, p.112).…”

“…Peer leaders and "buddy systems" were especially helpful in promoting student engagement, comprehension, and learning (Watts & McKenna, 2022). These findings align with previous research indicating the importance of peer supports for students with intellectual disabilities on campus (Athamanah et al, 2020;Carter et al, 2019;Taylor et al, 2021). Peer supports in PSE, reflected in the path model, provide benefits beyond the academic realm and could be mutually beneficial to the advancement of social and interpersonal skills for both mentors and mentees (Watts et al, 2020).…”

“…In another study, researchers conducted a study with TPSID participants to determine individual and programmatic factors associated with expectations for the students joining inclusive classes in a PSE setting (Papay et al, 2018). Emerging research using surveys (Jones et al, 2016) and qualitative interview methods (Taylor et al, 2021) have explored views from PSE faculty after they taught students with intellectual disabilities in their courses. Although research is increasing, there are still gaps that need to be addressed, specifically within the identification of effective instructional strategies and supports, as the educators' perception of a practice's feasibility, effectiveness, and overall student outcomes can directly influence its long-term use in the classroom (i.e., fidelity of implementation; McIntosh et al, 2018).…”

“…Professors serve as key informants for understanding the performance and needs of students with intellectual disabilities in PSE settings (Taylor et al, 2021). To better meet the needs of students with intellectual disabilities in PSE, the present study seeks to explore professors' first-year experiences with a new TPSID program at a HSI and identify areas of need (i.e., challenges) as well as success.…”

“…Researchers suggest that UDL has merit for reframing faculty-reported concerns and challenges. Taylor et al (2021) reported that their participants did not discuss UDL methods; however, UDL framework could be used to address faculty concerns and help overcome the challenges they faced. Professors interested in learning how to support students with intellectual disabilities may participate in UDL training, which could broaden inclusion not only for students with intellectual disabilities, but for students with different learning styles and abilities, and students from diverse linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds (Evmenova, 2018;Love et al, 2019).…”