Teacher Educators’ Perspectives: Preparing Preservice Teachers to Provide Access to the General Curriculum

Abstract

Teacher educators play a critical role in preparing preservice teachers to provide students with significant disabilities access to the general curriculum. This qualitative study investigated 11 teacher educators’ definitions of access and their self-reflections on their practices to prepare preservice teachers to provide students with significant disabilities access to the general curriculum. Teacher educators described their practices, which included shaping preservice teachers’ philosophies and dispositions and preparing them with the knowledge and skills to provide access. Findings from this study could translate into improved outcomes for teacher educators, preservice teachers, and ultimately students with significant disabilities.

Navigating Barriers as Special Education Teacher Educators

“…We used purposeful sampling to obtain a specific, desired sample of teacher educators with expertise in significant disabilities (Maxwell, 2005). This was a follow-up study to our original study examining teacher educator practices (Olson & Roberts, 2018). However, we did sample three participants from the previous study because their initial interviews focused so much on barriers.…”

“…Special education teacher educators have a critical role in preparing teachers to provide students with significant disabilities access to the general curriculum (Olson & Roberts, 2018; Ryndak et al, 2013). Researchers posit that general education classrooms are the ideal location for students with significant disabilities to access the general curriculum (Ryndak et al, 2008).…”

“…Despite advances in teacher preparation, teacher educators still face significant challenges in attempting to prepare teacher candidates to provide access to the general curriculum in general education classrooms. Barriers include (a) challenges in preparing teachers to address both the general curriculum and functional skills, (b) variability and misalignment in what preservice teachers are learning in their university coursework and what they are observing in schools, (c) issues around certification requirements and types, (d) addressing teacher shortages, (e) increasing preservice collaboration opportunities, (f) lack of inclusive field placements, and (g) preservice teachers’ low expectations about access and students with significant disabilities (Delano et al, 2008; Olson & Roberts, 2018). Teacher educators must understand how to prepare teachers to provide access to the general curriculum in spite of these challenges; however, there is limited research on how teacher educators address this complex issue.…”

“…Olson and Roberts (2018) interviewed teacher educators to understand how they defined access to the general curriculum and the specific practices they used to prepare preservice teachers to provide access. Teacher educators in the study emphasized similar components as Delano et al (2008) and described preparing preservice teachers in individualization, collaboration, and use of evidence-based practices (i.e., universal design for learning, differentiation, and peer supports).…”

Creencias sobre la inclusión educativa y prácticas docentes en el contexto de aprendizaje de la lectoescritura inicial docentes sobre la inclusión educativa en el contexto de aprendizaje de la lectoescritura inicial

“…Por tal razón, una gran parte de la investigación actual pone énfasis en el impacto de la formación inicial y permanente como factor determinante para la práctica en el aula (Olson & Roberts 2018;Peebles & Mendaglio, 2014;Pegalajar & Colmenero, 2017;Sharma, 2018;Simón et al, 2018) en el ámbito de la inclusión y la diversidad humana (Paz, 2017). Se resalta la necesidad de impulsar programas de formación que preparen al docente para atender a la diversidad de forma más efectiva (Chiner et al, 2015) por medio de la reflexión sobre las barreras de aprendizaje, y generar un clima positivo de aula (Florian & Linklater 2010;Hamre & Oyler, 2004;Pugach et al, 2020).…”