A Phenomenological Study: Exploring Teachers' Perceptions About General Education Teacher Preparedness to Meet the Needs and Challenges of Students with Disabilities in an Inclusive Setting

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of general education teachers who teach in the inclusive classroom about their pre-service preparation, in an effort, to effectively meet the academic and behavioral needs of students with disabilities in the inclusive education setting within K-12 public schools in Maryland, New Jersey, New York City, and the Washington, D.C. area. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions and the essence of general education teachers' experiences within their teacher education programs, as well as, provide recommendations needed to meet the needs of students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms supported by teachers of students with disabilities and general education teachers. This study aimed to answer three research questions. The central research question was: How do general education teachers describe their experiences with pre-service training to effectively meet the academic and behavioral needs of students with disabilities in an inclusive setting within K-12 public schools in Maryland, New Jersey, New York City, and the Washington, D.C. area? The sub-questions related to the central research question are: What pre-service training do teachers perceive as necessary in teacher education curriculums for general education teachers to effectively meet the academic needs and challenges of students with disabilities in inclusive settings within K-12 public schools in Maryland, New Jersey, New York City, and the Washington, D.C. area? What pre-service training do teachers perceive as necessary in teacher education curriculums for general education teachers to effectively meet the behavioral needs and challenges of students with disabilities in inclusive settings within K-12 public schools in Maryland, New Jersey, New York City, and the Washington, D.C. area? This study explored the perceptions of seven general education teachers who teach in the inclusive setting, the experience of these general education teachers within their teacher education programs and their perception of preparedness for inclusive education, as well as, what the three teachers of students with disabilities who participated in this study identified as necessary for teacher education programs to expose general education teachers to best meet the academic and behavioral needs of students with disabilities. Using triangulation, this qualitative study was conducted in four phases where the researcher drew from the voices of the participants and their experiences through seven one-on-one semi-structured interviews, a focus group interview, member checks, and taking notes in a researcher's journal with a goal to present an understanding of the pre-service teacher preparation in teacher education programs and what is needed in order to best prepare general education teachers for inclusive education in K-12 public schools in Maryland, New Jersey, New York City, and the Washington, D.C. area. Based on the findings and result of this study, it was concluded that teachers receive preparation, while in their teacher education programs, that would support general education teachers in effectively meeting the academic and behavioral needs of students within inclusive classrooms. Though changes can be made to current practices, further research is required to improve current teacher education programs in supporting teachers for inclusive education.Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Management -- Drexel University, 201