Pre-service and new teacher attitudes and understanding about their\ud preparation to work with special needs and diverse learners

Graduation date: 2012The 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) are two federal mandates which impact general education teachers working with special needs students and diverse learners (second language learners, students from severe poverty, students from different cultures, students who experience occasional emotional needs, and students who learn best through technology). Special education students typically do not pass standardized tests. NCLB requires most special needs students to take the high-stakes standardized tests. General education teachers rather than specialist are now responsible for special needs students' preparation and success on these tests. The purpose of this study was to examine general education teachers' knowledge and preparedness to meet the learning needs of the two groups. Teachers in two school districts took a survey which asked questions about their preparedness and knowledge to meet the learning needs of these two student groups. Data was also collected during a teacher training at one school district, and individual interviews were held. The data suggests that teachers have the knowledge, but lack time and resources. The respondents indicated that they received more training to work with diverse learners through district professional developments than through their pre-service training. Although the survey did not find statistically significant differences between the ages of the respondents and the answers they provided, the interview indicated that those teachers who received their training after 2004 were given more preparation to differentiate instruction for special needs and diverse learners. There also were no statistically significant differences between the smaller rural school district and the larger urban school district on survey responses. In the training phase teachers wanted more information on the differences between accommodations and modifications. Data also revealed that teacher credentialing institutions and school districts are making progress towards preparing teachers to work with diverse learners in the districts studied