First Advisor
Sheldon Loman
Date of Award
Spring 6-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English and University Honors
Language
English
Subjects
Positive Behavioral Intervention System (PBIS), Multi Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), Individualized Education Plans (IEP), inclusion, special education
Abstract
Abstract
This study analyzed the perceptions of educators on how students with disabilities are supported in general education classrooms. We used semi structured interviews to find out how students with disabilities are supported both within their school, and within the district as a whole. We interviewed a total of six participants (two general education teachers, two speech language pathologists, a learning specialist, and a special education teacher) from three different schools in Oregon to see how students with disabilities are included and how those systems of inclusion differ. The results revealed that many inclusive practices and systems are implemented within schools are (a) encouraging students to take breaks when needed, (b) sensory rooms, (c) positive behavior intervention systems (PBIS), (d) providing multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), and (e) using individualized education plans (IEP’s) to support a student’s individual accommodations and needs in the classroom. Teachers reported needing more time to collaborate with special educators and more professional development focused specifically on strategies for inclusion. MTSS allows students who need high levels of support to move from one tier to the next, and in doing so, receive support in increasingly smaller group sizes. PBIS is a system that reinforces student’s positive behavior exhibited in a classroom. This study contributes to the field of education because it studies how students with disabilities are supported in their classrooms and possible areas for improvement to ensure that students with disabilities are better supported by their schools and school districts in the future.
Recommended Citation
Donde, Abigail R., "Perceptions of Educators on the Inclusion of Students With Disabilities" (2024). University Honors Theses. Paper 1475.