Julie Lancaster

The Design of Inclusive Education Courses and the Self‐efficacy of Preservice Teacher Education Students

This study examines whether participation in a 13‐week undergraduate inclusive education course covaried with an improvement in the self‐efficacy of preservice elementary education teachers. We sought to determine whether self‐efficacy was influenced differentially by the type of field‐based placement experienced by students in the course. The results showed that an improvement in student self‐efficacy co‐varied with participation in the inclusive education course, although the field‐based placement did not differentially affect self‐efficacy at a statistically significant level.

The Design of Pre-Service Inclusive Education Courses and Their Effects on Self-Efficacy: A Comparative Study.

This study compared two versions of a 13-week mandatory undergraduate inclusive education course to determine their effects on the self-efficacy of pre-service elementary education teachers. For the purposes of the research, the self-efficacy construct was applied specifically to working with students who have inclusive educational needs. The study sought to determine whether there were differential effects of the two approaches – one based on a field-based placement and the other employing a course design approach derived from complex adaptive systems. The results showed statistically significant gains in self-efficacy for both approaches, although there were no statistically significant differences between versions of the course. The implications of the findings are discussed for the design of mandatory inclusive education courses.

Embedding evidence-based practice in pre-service teacher preparation

In this study, the authors sought to establish the differential effects on achievement of embedding evidence-based practice in the design of an inclusive education teacher preparation course. Embedded design involves creating self-repeating patterns in the instructional design of a course by expressing essential design features at multiple levels in the teaching and learning experience. The results indicate that pre-service educators attained a mastery level knowledge of the course content that covaried with the application of the embedded design principle. The authors also found a statistically significant difference in student achievement as a function of the teaching approach (cooperative learning, peer-assisted learning, or self-study) employed as part of the embedded design process. The findings are discussed within the context of building more rigorous teacher preparation programs and the role of embedded design in pre-service inclusive education.

Enhancing the Inclusive Self-Efficacy of Preservice Teachers through Embedded Course Design

This study was an initial investigation into the effects of Embedded Design on the self-efficacy of pre-service teachers studying inclusive education. Forty-one participants completed pre- and postquestionnaires to determine differences in self-efficacy prior to and again at completion of an inclusive education course in an undergraduate teaching degree. A modified version of the scale developed by Hickson (1995), the “Self-Efficacy toward Future Interactions with People with Disabilities” (SEIPD) was employed for data collection. This data was supplemented by way of anonymous formal student feedback collected from the university. Findings indicate that the theoretically designed course did in fact significantly improve self-efficacy between pre- and postoccasions. Limitations of the present study are discussed as well as implications for future practice in the design of preservice courses for inclusive education.

Encouraging Pattern Language Development in a Pre-service Inclusive Education Course: A Comparative Study

This study investigated the ability of students in a pre-service teacher education course to deploy pattern language (or professional lexicon) related to specific inclusive teaching strategies. The study sought to determine whether there were differential effects of two approaches to learning, one based on a field-based placement (Applied Experience) and the other employing an embedded course design approach (Embedded Design). The results indicate that pattern language frequency and sophistication increased significantly over time. Results also indicate that pre-service teachers’ use and sophistication of pattern language differed according to the structure of the university learning approach employed. The findings are discussed within the context of Embedded Design theory and the role of Applied Experience in pre-service inclusive education, as well as within the context of building more rigorous teacher preparation programmes.

School and classroom indicators of inclusive education

Abstract Despite the existence of legislation and policy, the inclusion of students with special needs remains a challenge for teachers when research-based pedagogies and collaboration are not translated into practice. Given emerging Indexes for inclusion, perhaps we should be attending to measuring school and classroom indicators of inclusive education to allow for professional development for teachers in an empirical and guided manner. Following a brief introduction to the importance of inclusive practice in schools, this chapter will address teacher use of research-based pedagogies and curriculum differentiation required to enhance success with students in schools; teachers’ capacity to communicate about learning using professional language and collaborative problem-solving processes; teachers’ sense of self-efficacy when working with students who have special needs; and translation of these research-based skills into actual classroom practice.

Inclusion and Comprehensive School Reform: Lessons from the Field

Abstract Sustaining comprehensive secondary school reform (CSR) represents an immensely difficult and unresolved challenge for the field. The problems associated with CSR are of significant concern to proponents of inclusion given that more responsive schools and classrooms are connected to, if not dependent upon, the success of broader school reform efforts. In this paper, we will employ the experience derived from a decade of practice in secondary school reform to interpret the findings from the CSR literature. We will extract lessons learned about the reform process to identify five key implications that seem to be preconditions for the success of comprehensive site-based reforms and lead to inclusive practice.

Teacher preparation and the inclusive practice of pre-service teachers: a comparative follow-up study

ABSTRACT The successful inclusion of students with additional learning needs in regular classrooms represents a challenge for all teachers and especially those at the beginning of their careers. Despite the importance of successful inclusive practice, no studies have used objective measures to determine whether teacher preparation for inclusion covaries with the quality of lesson design, classroom practice, and self-evaluation by pre-service teachers. This study sought to determine the impact of two course design approaches on the the design, delivery and self-evaluation of lessons by pre-service teachers during a professional learning experience. The study found that differences in the design, delivery and self-evaluation of lessons covaried with the type of course design experienced by the pre-service teachers. N.B. The term ‘Course’ is used throughout to indicate a single unit of study within an undergraduate programme of study completed by pre-service teachers.