In today's society, many general education and special education teachers struggle with the concept of inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities (ID) in the general education classroom setting and perceive that inclusion of ID students impedes the learning of others. The purpose of this project was to establish if a 60-min training session on the benefits of inclusion would alter teachers' perceptions of inclusion of children with ID in the general education setting as measured by a pre- and post-training rating scale. Forty-eight general education and special education school teachers participated. Of the 48 participants, 47 had special education experience and 33 had students with ID in their classroom this calendar school year. I developed and delivered a 60-min training module describing benefits of inclusion for students and ways that teachers can actively involve students with ID in general education classrooms. Differences in pre- and post-test scores determined whether participants altered their perception of inclusion. The results from the data I collected on the pre- and post-tests showed that inclusion training did alter teacher's perceptions of inclusion. On average, 51.36% of the general educators' ratings of statements changed from pre-test to post-test, and 42.88% of the special educator's ratings of statements changed from the pre-test to the post-test. Of the 22 general education participants, 93% of the changed ratings to the statements from pre-test to post-test were favorable to inclusion, while 7% were unfavorable to inclusion. Of the 26 special education participants, 91% of the changed ratings to the statements from pre-test to post-test were favorable to inclusion, and 9% were unfavorable to inclusion. Implications of my findings show that a 60-min inclusion training for educators is effective and can alter teacher's previous perceptions of the benefits of inclusion for all students.

Students with intellectual disabilities have at times been overlooked and denied effective reading instruction. Teachers tasked with instructing such students are often limited in the training, resources, and support necessary to effectively instruct these students in reading. These problems are further compounded by the fact that students with intellectual disabilities have historically been misperceived, often by the very educators tasked with instructing them, as either being unable to learn to read or that the prospect of teaching them to read is simply too daunting and complicated to be of sufficient worth (Aldridge, 2014; Kluth & Chandler-Olcott, 2008). Such misperception may lead to insufficient and/or misguided instruction of these students limiting their potential learning and growth (Kliewer, Biklen, & Kasa-Hendrickson, 2006). This qualitative case study explored the perceptions and lived experiences of eight special education teachers from five different school districts, who both worked with students with intellectual disabilities and mentored preservice teachers who worked with students with intellectual disabilities in the area of reading. This study focused on the perceptions of these special education teacher/mentors before, during and after receiving training in the Targeted Reading Intervention (TRI) program, based on five areas of reading: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency, and Vocabulary. Data suggested a universal lack of support and training in reading for these special education teacher/mentors. Changes of perceptions and teaching practices of the special education teacher/mentors relative to explicit reading instruction for students with intellectual abilities are explored. Implications for practice are included.

This updated edition of Teaching Students with Severe Disabilities, is written in a way that makes the most complex findings of research understandable and usable in the real educational world. Drawing on their own experiences, the authors bring a level of currency and reality to the book that is unparalleled. This book offers comprehensive coverage of all of the issues that are pertinent to teaching students with severe disabilities. The authors clearly and completely address both methodology and curriculum, presenting topics in the order in which a teacher would approach them: prior considerations, planning and assessment, general instructional procedures, and, finally, procedures targeted to learners with specific disabling conditions. In addition, they pay thoughtful attention to assessment, the role of paraprofessionals, and multicultural concerns.

Advances in knowledge of effective strategies for the treatment of learning and behavioral disabilities are of little use without highly trained and effective personnel to implement these strategies. This volume discusses a wide range of important issues in the preparation of those personnel.

This handbook examines policy and practice from around the world with respect to broadly conceived notions of inclusion and diversity within education. It sets out to provide a critical and comprehensive overview of current thinking and debate around aspects such as inclusive education rights, philosophy, context, policy, systems, and practices for a global audience. This makes it an ideal text for researchers and those involved in policy-making, as well as those teaching in classrooms today. Chapters are separated across three key parts: Part I: Conceptualizations and Possibilities of Inclusion and Diversity in Education Part II: Inclusion and Diversity in Educational Practices, Policies, and Systems Part III: Inclusion and Diversity in Global and Local Educational Contexts

What are the direct and indirect influences of principals on student achievement? How do successful principals motivate others? What kinds of relationships do they have with parents, students, and staff? Principals and Student Achievement identifies 26 essential traits and behaviors of effective principals to show how they achieve success as instructional leaders. Based on a review of 81 key research articles from the last 20 years, this concise book examines how certain practices can affect student achievement, including: * Communication and interaction * Classroom observation and feedback to teachers * Recognition of student and staff achievement * Dedication to a safe and orderly school environment * Support of professional development of staff * Role modeling The book also reviews differences in instructional leadership between elementary and secondary principals, male and female principals, principals in high- and low-socioeconomic-status schools, and more. We all know that principals are important to student success, but few people have pinpointed exactly how they make a positive difference. At a time when principals are being asked to do more for school reform and accountability, Principals and Student Achievement provides a valuable resource for identifying what it takes to be an effective principal and, in turn, an effective school.