Date of Award
8-1-2017
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctorate of Education, Ed.D.
College
College of Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Mark E. Jimenez, Ed.D.
Second Advisor
David Alba, Ed.D.
Third Advisor
Anthony Valley, Ed.D.
Abstract
Existing literature has indicated that self-reported challenges of general-education (GenEd) teachers often involve the experiences and views of these educators surrounding the peripheral factors of inclusive education (Caskey, 2008; Fuchs, 2010). Bandura (2012) asserted that most sources of hindrance to shaping the dynamics between self-efficacy (SE) and subsequent action are not knowledge-based, but rather, originate from such peripheral factors. The purpose of this current study was to explore the perceptions of GenEd high-school teachers in terms of how the peripheral factors of inclusive education shape their SE with regard to effective instruction within the inclusive classroom. A qualitative case study was conducted at a single metropolitan early college high school in central Texas. A sample of six GenEd teachers from core academic inclusive classrooms participated in this research. Data were collected via an online questionnaire and face-to-face, semistructured interviews. Data analysis revealed that the participating GenEd teachers considered the prevailing peripheral factor negatively shaping their SE regarding successful inclusive instruction to be time constraints. Conversely, school administrative support was perceived by the participants as having the most positive impact to their inclusive teaching. Based upon these findings, the following recommendations for future study could extend the results of this current research: (a) investigate strategies related to how school administration achieves the positive perceptions of GenEd teachers, and (b) examine solutions to time constraints by implementing a plan developed from teacher insights drawn from this study.