A dissertation completed at
The Center for Education, Widener University,
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013 		 
INCLUSION: PERCEIVED PROBLEMS AND POSSIBILITIES FOR SECONDARY ADMINISTRATORS
Paul Michael Kaczmarcik, Ed. D.
February 1996

RETURN
edited 01/20/01

 


ABSTRACT

This research was conducted to study the perceived administrative predicaments that resulted from efforts to implement in study was setting, in successful education The clusion in a secondary school. The purpose of the to observe classroom processes in the secondary order to determine those, techniques which led to the inclusion of special education students into regular classrooms.

The following two questions were the focus of the research project: What are the arguments, strategies and processes used by teachers at the secondary level to facilitate and/or impede inclusion? Why do some teachers prefer to use uniform strategies when they teach special students who have been placed in regular classrooms? In other words, do they eschew strategies tailored to individuals?

The methodology that was utilized in this study was descriptive. It employed the techniques of classroom observation. The primary purpose in conducting the observations was to produce data useful in improving the quality of instruction for special education students.

The following procedures were utilized: classroom observations of students who had been included into academic and non-academic areas of the curriculum were conducted. Students' behaviors and instructional environments were observed through the utilization of TIES-II (The Instructional Environment System-II).

The results of the study indicate that there are numerous perspectives and incentives for inclusion of the special needs in the regular education environment. These reasons are: academic, social, psychological, and moral. The positive aspects of being a part of the school community are all reasons for including special needs students in regular education environment. However, caution is exercised in looking toward inclusionary practices as a cure-all for all special education students. Inclusion should be approached on a student by populatior student basis. Administrators are well served in dealing with the issues of education of the special needs student population through inclusive efforts to bring educational opportunities for this segment of the population into the regular educational environment.



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