Science Education and Inclusion An Action Research Project

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Science Education andInclusionAn Action
Research Project

• Presented by
• Laura Cottongim

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Purpose of the Study

• Provide a more current review of the status of
  inclusive science education
• Assessment of the advantages and limitations

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Purpose of the Study

• Investigate teacher attitudes and perceptions of
  inclusion
• Support strategies for teachers

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Students with Disabilities

• Disability refers to the social effects of any
  (or combination of) physical, emotional or mental
  impairment

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Inclusion

• Full inclusion means that students classified
  special or exceptional because of individual
  physical or mental characteristics would not be
  isolated (Nelson, et al., 2004).

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Science Education

• Unique position to accommodate students with
  special needs
• Hands-on learning
• Cooperative groups
• Dialogue and discussion
• Authentic assessment

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Advantages and Limitations of Inclusive Science
Education

• Advantages
• Heterogeneous groups
• Higher level of social acceptance
• Positive self image
• Significant improvement in performance
• Modifications enhance general learning

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Advantages and Limitations of Inclusive Science
Education

• Limitations
• Differing definitions and conceptualizations of
  inclusion
• Lower peer status
• Inability to keep up with the group
• High print and literacy demands of science
• Standardized testing

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Teachers Attitudes Toward Teaching Inclusion
Science Classes

• Positive Attitudes
• Most teachers in favor of inclusion
• Positive attitudes directly correlated with
  consistent use of accommodations
• Promoted positive peer
• interaction

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Teachers Attitudes Toward Teaching Inclusion
Science Classes

• Negative Attitudes
• Feel unable to provide adequate support
• Negative attitudes linked to less frequent use of
  effective accommodations
• Little/no special education training

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Support Strategies

• Pre-service training
• Staff development
• Cooperation/collaboration with special education
  teachers
• Ready-to-use teaching
• methods and materials

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Science Inclusion Survey

• Designed to gather information on perceptions and
  attitudes toward teaching students with
  disabilities

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www.surveymonkey.com
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Science Inclusion Survey

• Advantages/Limitations Results
• Positive social interaction
• Diverse learning environment
• Behavioral disruptions
• Lack of experience

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Science Inclusion Survey

• Attitudes/Accommodations Results
• Overall positive attitudes
• Less willing to make accommodations
• Not well prepared or
• supported

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Science Inclusion Survey

• Support Strategies Results
• Prefer to work with special education teachers
• Professional development
• Would have benefited
• from pre-service training

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Conclusions

• Advantages/Limitations
• Beneficial to both general and special education
  students
• Students with disabilities work harder and become
  more confident
• General education students become more
  compassionate and understanding

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Conclusions

• Teacher Perceptions and Attitudes
• Positive attitudes
• Reluctant to modify lessons
• Lack of experience
• Need more training
• and support

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Conclusions

• Support Strategies
• Work cooperatively with special education
  teachers/professionals
• Professional development
• Pre-service training

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Recommendations

• Required science teacher certification courses
  focused on teaching diverse learners.
• Professional development aimed at fostering
  positive attitudes supplying subject specific,
  ready-to-use materials and methods.
• Closer collaboration with special education
  teachers/professionals.

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References

• Biddle, S. (2006). Attitudes in Education. The
  Science Teacher, 73(3), 52-56.
• Cawley, J., Hayden, S., Cade, E.,
  Baker-Kroczynski, S. (2002) Including Students
• With Disabilities Into the General Education
  Science Classroom. Exceptional
• Children 68(4), 423-435.
• Cooney, G., Jahoda, A., Gumley, A. Knott, F.
  (2006) Young People with
• Intellectual Disabilities Attending
  Mainstream and Segregated Schooling
• Perceived Stigma, Social Comparison and
  Future Aspirations. Journal of
• Intellectual Disability Research, 50(6)
  432-444.
• Evans, J., Lunt, I. (2002) Inclusive Education
  Are There Limits? European
• Journal of Special Needs Education 17(1),
  1-14.
• Grumbine, R., Brigham Alan, P. (2006) Teaching
  Science to Students with
• Learning Disabilities. The Science Teacher
  73(3), 26-31.

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References

• Idol, L. (2006). Toward Inclusion of Special
  Education Students in General
• Education A Program Evaluation of Eight
  Schools. Remedial and Special
• Education, 27(2), 77-94.
• Nelson, J., Palonsky, S., McCarthy, M. (2004)
  Current Issues in Education Dialogues
• and Dialectics, 5th Edition. Bosto
  McGraw-Hill
• Palincsar, A., Magnusson, S., Collins, K.
  Cutter, J. (2001) Making Science
• Accessible to All Results of a Design
  Experiment in Inclusive Classrooms.
• Learning Disability Quarterly 24(1), 15-32.
• Robinson, S. (2002) Teaching High School Students
  with Learning and Emotional
• Disabilities in Inclusion Science
  Classrooms A Case Study of Four Teachers
• Beliefs and Practices. Journal of Science
  Teacher Education, 13(1), 13-26.