All learners in one classroom: The impact of partial inclusion on elementary students' academic achievement, attitudes, and perceptions
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of partial inclusion support services on students' reading progress as well as on their attitude and perception during their first 2 years of being immersed in the inclusion approach to teaching. A total of 56 students, 24 special education students and 32 regular education students, participated in this study. Each participant was involved in both the delivery of partial inclusion and the pull-out teaching models during a period of 4 years, 2 years prior to and 2 years during inclusion. To initiate the study, the participants' reading scores were gathered, analyzed, and compared over a period of 4 years in order to evaluate the academic achievement during partial inclusion support services. A second assessment model measured students' attitude, while a third assessment model assessed the students' attitude and perception toward partial inclusion support services. After comprehensive research and analysis, the results of the testing measures presented varied findings. The key research questions examined student growth rates in reading achievement scores during pull out and partial inclusion. Reading achievement growth during pull out was compared too reading achievement growth during partial inclusion. These comparisons were made for special education and general education students. Also, the growth rates of the special education and general education students were compared to determine if these students groups differed in how much they gained from partial inclusion. Of particular interest to this research question, it is important to note that the general education and special education students both received the benefit of partial inclusion, as co-teaching occurred, with the general education and special education teachers teaching collaboratively in the general education classroom. These findings indicate that for the special education subjects, no significant differences in growth occurred between pull out and partial inclusion. With respect to academic performance, these results suggest that both teaching methods yielded similar results in academic achievement for general education students. While there were no significant findings indicated, overall growth was found. Generally, results established that students had a positive perception of partial inclusion support services and were confident that partial inclusion support services were meeting both their academic and social needs. Results were interpreted to indicate support for maintaining a continuum of services to meet the individual needs for each child.
Subject Area
Special education|Literacy|Reading instruction
Recommended Citation
Ruggiero Palombo, Pasqualina, "All learners in one classroom: The impact of partial inclusion on elementary students' academic achievement, attitudes, and perceptions" (2004). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI3134447.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3134447
