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PREPARING ELEMENTARY TEACHERS TO TEACH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: A COMPARISON OF PROGRAM STRUCTURES & ELEMENTS ACROSS TEACHER PREPARATION INSTITUTIONS
| Title: | PREPARING ELEMENTARY TEACHERS TO TEACH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: A COMPARISON OF PROGRAM STRUCTURES & ELEMENTS ACROSS TEACHER PREPARATION INSTITUTIONS. |
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| Name(s): |
Close, Jessica, Author Williams, Karri, Committee Chair University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor |
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| Type of Resource: | text | |
| Date Issued: | 2011 | |
| Publisher: | University of Central Florida | |
| Language(s): | English | |
| Abstract/Description: | Students with disabilities have the right to the least restrictive environment (IDEA, 2004). Elementary teachers are teaching more of these students in the inclusive classroom because of this right. Elementary teachers are willing to take on this responsibility, but most feel they are not prepared to do so. In order to address this concern, elementary teacher preparation at the institution level must be addressed. This is a descriptive thesis which identifies and compares methods that different institutions across the country use to prepare teachers to teach students with disabilities. Institutions chosen for this thesis were recognized by either the U.S. News and World Report (2010) or the Report of the Blue Ribbon Panel (2010) for effective preparation of preservice elementary teachers. This thesis addresses the University of Central Florida with the aforementioned institutions. A continuum with three main types of structures was used to identify programs ranging from "discrete" meeting minimum requirements, to completely "merged" programs between special education and elementary education. While "merged" results in dual certification and the most effective preparation according to Blanton and Pugach (2007), it is most often offered as a choice and not as a requirement. Through analysis of program requirements of elementary education and special education programs, course descriptions, and syllabi, this investigator concluded that there were inconsistencies across teacher preparation programs. Institutions are distributed widely across the continuum. If elementary teachers are required to teach to all students, then teacher preparation programs should address all students thoroughly. The investigator's hope is that the evidence presented and the suggestions made in this thesis will incite changes in institutions that are preparing elementary teachers to teach students with disabilities. | |
| Identifier: | CFH0004072 (IID), ucf:44781 (fedora) | |
| Note(s): |
2011-08-01 B.S. Education, School of Teaching, Learning and Leadership Undergraduate This record was generated from author submitted information. |
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| Subject(s): |
elementary education special education exceptional inclusion structures elements teacher preparation preservice students with disabilities best institutions embed merged integrated discrete comparison |
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| Persistent Link to This Record: | http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004072 | |
| Restrictions on Access: | public | |
| Host Institution: | UCF |
