Essential Inclusive Education-Related Outcomes for Alberta Preservice Teachers

This article examines the knowledge, skills, and attributes (KSAs) that Alberta preservice teachers need to develop over the course of their teacher preparation programs in order to work effectively in inclusive classrooms. Inclusive classrooms are those where all students regardless of diversity learn in the same contexts. These KSAs are presented as program outcomes and are identified in relation to their prominence in the literature on inclusion and their alignment with Alberta education policy and teacher interim certification requirements. They were then reviewed by a focus group of representatives from teacher preparation institutions in Alberta and Canada. The author suggests that teacher preparation institutions in Alberta must ensure that these outcomes are addressed at multiple points throughout their teacher preparation programs

An 8.4-GHz dual-maser front-end system for Parkes reimplementation

An 8.4-GHz front-end system consisting of a feedhorn, a waveguide feed assembly, dual masers, and downconverters was reimplemented at Parkes as part of the Parkes Canberra Telemetry Array for the Voyager Neptune encounter. The front-end system was originally assembled by the European Space Agency and installed on the Parkes antenna for the Giotto project. It was also used on a time-sharing basis by the Deep Space Network as part of the Parkes Canberra Telemetry Array to enhance the data return from the Voyager Uranus encounter. At the conclusion of these projects in 1986, part of the system was then shipped to JPL on loan for reimplementation at Parkes for the Voyager Neptune encounter. New design and implementation required to make the system operable at Parkes included new microwave front-end control cabinets, closed-cycle refrigeration monitor system, noise-adding radiometer system, front-end controller assembly, X81 local oscillator multiplier, and refurbishment of the original dual 8.4-GHz traveling-wave masers and waveguide feed system. The front-end system met all requirements during the encounter and was disassembled in October 1989 and returned to JPL

Educational Leadership to Create Authentic Inclusive Schools: The Experiences of Principals in a Canadian Rural School District

Inclusive education—based on the premise of social justice—advocates equal ac-cess to educational opportunities for all students. This research provides insight into the inclusive experiences of school principals in a Canadian rural school dis-trict through quantitative and qualitative inquiries. A survey was administered to 16 school administrators, and following initial data analysis, individual inter-views with four school principals were carried out as part of a multi-perspective case study of students with special needs. Overall, inclusion was viewed in a posi-tive light and extended beyond classroom placement to meeting the needs of diverse groups of students within the regular classroom. The responsibilities and strategies of the principals that support inclusion are outlined and other factors that contribute to effective inclusion identified. Key factors include collaboration among key players in the students’ education and opportunities for professional development. The results have implications for school leadership preparation and professional development of school administrators

The Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised (SACIE-R) Scale for Measuring Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions about Inclusion

This paper reports the final development of a scale to measure pre-service teachers’ perceptions in three constructs of inclusive education, namely, sentiments or comfort levels when engaging with people with disabilities; acceptance of learners with different needs; and concerns about implementing inclusion. The Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised (SACIE-R) scale was developed from an initial 60 items and administered through a series of refined surveys. A final 15-item scale was validated using 542 pre-service teachers from nine institutions in four countries including Hong Kong, Canada, India, and the United States. It is posited that the SACIE-R scale will yield valuable information for assisting universities and colleges in preparing more specific training to address the needs of pre-service teachers for working with diverse student populations

Parent Perspectives on Inclusive Education in Rural Alberta, Canada

This paper is one of a series of papers examining inclusive education in the con-text of a rural Canadian school district that has adopted a philosophy of inclusion. The results of a survey of 438 parents on their views about aspects of inclusive education at their youngest child’s school are reported. The results indi-cate that the majority of parents were generally positive in their views about and experiences with the inclusive school environment and links to the local communi-ty; however, parents were by no means unanimous in their level of comfort with inclusive education. Tensions were found to exist, and differences in the expe-rience of parents of children who had identified exceptionalities were evident. This study points to the paucity of research on parents and inclusive education and provides some direction for future work in the area

Teacher perspectives on inclusive education in rural Alberta, Canada

The results of 123 elementary- to secondary-level teacher surveys and 14 in-depth qualitative interviews examining the teachers’ perspectives regarding inclusion in a rural school district are reported. Four features of inclusive education from the perspective of teachers are revealed: (1) attitudes toward inclusion; (2) supportive communication and cooperation; (3) classroom community; and (4) support and training. The results of this study corroborate existing research and indicate significant differences between elementary and secondary teachers’ perceptions for some of the factors. Future research in this study will examine teachers’ instructional practices providing a more complete picture of inclusive teaching in rural Alberta, Canada

La scala rivista delle Opinioni, degli Atteggiamenti e delle Preoccupazioni sulla formazione inclusiva (SACIE-R) per la misurazione delle percezioni degli insegnanti tirocinanti circa l’inclusione

Traduzione a cura Stefania Pinnelli - Università del SalentoThis paper reports the final development of a scale to measure pre-service teachers’ perceptions in three constructs of inclusive education, namely, sentiments or comfort levels when engagingwith people with disabilities; acceptance of learners with different needs; and concerns about implementing inclusion. The Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised (SACIE-R) scale was developed from an initial 60 items and administered through a series of refined surveys. A final 15-item scale was validated using 542 pre-service teachers from nine institutions in four countries including Hong Kong, Canada, India, and the United States. It is posited that the SACIE-R scale will yield valuable information for assisting universities and colleges in preparing more specific training to address the needs of pre-service teachers for working with diverse student populations

Correlation between Attitudes, Concerns, Self-Efficacy and Teaching Intentions in Inclusive Education. Evidence from German pre-service teachers using international scales

The inclusion of pupils with special educational needs (SEN ) in schools is an ongoing challenge – it demands the development of an adapted teaching and learning environment, which, in turn, requires a corresponding teacher education programme. Studies indicate that personal characteristics of the respective teachers are one of the main influencing factors on the classroom environment. This article reports on a study of the role of teacher‐related factors, attitudes, concerns and efficacy in inclusion by testing existing survey instruments of 909 pre‐service teachers in Germany. A confirmatory factor analysis was applied to new German translations of four instruments: Attitudes Towards Inclusion Scale , Intention to Teach in Inclusive Classroom Scale , Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale , and the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices . With minor modifications, models demonstrated good fit measures and partial measurement invariance between special school pre‐service teachers and general pre‐service teachers. A combined model of all four scales confirmed that lower concerns were related to attitudes that are more positive, greater self‐efficacy and stronger intentions to teaching inclusively. Implications for teacher‐training and comparisons to other international samples are discussed

Looking in the mirror: Reflecting on 25 years of Inclusive Education in Australia

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Taylor & Francis (Routledge) via the DOI in this record.Australia was an early signatory to the Salamanca Statement, and it espouses inclusive education (IE) as the overarching philosophy of education for all. A 2015 critique of IE in Australia (Anderson and Boyle 2015) found that while some gains had been made, particularly in the recognition of the needs of some of the nation’s minority groups, the lack of a nationally accepted understanding of IE meant that it was transpiring in fundamentally distinctive ways across the eight education jurisdictions, with different outcomes for different groups of students. This paper reflects upon why Australia has struggled to enact the recommendations outlined in the Salamanca Statement a quarter of a century ago. The impacts of current education reforms, including the current model of educational provision, the understanding of disability and educational need, and the neo-liberal concepts of standardisation, measurement, and choice are explored. It challenges the idea that IE is the work of schools, and instead argues the need for a national approach to IE. Governments must acknowledge the barriers that their current policies and structures erect and shift towards a more inclusive model of educational delivery – for the benefit of all children and young people in Australia