Including Students who Are Visually Impaired in the Classroom: Attitudes of Preservice Teachers

• Published in: Journal of visual impairment & blindness 2015-03, Vol.109 (2), p.131-140
• Main Authors: Ajuwon, Paul M., Sarraj, Huda, Griffin-Shirley, Nora, Lechtenberger, DeAnn, Zhou, Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Anxiety; Attitude Change; Attitude Measures; Attitudes; Beginning Teachers; Beliefs, opinions and attitudes; Blindness; Children with disabilities; Classrooms; Competence; Core curriculum; Disabilities; Education; Inclusion; Interaction; Knowledge Level; Learning; Likert Scales; Mainstreaming in education; Multivariate Analysis; Perceptions; Physically disabled students; Preservice Teachers; Public schools; Reading Materials; Self Esteem; Social aspects; Statistical Analysis; Student Attitudes; Student Characteristics; Students; Surveys; Teacher Educators; Teacher-student relationships; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching Experience; Teaching Methods; Universities; Visual impairment; Visual Impairments; Visually disabled children
• ISSN: 0145-482X; 1559-1476
• DOI: 10.1177/0145482X1510900208

Introduction This study examines the perceptions of preservice teachers concerning the inclusion of students with blindness or low vision (visual impairments) in their classrooms. Methods Using a modified version of the Preservice Inclusion Scale (PSIS), data were collected from participants in three universities in the United States before and after the completion of an introductory special education course. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) test was conducted to investigate the change in participants’ attitudes toward inclusion. Results The anxiety measure revealed an increase in the calmness level of preservice teachers, and the receptivity measure revealed a nonsignificant change in their receptivity level toward inclusion. Discussion There were three main study outcomes: A between-subject effect of the universities was not evident, no significant changes in hostility or receptivity were found, and the confidence of preservice teachers in teaching students with visual impairments was not a predictor of changes in attitudes toward inclusion. Suggestions for future research Future research should determine the nature and scope of strategies included in coursework, and whether these strategies relate more to improvements in attitudes than to coursework that does not include them.