ABSTRACT
A crucial body of research has focused on the preparation of teachers to work with students with disabilities, with an increasing focus on the voices of teacher educators, while a smaller body of research focuses on the perspectives of pre-service teachers (e.g. Baglieri, 2008; Boling, 2007; Conderman & Johnston-Rodriguez, 2009; Hamill & Dever, 1998; Hamre & Oyler, 2004; Jordan, Schwartz & McGhie-Richmond, 2009; Kamens, 2007; Paugh & Robinson, 2011; Peters & Reid, 2009; Rice, 2006; Titone, 2005; Young, 2008). Several critical gaps exist in this research, including a lack of research on the experiences of secondary inclusion teachers and the perspectives of these novice teachers as they enter the field of teaching. Pointing to the importance of support for teachers within their classroom by teacher educators, Skerrett (2010) notes: ‘This work can set the foundation for the on-the-ground support they provide to educators along their professional journeys’ (p. 56). However, the relationship between teacher preparation and the classroom practices of novice secondary inclusion teachers who have completed their preparation is rarely addressed in research. The following questions guide the discussion in this chapter:
What are one group of American pre-service secondary inclusion teachers’ views of their teacher preparation experiences and the school settings they enter upon program completion?
What can teacher educators learn from these insider perspectives to inform inclusive teacher education experiences?
How can teacher educator researchers gather insider perspectives?
What can teacher educators learn from these insider perspectives to better support inclusive policies and practices in school?
