Accommodation and Curriculum Modification for Students with Special Needs: A Study of Teachers' Attitudes

• Main Author: Williamson, Ramona D.
• Format: Others
• Published: ScholarWorks@UNO 2011
• Subjects: accommodations/modifications; inclusion; preparedness; special education; teachers’ perceptions; willingness; Special Education and Teaching
• Online Access: http://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1354; http://scholarworks.uno.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2409&context=td

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of teachers towards providing accommodations and modifications required for students with special needs in general education classes. The study also examined the differences between these educators’ willingness, preparedness, and selected demographic and descriptive characteristics, which included teacher education, educational setting, and support provided for inclusion. As such, it contributed to both the theory and the practice of teaching students with disabilities in inclusive settings. The sample included willing general and special education teachers in one suburban school district in the southeastern United States. The instrument was a modified version of the Teacher Acceptability and Use Scale (TAUS) (Boulton, 2003). Statistical analysis revealed little significant difference in willingness between special education and general education teachers, although special education teachers perceived themselves as slightly more prepared than general education teachers to make accommodations and modifications to the general curriculum for the student with special needs included in the general education classroom. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that teachers’ perceptions of their preparedness for accommodating students with special needs has improved in recent years.