Since the late 1990s there has been a considerable increase in the number of students with disabilities who receive instruction in inclusive settings. The participation of students with disabilities in inclusion classrooms continued to grow with the passing of The No Child Left Behind Act (2001), formerly known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. While previous legislation called for students with disabilities to participate in all standardized testing, The No Child Left Behind Act called for the closing of the achievement gap between students with disabilities and their nondisabled peers. An accountability system with sanctions for individual schools and school division not showing gains towards closing the achievement gap was also established with the passing of the No Child Left behind Act, making the progress of students with disabilities a priority for all educators. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of general education teachers, special education teachers, and building level administrators regarding inclusion in the elementary setting. Indepth, structured interviews were conducted with the 12 participants at a time and location of their choosing. Ten interview questions guided the process and the participants’ responses were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Previous qualitative studies have been conducted with varying results. The review of the literature indicates that the perceptions of educators toward inclusion may impact the design and subsequent success of inclusion programs as well as the academic progress of students with disabilities. Many factors seem to contribute to the development of teacher perceptions of inclusion, including professional development training and special education classes taken by general education teachers. The data were analyzed by first coding themes found in the interview responses. The themes were then categorized by using ordering and sorting techniques that permitted emerging patterns to be documented. The findings indicate that the participants of this study do not perceive that inclusion is appropriate for all students with disabilities. The participants cited the following features as being necessary elements of inclusion: coplanning, collaboration, and coteaching between the general education teacher and the special education teacher. Recommendations for practice and for future research were based on the data analysis.

This study was designed to examine the attitudes of teachers and administrators toward inclusion in the classroom. Specifically this study analyzed grade level, years of teaching experience, and levels of education to examine the manner in which these factors relate to attitudes of teachers and administrators toward inclusion. Participants in this study were located in 3 school districts in East Tennessee. All data were collected through an online survey distributed to prek-12 teachers by way of email from school principals. The analysis of data was based on the responses of 183 teachers and administrators from these 3 school districts. Findings indicated that education level did not play a significant role in the attitudes, training, or resources dimensions of the study. However, participant role and years of experience did play a significant role in the participants’ attitudes toward inclusion. Administrators held more positive attitudes toward inclusion than teachers and reported having more resources on inclusion than teachers. Those participants with 0-15 years of experience held more positive attitudes on inclusion than those with 16-30 plus years of experience.

This qualitative study examines the experiences and attitudes of elementary school students regarding individuals with disabilities, following five weeks of disability awareness instruction. It also evaluates the social validity of disability awareness instruction as an intervention tool based on student perceptions, and compares the use of a didactic teaching approach with one that also incorporates the use of bibliotherapy techniques. The current study is part of a larger study using a pre-test, post-test experimental group design (Teerlink, 2012). Participants included 322 elementary school students. Each class of first through sixth grade students was randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a bibliotherapy treatment group (n = 125), a didactic teaching group (n = 124), and a no-intervention control group (n = 73). Data for this study were collected at post-test only, using a short-answer, open-ended questionnaire administered to all participants, as well as focus group interviews conducted with three to four students from each grade level. Results indicate that age and grade level seemed to have a progressively strong influence on whether students knew someone with a disability or recognized the presence of a disability among those with whom they were acquainted. In their attempts to define what it means to have a disability, as well as to identify specific disabilities, student responses seemed to lean towards observable impairments such as Down syndrome, physical disabilities, and speech/language impairments. The overwhelming majority of participants indicated that they would like to be friends with someone who had a disability and that the most important thing they learned from the disability awareness lessons was to be kind and helpful to those with disabilities. Although the majority of students expressed the desire to be friends with people who had disabilities and clearly recognized the importance of treating them with kindness and compassion, students were equally split on whether or not these ideals were actually being implemented by students in their school. In addition, when students were given the opportunity to describe their own observations and examples of how students with disabilities were treated at their school, they were more likely to describe incidents of conflict or unpleasant interactions rather than recalling incidents of kindness or positive interactions. Students specifically identified communication issues and coping with stressful or frustrating situations as the biggest challenges or fears associated with trying to be friends with someone who has a disability. Students from both the bibliotherapy group and the didactic teaching group seemed to share similar attitudes towards individuals with disabilities and respond with equally positive enthusiasm to the intervention. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

El objetivo de esta investigación radica en presentar propuestas de mejora dentro de un marco estratégico para el producto micro financiero “Crédito Mujer” de Mibanco. Se trata de un microcrédito dirigido a mujeres dependientes e independientes a partir de 23 años de edad que deseen financiamiento hasta por 12 meses para capital de trabajo, activo fijo, vivienda y consumo personal. Se analizó el mercado micro financiero peruano donde se encontró una problemática que radica en las escasas oportunidades de desarrollo económico para las mujeres, ya que la mayoría de productos están diseñados en base a las necesidades y características de los hombres. Posteriormente, se investigó a Mibanco y al producto para conocer las capacidades que permitirán desarrollar una ventaja consistente en el tiempo y coherente con el propósito de la empresa. “Crédito Mujer” es un producto piloto que presenta una serie de oportunidades de mejora para aprovechar los elementos del entorno y las fortalezas del producto y del banco. Luego de identificar las oportunidades de mejora, se propone una serie de estrategias para lograr un producto potenciado, diferenciado y rentable. Finalmente, se analizan las propuestas en un Estado de Resultados proyectado del producto “Crédito Mujer” para identificar si la aplicación de las estrategias resultaría atractiva para la empresa. / The goal of this research is to present some proposal to improve the product “Crédito Mujer” of Mibanco under a strategic framework. It is a microcredit aimed at dependent and independent women from 23 years who seek financing up to 12 months for working capital, fixed assets, housing, and personal consumption. The Peruvian micro-financial market was analyzed, and a problem was identified that lies in the few economic development opportunities for women, as most of the products are designed based on the necessities and characteristics of men. Afterward, Mibanco and its products were studied to determine the abilities allowing to develop a consistent advantage over time and coherent with the purpose of the company. “Crédito Mujer” is a pilot product which provides several opportunities for improvement to take advantage of the environmental elements and the product and bank strengths. After having identified the opportunities for improvement, a series of strategies are suggested to achieve an enhanced, differentiated, and profitable product. Finally, the proposals are analyzed in a projected Income Statement of the product “Crédito Mujer” to identify if the implementation of the strategies would be attractive for the company. / Trabajo de investigación

The concepts of an inclusive classroom, inclusion, co-teaching, and disability have been called poorly defined and in need of fresh conceptual analyses. In Chapter 1, I respond to this call for further analysis and then demonstrate, using current educational headlines, that these concepts of `an inclusive classroom,' `inclusion,' `co-teaching,' and `having a disability' are not just issues that are discussed in academia, but are also current issues in schools, courtrooms, and statehouses. In Chapter 2, the Literature Review examines philosophical literature of inclusive education, legislative and judicial history, and service delivery models for special education. In Chapter 3, Methods: A Conceptual Analysis, we examine the history and practice of conceptual analysis, and then look at the models of conceptual analysis as detailed by Jonas Soltis. Chapter 4, Conceptual Analyses, is the core of this dissertation, containing a generic analysis of the `inclusive classroom,' differentiation analyses of `inclusion,' and `co-teaching,' and a generic analysis of `having a disability.' Finally, in Chapter 5, Discussion, we examine implications for further research and conclusions.

From 2014 to 2015, full inclusion through coteaching practices (2 or more professionals providing instruction in the same classroom environment) was implemented at a rural southeastern middle school in Georgia to improve the low academic achievement of students with disabilities (SWDs). The problem is that 8th-grade SWDs score low on the reading and mathematics sections of the Standardized Assessment for Reading and Mathematics (STAR). The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was to examine the effect of coteaching on the achievement of 8th-grade SWDs in reading and mathematics as measured by the STAR. Vygotsky's zone of proximal development was the theoretical framework for this study because cognitive development can be enhanced with adult guidance and peer collaboration. The research questions focused on the difference in STAR gain scores between the coteaching SWDs participants and the SWDs with no coteaching. The sample was 96 8th-grade SWDs. A t test was used to compare the reading and mathematics gain scores between the academic years 2012 and 2014 (without inclusion/coteaching),46 SWDs and 2015-2017 (with inclusion/coteaching), 50 SWDs. Results showed that there were significant differences in the STAR performance after coteaching implementation in reading and mathematics, p = .045 and p = .004, respectively. This study may lead to positive social change by providing data to the local educational agency leaders, administrators, teachers, and the educational community to make informed decisions about the implementation of coteaching practices, to enhance instructional practices and teaching strategies, and to improve the academic achievement of SWDs allowing them the opportunity to become college and career ready, thus enhancing their postsecondary options.

In recent decades, inclusion has gained increasing international currency. In the Gulf region, Saudi Arabia in particular has made a sustained commitment to leadership in the humane, equitable inclusion of individuals with disabilities in its communities and the provision of appropriate, free public education for students with disabilities. Despite these achievements, students with disabilities remain segregated from general education students in separate classrooms, regardless of degree of disability. This study examined the perspectives of parents of students with and without disabilities in Saudi Arabia on placing their children in general education classrooms that are comprised of children with and without disabilities. Prior to this study, there were no quantitative data to indicate to what extent parents of children with and without disabilities in Saudi Arabia are receptive to inclusion. In order to address the gap in the quantitative data, this study used a quantitative, cross-sectional survey designed to examine the perspectives of parents. Knowing parents’ perspectives about inclusive education provides vital information to the public, researchers, and key decision-makers that could lead to advances in inclusive education. The study used a quantitative, cross-sectional survey to examine parents’ perspectives regarding inclusion in general and across four specific dimensions of inclusive practice, including impact on students with disabilities, impact on students without disabilities, impact on parents and families of students with disabilities, and impact on parents and families of students without disabilities. The study sought to answer questions about differences in parents’ perspectives based on five variables: whether the parent is the parent of a student with disabilities or the parent of a student without disabilities; severity of students’ disabilities; type of students’ disabilities; gender of the child; and academic level of the child. Additionally, the study sought to answer questions about differences in the respective impact of these variables and to determine which variables have the most significant role in shaping perspective toward inclusion. Although the methods of the study were quantitative, it also at times drew upon limited qualitative analysis of a single open-ended questionnaire item to supplement and explain aspects of the quantitative data. The findings of the study show that parents in Saudi Arabia hold generally positive perspectives regarding inclusion, but that these perspectives are often dependent on the severity and type of disability, as well as the training and staffing of qualified teachers and accessible school environments. In general, perspectives among both parents of students with and without disabilities were supportive of inclusion, indicating broad support in terms of global perspective, perspective of potential positive impact on students with disabilities, perspective on potential positive impact on students without disabilities, perspective on potential positive impact on families of students with disabilities, and perspective on potential positive impact on families of students without disabilities. Although both parents with and parents without indicated generally supportive global views towards inclusion, parents of students with disabilities tended to agree more strongly with statements supportive of inclusion than parents of students without disabilities. Parents of students with severe disabilities expressed the least agreement with statements supportive of inclusion. Both parents with and without expressed concerns regarding the preparation and provisioning of qualified teachers and paraprofessionals as a key factor in the success of inclusion. Respondents had concerns about the preparedness of teachers to instruct students with disabilities and students without disabilities in an inclusive general education classroom. Perspectives of the current study, however, placed greater and more strenuous emphasis upon concerns related to teacher preparedness, classroom accessibility, and classroom staffing. According to parents’ perspectives and comments in this study, the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Education must ensure that inclusive classrooms are staffed with qualified paraprofessionals, teaching assistants, and special education teachers for inclusion to be successful. Additionally, the successful implementation of inclusion would require adequate professional development and pedagogical training for classroom teachers, as well as adequate resources and support staff. Given the results of this survey, perhaps the first step in moving educational practices forward in Saudi Arabia will involve an open conversation between the Ministry of Education and parents of students with and without disabilities regarding what they want for their children. Educational policy and curriculum in Saudi Arabia are currently designed from a top-down model. The results of this study, however, show that there are grounds for a partnership between parents and the Ministry that advances educational goals for all students. In addition to continuing to expand opportunities for integration in public schools, experimental inclusive classrooms could be trailed in key regions to gather data and insights into what policies, teaching and instructional models, and models of parent-school collaboration and partnership could best advance classrooms and schools that effectively and humanely include all their members in the academic and social life of Saudi Arabia schools.

This quantitative study considers homophily and inclusion in the secondary agriculture classroom. This study uses social identity and homophily theories to examine classroom culture and how homophily and inclusion impact it. The study aims to use demographic questions and homophily scales to determine whether homophily is occurring in the secondary agriculture classroom and to what extent. This study also uses social distance scales to determine the breaking point or how willing seniors in an agriculture class are to include new students based on the bi-variables of Race, Sexuality, and Social subgroup. The results indicate that homophily and in-group mentality is occurring within Kentucky’s secondary agricultural education classrooms.

People with physical disabilities face challenges each day when trying to navigate a world filled with environmental and architectural barriers. Research indicates that environmental barriers isolate and prevent many people with physical disabilities from accessing and participating in the community and society. This research study directly applied quantifiable investigative methods through the dissemination of anonymous, online surveys that obtained a total of 363 participants who met the requirements of being between the ages of 18 and 65, and who have a medically diagnosed physical disability in order to identify key factors leading to the isolation among physically disabled persons. This study also discovers a relationship between environmental barriers and isolation among people with physical disabilities, and effectively establishes that the majority of participants identified environmental barriers as being the leading cause of their isolation and exclusion from society. Moreover, research acquired through this study uncovers the previously concealed realization that many individuals do not feel there is an effort being made to ensure that buildings and environments are accessible for people with physical disabilities; and further examines the colossal need for advocacy and change within ADA guidelines to create a more acceptable and adaptable solution for reducing or eliminating environmental and architectural barriers.

Students with disabilities (SWDs) are being placed in inclusive settings. The problem is that in many cases, teachers who are assigned to these students may not have necessary training in special education. Lack of such teacher training can lead to deficits in learning for SWDs. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify secondary general education teachers' perspectives on professional development (PD) regarding teaching SWDs in inclusion classroom settings. The conceptual framework for this study was Bandura's self-efficacy construct as presented in social cognitive theory. For teachers, self-€efficacy may influence instructional practices, classroom climate, and attitudes toward educational processes. In this phenomenological study, data were gathered from 12 high school general education teachers with experience in teaching SWDs in inclusive settings using one-€on-€one interviews and a short demographic questionnaire. The first research question concerned whether general education teachers believed that PD could improve teachers-€™ performance with SWDs in inclusion settings. Results indicated that respondents generally believed that PD inclusion training was needed. The second research question concerned how PD should influence coteaching in inclusion settings. Results indicated that respondents generally believed that PD inclusion training should provide skills to allow teachers to assist special education students in inclusion settings without making them feel differentiated or singled out. In future studies, it is recommended that the sample be segmented into groups of general education teachers and special education teachers, with an equal number of each. It is also recommended that a quantitative study be initiated to examine whether the findings are confirmed with a larger population.