Register Now

Accepted Student Recognition Day 4/6/24 arrow

Education Journal Published Research By Dr. Stephanie Johnson

Dr. Stephanie Johnson, Elmira College Director of Teacher Education and Assistant Professor of Inclusive Special Education, recently completed research that investigated the factors affecting teachers’ ability to implement inclusive education in their classrooms. Her results are published in the Journal of School Leadership, a Sage Publication.

The article, titled “The Role of Teacher Self-Efficacy in the Implementation of Inclusive Practices,” identifies three key elements that can impede the adoption of inclusive practices: teachers’ experiences, both personal and vicarious; their perceived administrative support; and their levels of stress.

“Teachers are one of the most important variables impacting the implementation of inclusive practices,” explained Johnson. “Successful inclusive education models rely on teachers embracing student diversity and offering a variety of opportunities for students to achieve success in the general education setting.”

Johnson’s results are particularly important for school administrators as they consider the professional development opportunities that will support the implementation of inclusive education initiatives.

“Despite recent initiatives to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion across the country, research indicates that school administrators continue to struggle with how to best support teachers as they implement inclusive practices,” said Johnson. “I am hoping that our administrators will consider the findings of this research when creating professional development opportunities to support teachers in the implementation of inclusive educational practices.”

To conduct her research, Johnson studied five, second-grade classroom and special education teachers as they implemented the inclusive education model in their classrooms. She relied on extended engagement in the school setting, capturing a rich, detailed, first-person account of the teachers’ experiences. She collected data through a questionnaire, teacher interviews, and observations of the teachers’ collaborative interactions at professional learning community meetings. The results provide an understanding of the impact of teacher self-efficacy on their ability to effectively implement inclusive teaching practices.

“I am thankful to the teachers who opened their classrooms and shared their experiences with me,” Johnson said. “It is through their support that I was able to capture the real-life struggles of teachers and highlight specific ways in which administrators can support teachers as they take up this challenging work.”

Share This Page