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Inclusive education and the school principal: school principals’ definitions of inclusion and associated leadership standards

Wymore, Andrea (2022) Inclusive education and the school principal: school principals’ definitions of inclusion and associated leadership standards. Doctoral thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

Research and understanding of principals’ definitions of inclusion, along with the leadership competencies they identify as necessary in supporting this definition, is lacking and has not been done in this study’s context previously. The purpose of this study was to understand how school principals define inclusion as it pertains to students with disabilities and to identify the associating leadership competencies they view as supporting that definition. The researcher utilized qualitative methods and a phenomenological research approach to carry out the study. Semi-structured interviews were utilized to gather the data for the study. Four principals from an urban school district in Phoenix, Arizona were interviewed. Interviews were transcribed, reviewed for accuracy, and analyzed.The findings of this study reflect the variety in principals’ definitions of inclusion and the leadership standards they associate with supporting that definition. While variation exists in definitions and standards among participants, several common themes were identified. In defining inclusion for students with disabilities common themes included intentionality, access, same experience, heterogeneous grouping, and team-teaching. Participants identified several different leadership standards that aligned with their definitions of inclusion. Four leadership standards were identified by different combinations of two participant responses. One leadership standard was identified by all participants as supporting definitions of inclusion for students with disabilities. Findings indicated participant’s experiences as teachers, assistant principals, and principals impacted their definitions of inclusion of students with disabilities. Findings also suggested a principal’s focus on a particular model of teaching impacts their view of whether or not they “do” inclusion and, therefore, potentially limits their focus on and support of inclusive practices for students with disabilities. Finally, findings revealed PSEL Standard 4: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment was essential to all participant’s definitions of inclusion. Given this, district and school leaders should examine how students with disabilities are provided access to the general education curriculum and provide training to teachers on how to support students with disabilities accessing this content.

Item Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Publisher’s Statement: © Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords: Definition; Inclusion; Leadership Standards; Principals; Special Education; Students with Disabilities
Subjects: L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status: Student
Department/Unit: Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations
College of Education > Educational Leadership
Date Deposited: 02 Jun 2023 18:08
Last Modified: 02 Jun 2023 18:08
URI: https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/5944

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