Preservice General Education Teachers' Perceptions of Equity Amongst Students with Disabilities

Abstract

Investigating teachers' perceptions of student equity is crucial in education. However, limited research examines how preservice general education teachers in Appalachia view the equity of students with disabilities compared to their peers from urban and/or other regions. This study aims to explore preservice elementary general education teachers' perspectives on this issue. A quantitative approach will be employed, utilizing a Likert scale survey to assess these perceptions. To ensure a comprehensive understanding, preservice teachers from both urban non-Appalachian and rural Appalachian communities will be recruited to participate. To incentivize participation, gift cards will be offered as rewards, a strategy shown to effectively enhance survey response rates. The analysis of the survey data will involve several steps, including descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA, to examine the results. The findings aim to assist educators, administrators, and pre-service teacher programs in understanding and addressing potential biases toward children with disabilities. By exploring preservice general education teachers' perspectives in rural Appalachia, this study seeks to contribute significantly to enhancing the educational experiences of all students.

Start Time

16-4-2025 9:00 AM

End Time

16-4-2025 10:00 AM

Room Number

272

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Presentation Subtype

Research-in-Progress

Presentation Category

Education

Faculty Mentor

Pamela Mims

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Apr 16th, 9:00 AM Apr 16th, 10:00 AM

Preservice General Education Teachers' Perceptions of Equity Amongst Students with Disabilities

272

Investigating teachers' perceptions of student equity is crucial in education. However, limited research examines how preservice general education teachers in Appalachia view the equity of students with disabilities compared to their peers from urban and/or other regions. This study aims to explore preservice elementary general education teachers' perspectives on this issue. A quantitative approach will be employed, utilizing a Likert scale survey to assess these perceptions. To ensure a comprehensive understanding, preservice teachers from both urban non-Appalachian and rural Appalachian communities will be recruited to participate. To incentivize participation, gift cards will be offered as rewards, a strategy shown to effectively enhance survey response rates. The analysis of the survey data will involve several steps, including descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA, to examine the results. The findings aim to assist educators, administrators, and pre-service teacher programs in understanding and addressing potential biases toward children with disabilities. By exploring preservice general education teachers' perspectives in rural Appalachia, this study seeks to contribute significantly to enhancing the educational experiences of all students.