General education pre-service teachers perceptions of including students with disabilities in their classrooms

In this empirical study, the authors compare the perceptions of future general educators on two dichotomous scales (hostility/receptivity and anxiety/calmness) regarding the teaching of students with exceptionalities in their classrooms. A total of 116 teacher candidates from one southwestern and two Midwestern universities in the United States completed a modified version of the Pre-Service Inclusion Survey (PSIS) during the first and last class sessions of the semester in an introductory course on disabilities. The authors reported an increase in a positive attitude in the overall PSIS, and in both the anxiety/calmness and the hostility-receptivity subcategories. The researchers noted that knowledge of how to accommodate students with disabilities and fostering positive attitudes when working with these students are necessary for pre-service teachers. Recommendations are advanced for enhancing inclusive practices in pre-service teacher education programs.