Making Sense of Special Education in the Preservice Teacher Preparation Program: A Qualitative Study

A special education field-experience was a component of a preservice general education curriculum and instruction course in a large research-oriented public university. Using participant-observation, survey, and interview data, this study analyzes how the preservice general education teachers make sense of this experience. Teacher education candidates use multicultural educational frameworks of equity and fairness to assimilate the field-experience. They perceive special education as a form of tracking. Participants leave the program feeling open to working with students with disabilities. The implications of their interpretations and attitudes are explored.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Bruno, John Anthony

Contributors dc:contributor

• Margerie Osborne

• Education, Bilingual and Multicultural

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9971039

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/80385