The Perceptions of Secondary Teachers and Students about the Implementation of an Inclusive Classroom Model for Students with Mild Disabilities

This research used qualitative methods to gather theperceptions of regular classroom teachers and students withand without mild disabilities (MD) about an inclusive programimplemented in three separate classrooms and designed toenhance both the academic and social engagement of a smallnumber of students with MD. Teachers acknowledged thatthese strategies resulted in improvements in their classroomapproach and in positive outcomes for students. Two of thethree teachers considered that the strategies resulted in limitedacademic gains, but provided opportunities for students withMD to enhance their social experience. All students werepositive about certain changes to their classroom, particularlyin working with their peers, but did not see the classroomteachers’ instructional methodologies as being different,despite a series of changes to the classroom pedagogy.Teacher and student discussions about the strategiesimplemented are presented and the implications for practice,teacher education and future research are discussed.