PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

Pre-service teachers are prepared to teach students and manage their classroom using techniques obtained while completing their undergraduate degree. One subject area which receives little time or attention is the role special education will play in their classroom. Classroom teachers are expected to serve students with special needs in their classroom. This occurs with little training for the general education teacher. This study presented undergraduate pre-service K-12 teachers with two assessments to determine their philosophical beliefs and opinions toward inclusion of K-12 students with disabilities in their classroom. Results indicated that teachers are unsure of their part in inclusion. General education teachers perceive that they are more prepared to teach students with special needs than special education teachers. Teacher preparation programs do not provide adequate training for teachers who have students with disabilities in their classrooms. Inclusion is the future of special education with No Child Left Behind?s focus on highly qualified teachers.