Building Inclusive Foundations: Preservice Educators’ Beliefs About Twice-Exceptionality

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Empowering Future Educators: Integrating Emotional Intelligence and Collaborative Practices in Teacher Preparation for Inclusive Classrooms (Table 12)

Abstract

Educator beliefs guide teacher practice and influence educator and student decisions and outcomes. This study investigates preservice educator beliefs about twice-exceptionality. A quantitative survey design was employed. A survey was developed to collect data from teacher education students to analyze trends in beliefs that may influence their future practice. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted identifying two factors: Inclusive, Affirming Beliefs and Intersectional Asset and Programming Beliefs. T-tests and ANOVAs were performed to identify statistically significant differences in the means for demographic characteristics, preservice preparation characteristics, and experiences with individuals with exceptionalities. Results indicate positive relationships between credential types as well as work experiences and having friends and family members with exceptionalities.

Author

• Megan Abraham, University of California - Los Angeles