Essential Dispositions for Inclusive Educators: An Examination of National Standards and Guiding Principles

Authors

  • Joanne M. Van Boxtel, Ph.D. (Author) Vanguard University image/svg+xml
    Joanne M. Van Boxtel, Ph.D., is the Associate Professor and Faculty Director for Special Education in the School of Education at Vanguard University. She obtained her doctorate degree in Education, with an emphasis in Disability Studies, from Chapman University. Her research interests include teacher education and special education, international inclusive education, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
  • Megan Chaney, Ed.D. (Author) Fresno Pacific University image/svg+xml
    Megan Chaney, Ed.D., is an Associate Professor and the Division Chair of Special Education at Fresno Pacific University. She obtained her doctoral degree in Education from Walden University. Her research interests include teacher education and special education, teacher dispositions, and administrative leadership for inclusion.
https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.535
Dispositions for inclusive pre-service teachers are recommended by numerous professional organizations and are currently being assessed within teacher preparation programs. Leading professional organizations and agencies have published standards and guiding documents related to essential dispositions for inclusive pre-service and in-service teachers. However, a widely accepted single definition of teacher dispositions does not exist in the literature and there is limited consensus among Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) regarding the prioritization of dispositions for inclusive pre-service teachers. Assessing essential dispositions remains problematic due to the diverse ways dispositions are operationalized but standards-based approaches are recommended. The researchers examined dispositions defined as behaviors, characteristics, and perceptions within published standards and guiding principles documents of leading professional organizations and agencies to discover consistencies among them. Implications and recommendations for special education teacher preparation programs are discussed.

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Boxtel, J. M. V., & Chaney, M. (2024). Essential Dispositions for Inclusive Educators: An Examination of National Standards and Guiding Principles. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 18(3), 131-144. https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.535

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  • Article Type Articles
  • Submitted September 6, 2024
  • Published October 15, 2024
  • Issue Fall 2023
  • Section Articles
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