Teacher preparation partnerships to foster learning for all students

Abstract

Abstract The United States, in less than 50 years, has gone from legal segregation and exclusion of students with disabilities in schools to an emphasis on inclusion in the least restrictive environments based on individual student needs. The United States has made great strides in the physical inclusion of students with disabilities, but work is still needed to ensure educational equitability. Students with disabilities continue to face challenges in gaining a comprehensive education, leading to outcomes far below that of their general education peers. One way to address this outcome and increase academic equity in middle schools (MS) is for teacher preparation programs to better prepare candidates with a more comprehensive curriculum that integrates the characteristics of a successful MS with the components of special education. This article focuses on one university’s efforts to develop a dual middle childhood (grades 4–9)/special education (grades k-12) undergraduate licensure program designed to address these challenges and foster the physical and academic inclusion of all students, including those with disabilities and other diverse learning needs.