Introduction
The difficult aspects of teaching most teachers in high schools face each day include teaching students with special needs. According to the US Department of Education (1991), more than half of learners with special needs get instruction in technical or vocational regular education classes. Technical or vocational subjects are viewed as valuable subjects taught students with disabilities. Teachers identify disciplines as most suitable for satisfying special requirements of students with special needs. About 11% of school-going students have learning disabilities (US Department of Education, 1991).
It has become a norm today for most schools to adopt inclusive classrooms to meet instructional requirements of students with disabilities. However, there exists little evidence describing experiences, attitudes and preparedness held by teachers in meeting educational needs of students with disabilities. This research will replicate suggestions by Girdin (2008) by examining five steps of narrative analysis and applying them to questions about inclusion and the difference in delivery. The aim of the research will be to assess vocational education teachers’ perception in classroom that effectively satisfies the needs of special education students in vocational secondary school. This will involve assessing vocational teachers’ perception of working with students with special learning needs and to compare their thoughts with those of their guidance counselors and administrators.
The research will be designed to determine issues and concerns in serving learners with special learning needs in vocational secondary schools. It will explore perceived confidence and effectiveness with specific classification of students with special learning needs, constraints to service delivery and training needs. The study will strive to report perceptions by respondents on vocational teachers’ confidence and effectiveness levels, training requirements, and constraints to serving these students. The study will follow Girden’s (2008) suggestions by looking at five steps of narrative analysis and applying them to questions about inclusion and differences in delivery.
Research Questions
- What inclusion practices have been determined to be effective for vocational special education students in a technical area?
- How will vocational modifications impact special educational students’ opportunities for potential employment in designated field of studies?
- What do vocational instructors see as current educational challenges when dealing with special education population?
What Inclusion Practices have been found to be Effective for Vocational Special Education Students in a Technical Area?
The qualitative study will be of specific interest in determining vocational teacher’s perceptions in on classroom modifications/practices that effectively satisfy the needs of special education learners. The study will focus on identifying vocational teachers’ teaching experiences, needs and attitudes regarding teaching learners with special needs. Further, it will create clearer understanding of how inclusive education functions effectively (Francis, 2004).
Different types of information output will be sought to offer answers to research questions. The study activities will lead to report writing. Description based literature of different models of inclusive education will be used accordingly will be used to identify conditions necessary for implementation of these models. The questions will systematically be answered through literature review. Questions of how and why will be addressed through a description of actual examples of inclusive practice. Lastly, through visits to different places where inclusive education is implemented, a qualitative and wider understanding of what, how, and why inclusion functions has to be achieved.
In this investigation, teachers will be expected to report information regarding teacher education programs related to teaching students with disabilities. The respondents will also answer questions relating teacher’s preparedness to teach technical subjects to students with special needs. The investigation will also deduce level of preparedness of teachers to accomplish tasks relating to teaching learners with special needs. The tasks targeted for investigation will include: designing, choosing, and modifying activities; working with professionals and parents in planning and controlling programs; using meta-cognitive techniques; and feeling at ease communicating with students.
How will Vocational Modifications Impact Special Education Students Opportunities for potential Employment in designated field of Study?
Wagner (1991) posits that vocational education offers positive school success, reduced chances of school dropouts, and progress in post school outcomes for students with special needs. The bigger percentage of learners with disabilities enrolment in vocational education shows the need for teacher preparation in order to offer high quality vocational education for them. Students with special educational needs require support services and career planning opportunities necessary to have support services and career planning opportunities required to facilitate life-span development (Jarvis, 1988). Vocational education offers opportunities and supports to fulfill this goal. The challenge for special education teachers is to creatively restructure curricula to meet the needs of students with special learning needs enrolled in vocational classes (Smeyer, 2008).
What Vocational Teachers View as Current Challenges when Dealing with Special Education Population
Vocational teachers today face numerous challenges when dealing with special education population. Resourceful vocational teachers today require knowledge and experience in instructional planning, skill areas, curriculum evaluation and implementation, and others (Milanovich, 1986). The qualitative research will seek to determine current challenges that vocational teachers views as today’s challenges when dealing with special education students. These will include: first, determining expected content that vocational teachers need to teach learners with special needs. According to Goussinky (2011), job specific skills for entry level job enrolment will continue to be a learning need (Milanovich, 1986).
Second, vocational teachers for special education learners will examine individual needs in classroom. The study will seek to establish how they work with special instructors and administrators to assist students with special needs. Learners without outward inabilities will also need remedial assistance (Francis, 2004).
Third, the challenge of raising school completion rates of students with special needs. According to Wagner (1991), school dropout is one of the pervasive challenges confronting special education programs in the US. Wagner (1991) further analyzes National data statistics which show marked improvement in overall graduation rates of learners with special needs in the US. Students with disabilities attaining regular diplomas between 1995-6 and 1999-2000 school years rose from 52.6% to 56.2% (Wagner, 1991). The dropout rate for students is, however, still high compared to students without disabilities despite of this encouraging statistics.
Methodology
The study population will be expected to include vocational teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators in secondary schools. The targeted population will be identified with the help of the Departments of Education Vocational Education Management Information System. The study will target 20 schools providing vocational education. The schools will include comprehensive high schools with a population of at least 100 vocational teachers; 50 administrators; and 80 guidance counselors.
Vocational educators will be chosen by a systematic sampling method by using ratio distributions by school type and population. The sample will include vocational certification areas classified under: Trades and Industrial Education; Agriculture Education; Business Education; Health Occupation education; and other classified areas. Guidance counselors will be chosen by a ratio distribution sampling technique. It will include guidance counselors and special needs coordinators in high schools offering vocational programs. Administrators’ population will consist of directors and principals working in high schools providing vocational programs. The sample will target one administrator from each school in the population.
Instrumentation
The study will use survey instrument with three forms to gather data from vocational teachers (form 1), administrators (form 2), and guidance counselors and special needs coordinators (form 3). For practical reasons, the survey forms will be similar for all groups. The survey will have four sections: the demographic part will have nine items; confidence and effectiveness part with 10 items (five categories each); training needs part will have four items; and the constraints section with four items. An open response item will be included in the training needs and constraints section of all survey forms to solicit extra information not addressed in the survey instrument. The study will employ a 5-point-Likert type scale to rate perceptions of respondents for each question on the survey. The scale instrument will use ‘1’ as the low end rating of the scale and ‘5’ as the high end rating (Chanail, 2011).
The structure and content of the instrument will coincide with research questions. The questions will formulated from literature review and issues expressed to researchers from teachers in the field. The initial draft of the survey instrument will be reviewed by selected specialists and revised accordingly. The validity of content will be analyzed by a broad panel of experts. The content and format issues will concentrate on the instruments development and validation processes (Chanail, 2011).
The first section of the questionnaire will be designed to gather demographic information relating the respondent. The first section will have questions regarding gender, age, years in education, in-service, education levels, course taking activities, and community size. Section two will have surveyed levels of vocational teachers’ confidence and effectiveness perceived of working with classifications of students with special learning needs. Classifications will be categorized in groups of students with a disability and disadvantaged students. Learners with disability will include those with disability in learning, deaf, blind, behavioral disorders and attention deficit disorders. Disadvantaged learners will be identified as academically or economically disadvantaged (Smeyer, 2008).
Vocational teachers will be requested to rate their self confidence in working with these students by a showing a rating of 1 simplifying they do not feel quite qualified. Their effectiveness with these student categories will similarly be rated using the assessment of 1 meaning they do not feel like they are very effective to 5, meaning that they feel they are doing an excellent job. Guidance counselors and administrators will rate their vocational teachers’ confidence and effectiveness in working with students with special learning needs using slight alteration to same questions. Counselors and administrators will rate the confidence levels with a rating scale of 1 meaning their vocational teachers do not feel qualified to 5 meaning their vocational teachers feel very qualified (Jarvis, 1998).
Research Techniques
The study will identify how major initiatives in technical areas such as psychology, medicine, allied health professions and others attempt to disseminate classroom practices that have scientific evidence of effectiveness. In particular, national policies that educators use scientifically as proven practices in their classrooms. Special research will employ different methodologies. Observation, sampling and interviews are the main aspects under discussion.
Observation
This research will explore real materials by striving to be frugal so that nothing affects the circumstances. For this reason, the study will adopt participant observation as a favored approach. Hence, the researcher will adopt a recognized role within the school. Participant observation approach will benefit the researcher as follows; it will blend in with natural activity; it will provide researcher access to people, same places and events as subjects; it will provide researcher access to documents related to the role, including reports and records deemed confidential; facilitates application of mechanical aids such as cameras and tape recorders; it will offer the researcher personal firsthand experience of the role, enhance understanding of it; and it makes a significant contribution to the life of the institution.
The expected limitations of participant observation approach will include increased demands on the researcher. In any form, qualitative research requires a lot. Typically, this will present a mass of confusing and intricate data. In addition, participation will utilize time and enhance researcher’s responsibility; and there will be possibility of conflict between researcher’s role as participant and his role as a researcher; and the researcher may be face difficult in terms of making the situation strange (Walford, 1998). The respondents will determine what and how the researcher will observe. The investigation will aim at collecting as much of detail and interaction as possible, through note making, filming, tape recording and photography (Coolidge, 2006).
Interviews
Absolutely normal usual communication will work as the main basis for the necessary qualitative material. The interviews will take into consideration all the niceties of the usual life and dig deep in the real life situations, investigations and thinking about the actions and the consequences of thee action. Therefore, the researcher will seek to undertake the develop empathy with those interviewed and gain their confidence; and be unobtrusive to avoid imposing own influence on respondents. The researcher will adopt unstructured interview and the best technique. In this method, the researcher will have some general ideas regarding the topic of the interview. The conclusions of the interviews will be made up on the basis of the real communication and discussions with people. Caution will be required avoid leading questions or suggesting outcomes (Smeyer, 2008).
The researcher will also use tact and skill to discover the thoughts of interviewees. He will strive to look natural, not a person with special role but one who engages with respondents on person to person basis. Emphasis will be placed to where the interview will be performed. Among the things to be considered will include seating arrangement, researcher’s dress code, manner of approach, and all interests of equality (Mason, 2002). Various methods will be used in the process of the investigation. These techniques will include checking on contradictions, imbalances, implausibility, inconsistencies or exaggerations that are apparent; searching for opinions; requesting for clarifications; asking for explanations and posing alternatives; seeking comparisons; pursuing the logic of arguments; and probing for further information; aiming at comprehensiveness; asking hypothetical questions; and using occasional summaries and often requesting for corroboration (Wagner, 1991).
Sampling Technique
Sampling technique will effectively be applied in circumstances where qualitative research needs generalization of issues. This will cover places, times and persons. Thus, when surveying the targeted population, different settings will be considered effectively (Francis, 2004). This is because behavior can differ markedly in different situations. The researcher will also consider time factor, such as weekly and yearly cycles critical in schools (Coolidge, 2006). The groups will be sampled across according to some appropriate criteria, such as age, gender, ethnicity, experience. Limited representative sampling will effectively be applied in qualitative research as it will be exploratory in nature, problems of negotiating access, and the challenges of data collection and data processing (Woods, 1996). An opportunity sample will be used in areas where unfettered access will be provided.
Ethical Concerns and how they will be addressed
The paper will highlight key ethical issues in qualitative research in special education and provide some guidance for those reviewing such research. The researcher will consider potential risks to respondents, and provide suggestions for reducing these risks. Lack of emphasis on ethical aspects of qualitative special education services may relate to an understanding that it is unlikely to endanger participants. The main ethical issues to be considered will include anxiety and distress, exploitation of participants, misrepresentation, identification of respondents by self and others, and inconveniences and opportunity cost (Jarvis, 199).
Anxiety
The qualitative research on the topic will delve on in-depth understanding of teachers’ perceptions on classroom practices that meet the needs of special education students in vocational secondary schools. It will also explore reasons and contexts for respondents’ beliefs and actions designed to be probing in nature. As a common qualitative method, interviews will particularly be suited to data gathering on sensitive issues. The characteristics of interview method may cause anxiety or distress to respondents. The researcher may not predict accurately questions that may cause anxiety and distress on respondents.
Conclusion
The aim of study will be to gain information through experiences and perceptions of vocational secondary school teachers and their ability to teach students with disabilities. The study will be limited in the survey that seeks perceptions of teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors. The will be the result of individual feelings and experiences. Generalizations of study subjects will be made with caution. Given the limitations, the study will present important new information necessary for consideration by practitioners when designing programs to sufficiently prepare classroom teachers to work effectively with students with special needs.
The last part of the study the respondents will be requested to accept or disagree with statements regarding teaching students with disabilities. The results of the investigation will demonstrate some bias and emotional barriers that may exist as far as teaching students with special needs. The result will also be expected to reveal some misconceptions about learners with special needs, which can effectively affect effective instruction. Teachers will be allowed to express their thoughts about inclusion and list their major concerns regarding instructing learners with special needs. the targeted concerns may include discipline and classroom management, support from other teachers and administrators; restricted knowledge about methods and adaptations for learners with disabilities; assessment, expectations and grading for learners with disabilities; and safety and liability matter (Mason, 2002). Finally, the study will confirm findings from other studies and clarify issues concerning inclusion and instruction of learners with disabilities in vocational classrooms.
Reference List
Chenail, R. (2011). Interviewing the Investigator: Strategies for Addressing Instrumentation and Researcher Bias Concerns in Qualitative Research. The Qualitative Report, vol 16.
Coolidge, F. (2006). Statistics: A Gentle Introduction. California: Sage Publishers.
Francis, E., Joseph, R., & Howard, A. (2004). Understanding and Implementing Inclusion. Massachusetts: Christopher-Gordon Publishers.
Girdin, E. (2008). Evaluating Research Articles from Start to Finish. California: Sage.
Goussinky, R., Reshef, A., Yanay-Ventura, G., & Yossour-Borochowitz, D. (2011). Teaching Qualitative Research for human service Students. The Qualitative Report, Vol 16.
Jarvis, P. (1998). The Practitioner researcher. California: Jossey-Bass.
Mason, J. (2002). Qualitative Researching. London: Sage.
Milanovich, N. (1986). “Vocational-Technical Teacher Certification– Where Are We? And Where Are We Going?” New York: Institute for Research and Development in Occupational Education.
Smeyer, P. (2008). Qualitative and quantitative Research Methods. London: Routledge.
Thomas, G., Walker, D., & Webb, J. (1988). The Making of the Inclusive School. London: Routledge.
US Department of Education. (1991). Thirteenth Annual Report on Congress on the Implementation of the education of the Handicapped Act. Washington, DC: Government Printing office.
Wagner, M. (1991). The Benefit of Secondary vocational Education for Young People with Disabilities. California: SRI International.
Walford, F. (1998). Doing Research about Education. London: Routledge.
Woods, P. (1996). Researching the Art of Teaching. London: Routledge.