 Students’ Self-perceptions of Support Anna Marie Villalobos

Research Questions  How do students with disabilities perceive their academic support in their general and special education classes?  How do students with disabilities perceive their social support in their general education and special education classes?  How are the perceptions of academic and social support of students with disabilities related to their academic identity?  How does listening to the counterstories of students with disabilities affect teacher understanding of students’ academic and social supports as reflected in their lesson planning?  How do the perceptions of academic and social supports of students with disabilities change in reaction to changes in teacher instruction?

Academic Identity  Students who reported liking school or Regional Occupational Center had higher attendance rate and/or higher GPA  Students with lower GPA and low California Standard Test Scores preferred academic curricular and academic instructional supports  Two themes arose related to Academic Identity  Sense of Belonging  Equity (gender differences)

Classroom Support Differences Students  Direct explicit instruction  What do I need to learn?  Instructional/Individual Supports  More in depth; answer questions  Peer Supports  Increase group work; monitor groups  Curricular Supports  Study guides; modified work  Physical Supports  Some place quiet Teachers  Organizational tools (notebooks)  Study guides  Notes  Calendars  Teacher gender differences

Students’ Themes  Supports  Instructional  Peer  Physical  Curricular  Onus to Learn  Equity  Favorite classes-engaging and relevant  Feeling of Success/Failure-rigorous and challenging general education

Teachers’ Themes  Approaching the teacher  Student self-advocacy  Built-in obstacles  Gender differences

Transformative Findings Students  Holder of important knowledge  Increased self-advocacy  Increased self-efficacy  Change agent in classroom  Building learning partnerships Teachers  Acknowledgement of student as holder of knowledge  Change in instruction not just special education students others as well  Building learning partnerships

Implications for Practice in Teacher/Administrator Preparation  Use this process to train teachers in teacher preparation and induction programs  Expand the use of student voice in the classroom to structure supportive classroom environments  Include students with disabilities early on in general education classes  Pursue rigor and challenging curriculum with support for students with disabilities  Administrators need to be trained in the importance of culture and context at the school site and in the classroom

Implications for Practice in Schools  Classroom Environment  Controlled  Organized  Equitable  Comfortable  Instruction  Direct and Explicit  Peer  Engaging  Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Universal Design for Learning  Role of Administrator in influencing school culture