Waters, C. (2022). Science teacher beliefs, knowledge, and skill in accommodating and modifying curriculum for students with disabilities (Publication No. 28868166) [Doctoral dissertation, Washington State University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2709978947

Washington State University (Pullman, WA); ProQuest document ID: 2709978947

The following test accommodations were identified by interview participants: individual administration, oral delivery, preferential seating, reference sheet (e.g., math equations that needed to be used), separate location.

Four high school science teachers from a large suburban high school in a western U.S. state completed surveys and participated in interviews. The participants were identified or recommended by colleagues and administrators for participation because they were perceived to show success in working with students with disabilities. Data on work experience and demographics were collected.

Data were collected in various ways. Interviews were conducted with teacher participants that asked for information on: (a) their feelings or thoughts on teaching science to students with disabilities, including their perceptions of accommodations, students' needs, and their own teaching skills, as well as the indicators that they used to determine student success; (b) the accommodations and modifications that they have applied in their teaching practices and their views on their selected student work samples—including tests, labs, written work, and verbal work. Additionally, a classroom observation protocol was used that documented the learning objectives for the observed lesson, as well as a narrative of teacher and student actions, teaching strategies, and the teachers' reflections after the class sessions.

Teacher participants reported their knowledge of universal design practices, and their approaches for broadening access to instructional accommodations—such as graphic organizer notetaking supports, student read-aloud of textbook passages and lab and other assignment instructions, scaffolded tasks, and providing paraeducator-read text recording. These were available to all students at their request. The teachers generally believed that their high school students with disabilities would not feel self-conscious requesting instructional accommodations when any student could request them. They also discussed test accommodations that their students used: individual administration, oral delivery, math reference guides (e.g., equations that needed to be used), preferential seating separate location. Some of the participants perceived that some test accommodations identified in one of more of their students’ IEPs were not helpful (e.g., preferred seating).