STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM

Abstract

This study attempted to address gaps in how the perceptions of special education teachers had an effect on how they taught, and the support they receive from their leadership. The purpose of the study was to examine how the perception of special education teachers affects how they approach teaching career readiness attitudes and skills that are embedded in the hidden curriculum, and their perception of the support from leadership that they receive. This is an important issue because as students navigate through school and look toward post-secondary opportunities, having been exposed to the “soft skills” they will need to be successful in a vocational setting is essential. Also, the perspective of the special education teacher is important because they can provide insight and work in collaborative manners with both other teachers and leaders.Data were collected through surveys and interviews from current special education teachers or from those who previously were special education teachers. This latter category does include respondents who transitioned from teaching to administrative positions. There was a total of 11 survey participants and 20 interviews were conducted. The survey was based on the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) and the ECLS program (2020). These two surveys have been used by researchers to capture teacher attitudes and behaviors related to the topic at hand. For example, Merlin (2021) used the NTPS data to capture the pre-service experiences of a nationally represented sample. Jennings and DiPrete (2010), analyzed ECLS data and found that some aspects of academic achievement are a function of teacher effects on social and behavioral skills. Breinholt and Jaeger (2020) found a positive relationship between teachers focusing on developing students’ cultural capital and their educational performance. Other researchers used these data to understand better classroom experiences for students with disabilities (Bowling et al, 2017; Jung & Bradley, 2006; Rhinehart, et al., 2022). The majority of the survey respondents felt that it was important to cover class content, and fewer thought that helping students work with others or including work readiness skills were important. The survey provided the foundation to dig deeper into the experiences of special education teachers. The interviews provided an elaborate account of the experiences and perceptions of special education teachers. The results provided themes that could answer the research questions. The findings provide insight into how special education teachers and other educators teach and work with students with disabilities. The implications of this study can inform policy and practice for special education teachers and school leadership. It can also help build collaborative efforts between leadership, special education teachers, and general education teachers. Additional research is needed to further examine how the perceptions of other educators, and school leadership affects the teaching of students with disabilities.