Identifying Confidence Levels and Instructional Strategies of High School Agricultural Education Teachers When Working with Students with Special Needs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify confidence levels of high school agriculture teachers when working with students with special needs and to determine what strategies teachers are using within their classrooms. One state was randomly selected from each of the six National Association for Agricultural Education regions and a stratified random sampling method was used. A random sample of 333 was selected with a response rate of 62%. Participants completed a questionnaire that measured teacher confidence, identified the teaching strategies that were being used, ascertained the perceived effectiveness of the strategies, and collected demographic information. Data analysis indicated that teachers are using recognized practices in their classes, though they are more likely to use practices that are easy to implement and that benefit more students than specific individualized strategies. Overall, teachers are confident in their abilities; however, they disagree that their teacher training programs and in–service opportunities have prepared them to work with students with special needs. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine predictors of confidence, and the model for total teacher confidence accounted for 11.7% of the variance. The total regression model involved in–service participation, age, and having a friend or family member with a disability.

Perceptions of North Carolina High School Agricultural Educators Regarding Students with Special Needs Participating in Supervised Agricultural Experience and FFA Activities

“…Elbert and Baggett (2003) concluded there was a need for research on students with disabilities in Agricultural Education. Trends have shown the population of students with special needs has increased in Agricultural Education; therefore, teachers must be both willing and prepared to meet their unique demands (Stair, 2009). Examining teachers' perceptions of working with students who have special needs in FFA and SAE could provide insight into how to help teachers best meet the needs of these students.…”

Agriculture teachers' perception and practice for teaching students with disabilities

“…Agriculture teachers were observed to use Traditional Instructional Practices with higher frequency than the two other categories of instructional practice. This corresponds with a reported lack of frequent use of components for Direct Instruction and Strategy Instruction by agriculture teachers (Stair, Moore, Wilson, Croom, & Jayaratne, 2010). The four highest Traditional Instructional Practices are teacher-centered, which implies that agriculture teachers may find teacher-centered instruction to be more natural than studentcentered instructional approaches.…”

“…Evidence has been established that through special education research that supports Direct Instruction and Strategy Instruction as successful instructional practices for teaching students with learning disabilities (Swanson, 1999;Bulgren, Hock, Schumaker, & Deshler, 1995). Positive impact for students (Davis, Akers, Doerfert, McGregor, & Kieth, 2005;Pense, Watson, & Wakefield, 2009, 2010 and teachers' perceptions toward teaching students with disabilities have also been described within agricultural education (Richardson & Washburn, 2006;Stair, Moore, Wilson, Croom, & Jayaratne, 2010). However, agriculture teachers' espoused and observed use of evidence-based instructional practices need to be studied.…”

“…Although not reported in the same terminology as encountered in special education literature, the following elements of Direct Instruction and Strategy Instruction were identified by agriculture education teachers (Richardson & Washburn, 2006) The instructional practices identified in Richardson and Washburn's (2006) Delphi study were investigated in a national study (Stair, Moore, Wilson, Croom, & Jayaratne, 2010). The study was designed to identify which instructional practices agriculture teachers applied in their classrooms and perceived to be effective.…”

“…Teachers also reported the use of the good hands-on skills strategy most often in their classes. While research within agricultural education has identified the presence of evidence-based instructional components (Richardson & Washburn, 2006), agriculture teachers are not reporting use of the elements of Direct Instruction or Strategy Instruction frequently (Stair et al, 2010).…”