Pre-service Teachers with Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities for Directors of Student Teaching in Western Canada

Abstract

In response to the lack of Canadian research about the practicum experiences of pre-service teachers with disabilities, a survey of ten Directors of Student Teaching in Western Canadian universities was conducted and revealed both strengths and challenges in current practices. Recommendations for teacher education are explored, and several future research directions are highlighted. En réponse à l’absence de recherche sur les expériences de stage des enseignants en formation souffrant d’invalidité, un sondage a été effectué auprès de dix directeurs de stagiaires dans des universités de l’Ouest du Canada. Le sondage a révélé à la fois les points forts et les défis présentés par les pratiques actuelles. Des recommandations pour la formation des enseignants sont explorées et plusieurs futurs axes de recherche sont présentés.

(Re)-Defining ‘Teacher’: Preservice Teachers with Disabilities in Canadian Teacher Education Programs

“…DSTs reiterated the survey findings (Sokal et al, 2017) that depicted DSTs ensuring that the practicum sites chosen for preservice TWDs were a good fit for these particular students, considering ‘fit’ had the dual benefit of providing a structure in which preservice TWDs could experience success while ensuring the good health of the relationship between schools, faculties of education, and preservice teachers, both with and without disabilities: And I know when I'm doing the placement, I have a little star by the person's name, like okay, I've got to put this person, necessarily in a spot, like not a tough, tough school. So, there are processes that are put in place that they benefit from.…”

“…Although the inclusion of all children in the classroom has received focused and concerted effort over the past number of years, the inclusion and education of TWDs is just emerging into the consciousness of researchers, faculties of education, and school officials. This has been an area of increasing curiosity for us, the authors, as seen in our past work (Sokal, Woloshyn, & Wilson, 2017).…”

“…Finding the 'fit'. DSTs reiterated the survey findings (Sokal et al, 2017) that depicted DSTs ensuring that the practicum sites chosen for preservice TWDs were a good fit for these particular students, considering 'fit' had the dual benefit of providing a structure in which preservice TWDs could experience success while ensuring the good health of the relationship between schools, faculties of education, and preservice teachers, both with and without disabilities:…”

“…To respond to the paucity of research relating to TWDs, particularly preservice TWDs in the practicum setting, we surveyed DSTs from across Canada to gain insight into their perceptions on barriers and supports that led to successful practicum placements for preservice TWDs (Sokal et al, 2017). Our recent findings demonstrated tensions that existed between accommodation and competency, as well as insights into inclusive practices.…”

Employing teachers with disabilities: A multifaceted prism of school principals’ ethical dilemmas

“…While studies concerning the ethical issues relevant to school principals are relatively common, very few of them have examined the unique ethical dilemmas of principals employing teachers with disabilities. Furthermore, the overall literature on this topic is very limited and largely outdated (Ayer, 1970; Sokal et al, 2017). School principals, similarly to principals of other organizations, often find themselves torn between their commitment to the organization’s success and their desire to follow inclusive education ideals and see beyond one’s disability.…”