Principal Preservice Education for Leadership in Inclusive Schools

Abstract

Principal leadership has been identified as the key to successful implementation of inclusive education for students with disabilities. Prospective principals require knowledge, skills, and dispositions to equip them to work with key stakeholders to initiate and sustain inclusive practices within their schools. The purpose of this action research study was to (a) examine principals’ perspectives on their preservice education needs to prepare them for a leadership role in an inclusive school; (b) to develop and implement an experimental graduate-level course in Educational Administration focusing on leadership in inclusive education; and (c) collect data on student and instructor experiences and perspectives throughout the course. This paper reports on the course development and implementation within two settings in subsequent semesters. Findings indicate agreement on the need for preservice education to prepare principals for leadership within inclusive schools and recommendations for course content and delivery are discussed.

The Moderating Role of Gender and Age in the Relationship Between School Principals' Inclusive Leadership Behaviors and Teachers' Organizational Cynicism Levels

“…Cynic attitudes can also cause all kinds of negative emotions such as an increase in disgust and embarrassment of organizations (Naus, 2007). Since the literature on inclusive leadership is still new, the literary research on inclusiveness intends to evaluate inclusive education practices rather than investigating the effects of school principals' inclusive leadership behaviors (Hirak et al, 2012;Kim et al, 2005;Lyons, 2016;Lundqvist & Bodin, 2021;Van Reusen et al, 2001;Zwane & Malale, 2018). This study may lead the way to complete the existing gap in the literature working on the relationship between inclusive leadership and organizational behaviors.…”