Teaching and supporting students with disabilities: An investigation of the attitudes and practices of catholic high school teachers in United States

Abstract

Catholic schools in the United States have long had the reputation of requiring students to adapt to their methods of instruction and to meet their behavioral expectations or be removed from the schools. Today, a great number of U.S. Catholic schools are accepting students who struggle academically and social-emotionally including students with diagnosed disabilities. This raises significant questions about the structures in place to support these students. This article reports results from a survey of U.S. Catholic teachers about how prepared they feel to teach and the instructional strategies they use with students with disabilities. Furthermore, this study explores teachers’ attitudes toward the support they receive from their principals. Results of this research indicate that Catholic Schools in the U.S. have made progress in meeting the needs of students with disabilities; however, it also shows a need for further development and continued research.