Graduation Term

Spring 2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Department of Special Education

Committee Chair

Allison M. Kroesch

Committee Member

Stacey Jones Bock

Committee Member

Christy Borders

Abstract

Inclusive education requires educators to hold beliefs that support the participation and success of students with disabilities in general education settings. Although federal policy mandates access to the least restrictive environment, educator attitudes toward inclusion continue to influence the implementation of inclusive practices. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine whether explicit professional development (PD) focused on inclusive mindsets influenced school stakeholders’ attitudes toward inclusion across a school year. Participants included representatives from various roles within a charter school organization in the Midwest. The researcher collected data through two administrations of the Adapted Teacher Attitudes Toward Inclusion Survey (ATTAS-mm), which measures attitudes across three constructs: perceptions of support for students with disabilities (POS), professional roles and responsibilities in inclusive settings (PRF), and beliefs about the efficacy of inclusion (BEI). The researcher analyzed quantitative data using descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and thematically coded qualitative responses. Results indicated a statistically significant change in POS, while PRF and BEI demonstrated smaller but positive changes. Qualitative findings highlighted increased shared responsibility, reduced ableism, and greater emphasis on student self-advocacy. These findings suggest that explicit PD on inclusive mindsets can strengthen educator beliefs that support inclusive practice.

Access Type

Dissertation-Open Access

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