Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe the role that high school administrators take and concerns they have when implementing inclusive education for severely disabled students. This study also examined necessary modifications, training, and experience of administrators and comparisons with a study of elementary principals. Methodology. Descriptive research was used for this study. A survey was developed and sent to fifty high school administrators in Orange and San Diego Counties, California, who indicated that disabled students were included on their campuses. Forty-five administrators responded to the survey constituting a 90 percent return rate. The data were tabulated and analyzed using quantitative and qualitative techniques. Findings. High school administrators were most active in communicating change to their staffs and in the legal aspects of implementing inclusive education. A high concern remains about implementing inclusion effectively and having adequate funding and resources for support services for included students. Most administrators believed that autistic, blind, deaf, and orthopedically disabled students could be successfully included with varying degrees of modification and that seriously emotionally disturbed and mentally retarded students could not be successfully included regardless of modification. Conclusions and recommendations. High school administrators do not extend themselves much beyond the role they typically play when implementing inclusive education. They do not take time to get additional training and are concerned that the funding and resources are not available to effectively include students. Administrators believe that severely disabled students who are disruptive to the educational environment and take teacher time away from other students cannot be successfully included. Districts must develop ways to support administrators and their staff to become more involved with special education training and give an assurance that resources will be available to include students successfully. School sites must build collaborative teams between general and special education teachers to ensure a higher success rate for students and to maximize available resources. Well-planned programs must be developed and put into place that have built in assistance and support for general education teachers who have severely disabled students included in their classrooms.