Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe change processes that selected middle school principals demonstrated to initiate, plan, implement, and monitor special education inclusion programs. Methodology. Seventy-five principals, general and special education teachers, and paraprofessionals from four selected middle schools comprised the sample. All participants have worked together in their respective special education inclusion programs for a minimum of two years. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Interviews and open-ended survey questions were analyzed using qualitative methods. The return rate for both instruments was 100 percent. Findings. Key processes that principals demonstrated during four phases of the change process were: (1) Communicated the need for and the student benefits of a change to an inclusion program; (2) Enlisted inclusion team members in program planning and decision making; (3) Provided ongoing team training; (4) Helped define and clarify the roles and responsibilities of inclusion team members; (5) Observed, assessed, and provided team members with specific feedback; (6) Publicly acknowledged the good work of team members; (7) Met with inclusion teams to review student data and monitor achievement; (8) Continued to identify student successes and continuing gaps in learning, and (9) Celebrated the achievement of short-term instructional goals with the inclusion team. Conclusions. Principals: (1) Helped teachers overcome feelings of loss during the change to an inclusion program; (2) Developed a guiding coalition of teachers to examine, design, and implement appropriate instructional and classroom management processes for the inclusion program; (3) Used continuous evaluation to implement and improve the inclusion program. Future research. Replicate this study to measure the extent to which high school principals demonstrated the same processes to initiate, plan, implement, and monitor special education inclusion programs. Implications for action. Make ongoing training accessible to inclusion teams. Support continuous curriculum revision to improve program quality.