The Effect of Positive Models of Inclusion on Band Students' Attitudinal Statements regarding the Integration of Students with Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of five positive models of inclusion on band students' attitudinal statements regarding the integration of students with disabilities in their music program. Elementary, junior high, and senior high school band students from 15 public school served as subjects (N = 757), and a Solomon Four-Group design was chosen for this study. Bands (from elementary, junior high, and senior high school) were randomly assigned to one of the following four conditions: (1) pretest-treatment-posttest, (2) pretest-posttest, (3) treatment-posttest, or (4) posttest only. The independent variable for this project was a 30-minute videotape containing five segments that documented students with cognitive, physical, behavioral, or sensory disabilities successfully participating in a band in either rehearsal or performance situations. The dependent variable was a questionnaire consisting of attitudinal statements related to the following subscales: (a) inclusion of students with disabilities in band, (b) degree of comfort with inclusion, (c) efficiency of the band with students who have a disability, and (d) procedural issues involving students with a disability in band. Results indicated that treatment-group subjects' attitudinal statements were significantly more positive than were attitudinal statements of control-group subjects on three of the four subscales: inclusion, comfort, and efficiency. In addition, female students were significantly more positive than were male students on the same subscales. No clear trends were found among the different age-groups.

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