Blugold prepares future teachers for instructing students with disabilities
Dec. 5—EAU CLAIRE — A student-faculty investigation of the methods used to prepare general education teachers to be more inclusive of students with disabilities earned top honors at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, UW-Eau Claire announced Monday.
The research, titled "Changing Perceptions of Inclusion: The Role of a Universal Design for Learning Framework in Pre-Service Teacher Preparation, was completed by UW-Eau Claire senior Maura Laesser, of Hammond, alongside senior Emily Nickolai, of Needah, and Karsten Powell, an assistant professor of special education and inclusive practices.
Laesser, who double-majored in elementary education and special education and inclusive practices,
saw the passion of special education instructors while she was a classroom assistant as a high school student, the university stated, and the soon-to-be graduate has developed a similar devotion to the profession as she prepares to graduate this month.
"I feel as though every educator should have a background in special education no matter what age or area they are focusing on," Laesser said in the university news release. "Inclusive practices are beneficial for all students and our job as teachers is to create a learning environment suitable for all students."
Aside from the NCUR, the team's research was also presented at UW-Eau Claire's Celebration of Excellence in Research and Creative Activity conference and the UW System Undergraduate Research Symposium, the university stated
After the research was selected as the top research across all education-related entries at NCUR, Powell called the accomplishment "an important achievement as far as undergraduate research is concerned."
"Throughout her time in our program, Maura exemplified the inquisitive, lifelong learner that we hope to see in all of our students," Powell told the university. "She sought out opportunities to always learn more, and used what she learned to help others, including her classmates and various students with disabilities."
As stated by the university, Laesser was instrumental in getting the research going to investigate methods for preparing general education teachers to be inclusive of students with disabilities, Powell said. Laesser sought out Powell for the research and expressed interest in working with another undergraduate student on the project.
The research started when Laesser was a teaching assistant in Powell's inclusive practices course, where she taught skills from the Universal Design for Learning framework designed to accommodate the needs of all learners, the university stated. Each week, students learned about a new disability category and would apply the knowledge to a lesson plan to promote inclusion of a specific student.
Throughout the 2021-2022 academic year, the researchers collected data to see how students' perceptions of inclusion changed, the university explained. They discovered that general education majors frequently need additional inclusive methods courses to develop their skills.
Laesser told the university the experience presenting the research at conferences has better prepared her to be an educator, gaining confidence, and communication and critical thinking skills. The NCUR honor was a reward for the time and effort she and Nickolai put into the project.
"We were beyond thankful to have had the opportunity to present our research at a national level," Laesser said. "This is a topic that each of us are passionate about, so it meant a lot for us to know that others were engaged in our research and valued our knowledge."
Laessar will graduate from UW-Eau Claire on Dec. 17. After graduation, she plans to work as a special education teacher and become an assistant hockey coach at Eau Claire North High School.
