Task-related interactions among teachers and exceptional, at-risk, and typical learners in inclusive classrooms

Teacher-child interactions with exceptional, at-risk, and typical learners were observed in three inclusive classrooms. The purpose of this study was to examine both the frequency and type of teacher and student Initiations a nd responses. Observations were conducted at the beginning, middle, and end of one entire school year and based on naturally occurring teacher-child i nteraction. Behaviors included teacher initiations. student initiations, an d teacher responses to student initiations. Although the number of interact ions between teachers and children did not change over the year, the type o f interactions did change during the year in relation to child group member ship; Teachers initiated more task-related interactions with exceptional ch ildren and gave them more negative feedback compared to at-risk and typical learners, but only at the beginning of the year. In the middle of the year , teachers gave significantly more negative responses to the task-related a nd off-task initiations of students at risk than to children with disabilit ies or typical learners. By the end of the year, there were no significant differences in the number or type of initiations to any of the children. im plications are discussed for the practice of including children with specia l needs in the general education classroom.