Engaging a Developmentally Disabled Community through Arts-Based Service-Learning.

This study examined whether teaching in a community arts orga nization that provides services for people with developmental disabilities enabled preservice art teachers to better understand diverse contexts of art programs and the benefits of teaching the arts to others. Through this activity, the author also exam ined whether preservice art teachers became more civic-minded individuals. Preservice art teachers applied course concepts in a community setting by teaching art lessons to people with disabilities. Pretest and posttest questionnaires, students’ reflec tions, and observation were used to study changes in preservice art teachers’ perceptions by considering variables and indicators from a model proposed by Amy Driscoll et al. (1998) to assess students involved in service-learning. Preservice art teachers showed a reduction in anxiety around this community, leadership development, strong relationship building, and a change in perceptions about community engagement and outreach. However, results revealed shortcomings in realizing concern for social justice implicit in the goals of this study.