Historically, the United States has been faced with the challenge of providing an adequate and appropriate education to a diverse population. As the ethnic tapestry depicting American culture becomes more interwoven and complex each year, the demands to provide such an education have not grown any easier. The National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983) focused on the shortcomings of public schools and identified ineffective teaching as a significant cause of school failure. Universities and colleges were charged with failing to meet the challenge of improving qualities of teachers entering the field of teaching (Johnston & Assoc., 1989)