The main purpose of this study was to investigate various ways of implementing an efficient mainstreaming by performing an attitude survey from the parents and the teachers involved in the mainstreaming program. Three domains were investigated.
These...
The main purpose of this study was to investigate various ways of implementing an efficient mainstreaming by performing an attitude survey from the parents and the teachers involved in the mainstreaming program. Three domains were investigated.
These were (1) the educational background of the special children, (2) the parents and the teachers' attitudes about the mainstreaming and (3) the strategic variables for the mainstreaming.
The questionnaire constructed by this author was designed to collect (1) background data in 10 areas, (2) 52 items to measure the attitude and (3) 10 optional strategic variables.
The total number of subjects who responded to the survey questionnaire was children, 593; 100 parents with the normal 100 regular classroom teachers, 115 parents and 85 teachers of the special classes in the elementary schools, 47 parents and 32 teachers of the special classes in the middle schools, and 71 parents and 43 teachers of the special schools.
The results after a detailed statistical data analysis can be summarized as follows.
First, many parents and teachers are unsatisfied with the present administrative mainstreaming system. The parents with the handicapped are unsatisfied with the academic achievement of their children, while the teachers are unsatisfied with the supervisional management of the special classes.
Second, the parents and the teachers with the normal are the most negative on the social vocational competence of the handicapped.
Third, the parents emphasize more on the teachers' efforts and concerns about their children. On the other hand, the teachers want the parents to guide and encourage their children to practice what is learned in the school.
The recommendations of this study are as follows.
1. For the successful mainstreaming, the positive social attitude and understanding of the parents with the normal and the active participation of the parents with the handicapped are needed.
2. The educational information for the children development must be exchanged from the teachers to the parents and vice versa.
3. The teacher's specialization must be promoted by the administration with the frequent inservice training to develop more effective curriculum materials and teaching techniques.