Special Education Referral Practices of Regular Classroom Teachers
Pugach, Marleen Carol
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/68876
Description
Title
Special Education Referral Practices of Regular Classroom Teachers
Author(s)
Pugach, Marleen Carol
Issue Date
1983
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Special
Abstract
Classroom teachers' uses and perceptions of the special education referral system were investigated by collecting information from teacher interviews, referral records, and questionnaires submitted to principals. Thirty-nine classroom teachers--21 elementary and 18 junior high--were randomly selected from a single midwestern school district serving approximately 5,000 students. Teachers were interviewed concerning their decision-making practices when initiating referrals for mildly handicapped students, their characterizations of referred students' problems, and their satisfaction with the existing referral system. Techniques of content analysis were used to develop categories from the interview responses to describe how the referral process is utilized. The data indicate variability in the degree to which teachers attempt interventions prior to making referrals, in the functions the referral decision fills, and in teachers' uses of support services personnel prior to referral. The reasons offered for referring particular students also vary greatly but include primarily mild problems which do not readily imply the need for intensive special education services. District practices suggest that the majority of referred students are evaluated, identified as handicapped, and subsequently receive special education services. Policy implications of these results are discussed in terms of potential teacher bias in the referral and identification process and issues of accessibility of special education services for students with mild learning and behavior problems.
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