Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-sxzjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T21:36:37.374Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Educational Service Provision for Students with Mild Intellectual Disability: Teachers, Schools, Integration and Resources

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2016

Phil Foreman ,
Ian Dempsey ,
Greg Robinson  and
Robert Conway
Phil Foreman*
Affiliation:
Special Education Centre, University of Newcastle
Ian Dempsey
Affiliation:
Special Education Centre, University of Newcastle
Greg Robinson
Affiliation:
Special Education Centre, University of Newcastle
Robert Conway
Affiliation:
Special Education Centre, University of Newcastle
*
Address for correspondence: Associate Professor Phil Foreman, Special Education Centre, University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW 2308.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper reports the results of part of a three stage examination of services to students with mild intellectual disability in two educational regions of New South Wales. The purpose of the study was to obtain a comprehensive picture of the educational services being provided to these students. The stages in the study included a questionnaire completed by 68 teachers, an interview administered to a sub-sample of 27 teachers, and observations in seven classrooms. The results of the study reported in this paper relate to characteristics of the teachers and school and classroom variables, the nature of integration occurring in these settings, and the resources accessed and needed by these teachers. The study found that the average class size was 13.3 children; boys out-numbered girls by 1.66:1; fewer than half of the children also participated in an integration program; about half of the teachers had been trained in special education; and most teachers would have preferred more support services than they were receiving.

Type
Research Article
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , 1996 , pp. 12 - 24
Copyright
Copyright © The Australian Association of Special Education 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andrews, R.J., Elkins, J., Berry, P.B., & Burge, J.A. (1979). A survey of special education in Australia. Canberra: Schools Commission. Google Scholar
Ashby, G.R, Robinson, N.M., & Taylor, A.J. (1988). The special education service element of the Commonwealth Special Education Program: A review. A report for the Department of Employment, Education and Training. Kelvin Grove, Qld: Brisbane College of Advanced Education.Google Scholar
Center, Y., & Curry, C. (1993). A feasibility study of a full integration model developed for a group of students classified as mildly intellectually disabled. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 40, 3, 217–235.Google Scholar
Center, Y., Ward, J., Ferguson, C. Conway, R., & Linfoot, K. (1991). Integration of children with physical and intellectual disabilities into support (special) classes attached to regular schools. In Ashman, A.F. (Ed.), Current themes in integration, (pp. 37–60). University of Queensland: Fred & Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre.Google Scholar
Childs, R.E. (1981). Perceptions of mainstreaming by regular classroom teachers who teach mainstreamed educable mentally retarded students in the public schools. Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded, 16, 3, 225–227.Google Scholar
Conway, R.N.F., Robinson, G.L.W., Foreman, P.J., & Dempsey, I. (1996). Educational service provision for students with mild intellectual disability: Curriculum and programming, teaching strategies and management. The Australasian Journal of Special Education, 20 (1).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Danby, J. & Cullen, C. (1988). Integration and mainstreaming: A review of the efficacy of mainstreaming and integration for mentally handicapped pupils. Educational Psychology, 8 (3), 177–195.Google Scholar
Davis, W.E. (1990). Contemporary forces and factors affecting students with mild mental retardation. Paper presented at the annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Boston, MA, August, 1990.Google Scholar
Doherty, P. (1982). Strategies and initiatives for special education in NSW. Sydney: NSW Department of Education. Google Scholar
Epstein, M.H., Polloway, E.A., Patton, J.R., & Foley, R. (1989). Mild retardation: Student characteristics and services. Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded, 24 (1), 7–16.Google Scholar
NSW Department of Education (1989) Therapy services in NSW Department of Education schools. Sydney: Author. Google Scholar
NSW Department of School Education (1993) Special Education Plan 1993-1997. Sydney: Author. Google Scholar
Polloway, E.A., Patton, J.R., Smith, J.D., & Roderique, T.W. (1991). Issues in program design for elementary students with mild retardation: Emphasis on curriculum development. Education and Training in Mental Retardation, 26 (2), 142–150.Google Scholar
Polloway, E.A. & Smith, J.D. (1988). Current status of the mild mental retardation construct: Identification, placement and programs. In Wang, M.C., Reynolds, M.C., & Walberg, H.R. (Eds.), Handbook of special education research and practice: volume 2, Mildly handicapped conditions, (pp. 7–22). Oxford: Pergamon.Google Scholar
Polloway, E.A., Epstein, M.H., Patton, J.R., Cullinan, D., & Luebke, J. (1986). Demographic, social and behavioural characteristics of students with educable mental retardation. Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded, 21 (1), 27–34.Google Scholar
Polloway, E.A., Epstein, M.H., & Cullinan, D. (1985). Prevalence of behaviour problems among educable mentally retarded students. Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded, 20 (1), 3–13.Google Scholar
Richardson, S., Katz, M., & Koller, H. (1986). Sex differences in number of children administratively classified as mildly mentally retarded: An epidemiological review. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 91, 250–256.Google Scholar
Rutter, M., Tizard, J., & Whitmore, K. (1970). Education, health and behaviour. London: Longman. Google Scholar
Schalock, R.R., Stark, J.A., Snell, M.E., Coulter, D.L., Polloway, E.A., Luckasson, R., Reiss, S., & Spitalnik, D.M. (1994). The changing conception of mental retardation: Implications for the field. Mental Retardation. 32 (3), 181–193.Google Scholar
Wang, M.C. & Baker, E.T. (1986). Mainstreaming programs: Design features and effects. Journal of Special Education, 4, 503–521.Google Scholar