Ayşe Dilşad YAKUT, Alexandra A. LAUTERBACH

EXAMINING TEACHERS’ DECISIONS IN REGARD TO REFERRAL AND PLACEMENT

One of the most important factors that can influence identification of students with disabilities is teachers’ decisions to refer a student for special education. Teachers’ beliefs about inclusion and student characteristics (students’ gender and problem type experienced by the students) can influence teachers’ decision making in special education. The purpose of this study was to examine diferences in teachers’ decisions in regard to referral and placement. We developed four cases in which we varied student’s gender and problem type (i.e. academic problems and behavioral problems). These cases include: (1) a male student exhibiting academic problems; (2) a female student exhibiting academic problems; (3) a male student exhibiting behavioral problems; and (4) a female student exhibiting behavioral problems. This study included data analysis from 264 elementary school teachers from one town of a metropolitan city in the East Marmara region of Turkey. Teachers responded to two close-ended questions in regard to referral and placement after reading each case scenarios. Results indicated a significant difference in teachers’ decisions based on the type of problem a student experiences. Teachers were more likely to make a decision to refer a student with behavioral challenges for special education evaluation and place a student with behavioral challenges in a special education classroom. There was no difference in teachers’ decisions based on students’ gender. Limitations and implications for future research were discussed.

ÖĞRETMENLERİN ÖZEL EĞİTİME GÖNDERME VE YERLEŞTİRME KARARLARININ İNCELENMESİ

Öğretmenlerin özel eğitime gönderme kararları, yetersizliği olan öğrencilerin tanılanmasını etkileyen en önemli faktörlerden biridir. Öğretmenlerin kaynaştırmayla ilgili algıları ve öğrencinin özellikleri (öğrencinin cinsiyeti ve öğrencinin yaşadığı problem türü) öğretmenlerin özel eğitimle ilgili kararlarını etkileyebilir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, öğretmenlerin özel eğitime gönderme ve özel eğitim sınıfına yerleştirme kararlarındaki farklılıkları incelemektir. Öğrencinin cinsiyetinin ve yaşadığı problem türünün (akademik problem veya davranış problemi) değiştirildiği dört örnek olay kullanılmıştır. Bu örnek olaylar: (1) akademik problem sergileyen bir erkek öğrenci; (2) akademik problem sergileyen bir kız öğrenci; (3) davranış problemi sergileyen bir erkek öğrenci; ve (4) davranış problemi sergileyen bir kız öğrenci. Bu çalışma, Türkiye'nin Doğu Marmara bölgesindeki bir metropolün bir ilçesinde görev yapan 264 sınıf öğretmeninin veri analizini içermektedir. Öğretmenlerden dört örnek olayı okuması ve iki kapalı uçlu soruya cevap vermesi istenmiştir. Bulgular, öğretmenlerin öğrencinin yaşadığı problem türüne göre özel eğitim değerlendirmesine gönderme ve özel eğitim sınıfına yerleştirme kararlarında anlamlı bir farklılık olduğunu göstermiştir. Ayrıca, öğretmenlerin davranış problemi olan öğrenciyi özel eğitim değerlendirmesi için gönderme ve davranış problemi olan öğrenciyi özel eğitim sınıfına yerleştirme kararı verme eğiliminde olduğu görülmüştür. Öğretmenlerin, özel eğitim değerlendirmesine gönderme ve özel eğitim sınıfına yerleştirme kararlarında öğrencinin cinsiyetine göre bir farklılık bulunamamıştır. Araştırmanın sınırlılıkları ve gelecek araştırmalara yönelik öneriler tartışılmıştır.

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Turkish Studies - Educational Sciences-Cover

ISSN: 2667-5609
Yayın Aralığı: Yılda 6 Sayı
Başlangıç: 2006
Yayıncı: ASOS Eğitim Bilişim Danışmanlık Otomasyon Yayıncılık Reklam Sanayi ve Ticaret LTD ŞTİ