The Impact of the learning disabilities label upon teachers' evaluations

This study investigated the impact of teacher and child classroom behaviors upon teacher bias generated by the learning disabilities (LD) label. Eighty elementary school teachers were randomly assigned to three different independent variables in a crossed design: 1) Test Sensitization (pretest/posttest vs. posttest only); 2) Expectation (LD vs. normal); and 3) Instructional Mode (large group teacher-led vs. individual seatwork). After watching one of two videotapes which showed six children and a teacher in a classroom setting, the teachers completed two dependent measures. These were the Classroom Behavior Inventory, a global child characteristic measure, and the State Event Classroom Observation System - Teacher, a precise retrospective observation measure.

The results clearly demonstrated that the teachers who were given the LD expectation did not significantly rate the identified child on either videotape more negatively than did those teachers who were given the normal expectation. It was the instructional mode variable, instead of the expectation variable, which did significantly influence the teachers' responses on both measures. The influence of the instructional mode variable suggests that the teachers were sensitive to the child's behavior and evaluated the child accordingly. In conclusion, the results of the current study suggest that teachers, when exposed to teacher and child classroom behaviors, are not necessarily biased by the LD label. The data also illustrate that the bias did not negatively influence a precisely worded retrospective observation measure nor a global child characteristic measure.

These conclusions indicate that future research should focus on how teacher training and the characteristics of various student evaluation procedures influence the impact of bias. Further research should also be conducted to identify and investigate those child and teacher classroom behaviors which may influence bias. The present study illustrates that in certain circumstances the LD bias can be attenuated; however, replication with intact classrooms and certified LD children is necessary before specific conclusions can be made about label generated bias and its influence upon teachers and students.