Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1997

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Education

Major Professor

Gerald C. Ubben

Committee Members

Mary Jane Connelly, George Harris, Michael Hannum

Abstract

In this study elementary public school teachers and principals were surveyed to determine how much total time they spend on special education tasks. Teachers were also surveyed to determine if that total time was influenced by school, grade level, or inclusion. Teachers and principals were surveyed to determine on which tasks they spend their time. Data was analyzed to compile basis statistics. An analysis of covariance was done on the grade level, school, and inclusion responses. The results of this survey indicate that grade is a predictor of how much time is spent on special education tasks. The results also indicate that the amount of time teachers spend on special education may depend on the school they are in. and that for the most part teachers in inclusion classrooms spend more time on special education than do teachers in noninclusion classrooms. Teachers indicated they spend approximately 25% of their day on special education related tasks, while principals indicated they spend approximately 30% of their total time on special education related tasks. Teachers' responses indicated they spend the greatest amount of time on classroom management of special education, averaging 8.2%. Teachers averaged spending 5.2% on preparing for instruction in special education, 8% on using appropriate teaching strategies, and 4.8% on using evaluation to improve instruction. Principals averaged spending the greatest amount of time on special education tasks in the area of Instructional leadership with 10.6%. They spent almost as much time on communication and interpersonal relation at 10.4%. Elementary principals also spent 6.1% of their time on professional growth and leadership, and 5.7% on organizational management. The study concluded that teachers and principals spend a great deal of time on special education tasks. It further determined that the amount of time spent on special education tasks decrease from kindergarten through eighth grade, the amount of time spend varies from school to school and, most of the time teachers in inclusion classrooms spend more time on special education tasks.

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