Administrators' perceptions of special education

Date

1999-08-31

Authors

Payne, Yolanda

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Abstract

Reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and restructuring of education have made the administrator's role more important than ever. Research has shown that administrators do not have the knowledge to carry out the demands of the Act. A survey instrument was used to provide descriptive information about school administrators' perceptions of the reauthorized Act. The purpose was to conduct a statewide survey of elementary, middle, and high school principals to examine the current status of their perceptions of knowledge and responsibility for implementing special education programs on their campuses. There were 300 surveys mailed with 128 returned. Results indicated that most principals do not have special education backgrounds and little college training in this area, but believed there was a need to become better educated to appropriately implement students' Individual Education Plans . Major concerns and recommendations from administrators dealt with staying current regarding special education laws and procedures.

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Keywords

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, School administration, School principals, Special education

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