ERIC Number: EJ1263518
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2159-4341
EISSN: N/A
Roles of Special Educators in St. Lucia: Implications of Policy and Practice on Inclusion
Lubin, Jacqueline
Journal of International Special Needs Education, v23 n1 p33-44 2020
Using an adaptation of Brownell and Smith's (1993) conceptual model, this study sought to examine the perception of primary and secondary special educators in St. Lucia of their roles as compared to roles of special education teachers universally. A survey, consisting of 89 Likert-scale statements and five closed ended questions, was administered to the entire population (i.e. 82) of special educators in primary and secondary schools in St. Lucia. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics including percentages, means, and t-tests. The independent sample t-test was used to determine the difference in the frequency of role engagement between the two groups of special educators. The results revealed that like special educators globally, special education teachers in St. Lucia engaged in all roles under study (i.e., Academic instruction, Non-academic instruction, Instructional Support, Responsive Behavior Management, Special Education Assessment, Classroom Assessment, Special Education Paperwork) but engaged in them at varying degrees. They regarded all but one role (i.e. Responsive Behavior Management) to be very-to-extremely important. Respondents utilized a continuum of practices from exclusionary to inclusionary but made greater use of exclusionary practices. Implications as well as recommendations to improve practice are discussed.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Special Education Teachers, Teacher Role, Elementary Secondary Education, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Responsibility, Behavior Modification, Instruction, Interpersonal Competence, Skill Development, Study Skills, Daily Living Skills, Regular and Special Education Relationship, Discipline, Student Evaluation
Division of International Special Education and Services, Council for Exceptional Children. Web site: http://www.jisne.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Saint Lucia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A