THE ATTITUDES OF EDUCATORS TOWARD HANDICAPPED CHILDREN

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between contact, experience and educator's attitudes toward handicapped children. It distinguished between attitudes toward physically disabled children and mentally handicapped children.;As related to attitudes toward this population, the questions asked were: (1)Does contact with handicapped children significantly relate to attitudes? (2)Do mainstream teachers have more positive attitudes than do regular classroom teachers? (3)Do regular classroom teachers with five years of teaching experience or less have more positive attitudes than do regular classroom teachers with more than five years of teaching experience? (4)Do special education teachers with five years of teaching experience or less have more positive attitudes than do special education teachers with more than five years of experience? (5)Do special education teachers without previous teaching experience in the regular classroom have more positive attitudes than do special education teachers with previous experience in the regular classroom? (6)Do special education teachers have more positive attitudes than do mainstream teachers?;The findings indicated: (1)Contact did not appear to have an effect on attitudes. (2)Mainstream teachers appeared to have more positive attitudes than regular classroom teachers. (3)Years of experience did not appear to have an effect on special education teachers or regular classroom teachers' attitudes. (4)Previous experience did not appear to have an effect on attitudes. (5)Elementary school special education teachers appeared to have more positive attitudes than mainstream teachers who in turn appear to have more positive attitudes than regular classroom teachers.;Hypotheses were measured by Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons Scale - P (ATDP-P) and the ATDP-NP. Both were revisions of the ATDP-B.;Thirteen hundred New York City school teachers received packets including the ATDP-P, ATDP-NP and a Personal Data Form. Three hundred and five questionnaires were returned to the researcher. Significance was determined by using the Kruskal Wallis test.;Recommendations for further studies included: (a)The measurement of differential teacher attitudes toward children with differing handicaps. (b)A behavioral assessment of attitudes of educators toward handicapped children. (c)A survey to define attitudes. (d)The measurement of the effects of various types of experience on the attitudes of teachers toward handicapped children.