Teacher, peer, and other adult interaction with mainstreamed trainable mentally handicapped students

146 Pages·1992·4.1 MB·English

by  Defluiter, Mary-Louise E

TEACHER, PEER, AND OTHER ADULT INTERACTION WITH
MAINSTREAMED TRAINABLE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED STUDENTS
By
MARY-LOUISE E. DEFLUITER
A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
1992
Copyright 1992
by
Mary E. deFluiter
.
This dissertation is dedicated with love
to my Mom and Dad who have seen me
through the worst of times and the best
of times and to my fiancee' without whose
support I could never have completed this
dissertation
This dissertation is also dedicated to
all those children with whom this
researcher has worked and to all the
parents, teachers, and staff who have
worked so hard to make the lives of
special education students better.
.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I wish to thank my committee chair.
Dr. James W. Hensel, and cochair, Dr. Joan L. Curcio for
their guidance and encouragement throughout the completion of
this dissertation. In addition, I wish to express my sincere
appreciation to my previous chairman Dr. Michael Y. Nunnery
for his wisdom and tireless effort. Additional thanks and
appreciation are extended to the other members of the
committee: Dr. Phillip A. Clark and Dr. Charles J. Forgnone
Appreciation is also expressed to Dr. David Miller for his
advice and encouragement. A special expression of gratitude
is extended to my parents, Ed and Gloria deFluiter, for their
love, support, and sacrifice. Very special thanks are
extended to my fiancee, without whose love and support this
dissertation could not have been completed.
I also wish to thank my family, my friends, my
colleagues, the staff, and students of Brevard County Schools
for their tolerance and encouragement. Finally, I wish to
thank my Kappa Alpha Theta sisters of Delta Theta chapter at
the University of Florida, whose support in the final days
made the difference.
iv
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
LIST OF FIGURES ^iii
LIST OF TABLES
ABSTRACT
CHAPTERS
1 INTRODUCTION
j_
Statement of the Problem
Purpose 5
Delimitations 5
ODJreugfsaitnniiifztiaictoaintoinoonfofTfeorrtmhsetheDisSsteurdtyation !.*.'!."."!,' 113087
2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE I5
Legislative and Judicial Precedent:
PR.eLgA.ulBa9rr4i-e1Cf4l2aHsisIsrmtopooarcmytPlonaceameFnltoriodfaMeSncthaoolllyDistrict ! 2^15
LitHearnadtiucraeppIendvoSltvuidnegntTsMH Students in Regular 22
SumEmdaurcyatainodnIamnpdliOctahteironPsertinent Research .... 3400
3 METHODOLOGY
SIenlsetcrtuimoenntaotfiotnhe Samples ''' 45
Collection of the Data .'.*.*.',".'.".'.'.".*.' 49
4 PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA 52
V
5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 72
Summary 72
Conclusions 74
Results of the Study in Relation to Possible
Causes 7g
Practical Applications of the Findings 81
Implications for Further Research 82
APPENDICES i .
A SURVEY INSTRUMENT FOR TEACHERS AND
OTHER ADULTS / 86
B SURVEY INSTRUMENT FOR STUDENTS AT THE
HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL 9O
C SURVEY INSTRUMENT FOR STUDENTS AT THE
ELEMENTARY LEVEL 94
D SOCIAL INTERACTION OBSERVATION FORM 98
E TYPES OF INTERACTION 100
F POPULATION MATRIX 102
G SOCIAL INTERACTION OBSERVATION FORM 105
H INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD PERMISSION 110
I SECOND COVER LETTER TO DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS
FOR EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION 112
J SECOND COVER LETTER TO DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM
DEVELOPMENT FOR EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT
EDUCATION
K SECOND COVER LETTER TO LEAD TEACHER OF
MENTALLY HANDICAPPED STUDENTS 116
L SECOND COVER LETTER TO PRINCIPALS OF
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS US
M SECOND COVER LETTER TO SELECTED CLASSROOM
TEACHERS
^^20
N SECOND COVER LETTER TO SELECTED CLASSROOM
OTHER ADULT(S) ^22
0 THIRD COVER LETTER TO PARENTS OF TRAINABLE
MENTALLY HANDICAPPED STUDENTS IN
SELECTED CLASSROOMS
I24
vi
P THIRD COVER LETTER TO PARENTS OF
NONHANDICAPPED PEERS IN SELECTED CLASSROOMS.. 126
REFERENCES
]_27
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH I33
vii
LIST OF TABLES
I^hlS. Page
1 Chi-Square Data for Teachers 59
2 Chi-Square Analysis for Teachers 59
3 Chi-Square Data for Nonhandicapped Students 65
4 Chi-Square Analysis for Nonhandicapped
Students
gg
5 Chi-Square Data for Other Adults 70
6 Chi-Square Analysis for Other Adults 71
viii
LIST OF FIGURES
1 Perceptions of Interactions by Teachers 54
2 Observations of Interactions by Teachers 57
3 Perceptions of Interactions by Nonhandicapped
Students
4 Observations of Interactions by Nonhandicapped
Students
5 Perceptions of Interactions by Other Adults 67
6 Observations of Interactions by Other Adults 69
ix
.
Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the
Graduate School of the University of Florida
RienquPiarretmieanltsFuflofriltlhmeenDtegorfeethoef ir
Doctor of Education
TEACHER, PEER, AND OTHER ADULT INTERACTION WITH
MAINSTREAMED TRAINABLE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED STUDENTS
By
Mary-Louise E. deFluiter
August 1992
Chair: James W. Hensel
Cochair: Joan L. Curcio
Major Department: Educational Leadership
The purpose of the study was to analyze the interactions
of classroom teachers, nonhandicapped peers, and other adults
with trainable mentally handicapped (TMH) students in
integrated classrooms. The purpose of the analysis was to
compare the subjects' perceptions with the actual frequency
and type of their interactions within integrated, regular
education classrooms located within an urban Florida
district. The study was further designed to focus on the
interactions initiated by classroom teachers, nonhandicapped
peers, and other adults in the integrated, regular
classrooms
The subjects were 110 nonhandicapped students, 8 regular
classroom teachers, and 4 other adults who accompanied 8 TMH
X