Date of Award
1-1-1992
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Child and Youth Care Administration
Advisor
Mary Ellen Sapp
Committee Member
Dr. James Woodward
Keywords
behavior management, consultation, elementary school, emotionally disabled students, inclusion, incentive programs, mainstreaming, middle school, peer acceptance, peer tutoring, regular education, social skills training, special education, teacher attitudes, teacher training
Abstract
This practicum was designed to increase the number of emotionally disabled students placed in the mainstream in selected elementary and middle schools. Strategies included the use of behavior management and social skills training of both regular and special education teachers, social skills training of students, peer tutoring, and an incentive program for both the students and their teachers. Students received 45 minutes of social skills training each week for 36 weeks. The special education teachers consulted with the regular education teachers to assist them with the mainstreaming process and maintenance.
This practicum had six objectives: (1) to increase the training skills of exceptional teachers to enable them to mainstream students more successfully; (2) to increase the number of emotionally handy capped students placed in mainstream classes; (3) to increase the number of mainstream classes attended by the emotionally disabled students; (4) to increase the duration of the placement for the emotionally disabled students; (5) to improve the attitude of the regular education teacher towards accepting the emotionally disabled student; and (6) to improve the social skills of the emotionally disabled students for increased peer acceptance.
Outcomes of this practicum were positive. All objectives were met. The level of teacher training skills increased, the regular education teachers attitudes towards accepting the emotionally disabled students improved. Twenty-two out of the 27 students were able to increase the number of mainstream classes they attended. These same students were also able to maintain their mainstream placements for the duration of the practicum.