You are here

FAU Collections » FAU Research Repository » FAU Theses and Dissertations

effects of disability labels on special education and general education teachers' referrals for gifted programs

Download pdf | Full Screen View

Date Issued:
2003
Summary:
This study investigated the effect of the disability labels learning disabilities (LD) and emotional handicaps (EH) on general education and special education teachers' willingness to refer students to gifted programs. Referral differences between general education and special education teachers were also examined. Two hundred forty-seven teachers (195 general education teachers and 52 special education teachers) from one south Florida school district participated in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (no label, LD, EH) and asked to read a vignette describing a gifted student. All vignettes were identical except for one statement added to the LD or EH group stating the student had a disability. After reading the vignette, teachers completed a survey instrument with six questions regarding possible referral options. One of the six questions asked if they would refer the student to their school's gifted program. Teachers indicated their responses by circling one of four choices: strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree. Responses to the gifted referral question on the survey instrument served as the dependent variable. A 2 x 3 factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the main effects of labeled conditions (three levels), teacher certification type (two levels), and the interaction between labeled condition and teacher type. Results indicated that teachers were significantly influenced by the LD and EH label when making referrals to gifted programs. Both special education and general education teachers were much less willing to refer students with disability labels to gifted programs than identically described students with no disability label. Additionally, when compared to general education teachers, special education teachers were less likely to refer a gifted student, with or without disabilities, to a gifted program. Implications were discussed and recommendations for future research were made.
Title: The effects of disability labels on special education and general education teachers' referrals for gifted programs.
126 views
23 downloads
Name(s): Bianco-Cornish, Margarita, author
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Smiley, Lydia R., Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2003
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, FL
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 151 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: This study investigated the effect of the disability labels learning disabilities (LD) and emotional handicaps (EH) on general education and special education teachers' willingness to refer students to gifted programs. Referral differences between general education and special education teachers were also examined. Two hundred forty-seven teachers (195 general education teachers and 52 special education teachers) from one south Florida school district participated in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (no label, LD, EH) and asked to read a vignette describing a gifted student. All vignettes were identical except for one statement added to the LD or EH group stating the student had a disability. After reading the vignette, teachers completed a survey instrument with six questions regarding possible referral options. One of the six questions asked if they would refer the student to their school's gifted program. Teachers indicated their responses by circling one of four choices: strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree. Responses to the gifted referral question on the survey instrument served as the dependent variable. A 2 x 3 factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the main effects of labeled conditions (three levels), teacher certification type (two levels), and the interaction between labeled condition and teacher type. Results indicated that teachers were significantly influenced by the LD and EH label when making referrals to gifted programs. Both special education and general education teachers were much less willing to refer students with disability labels to gifted programs than identically described students with no disability label. Additionally, when compared to general education teachers, special education teachers were less likely to refer a gifted student, with or without disabilities, to a gifted program. Implications were discussed and recommendations for future research were made.
Identifier: 9780496673865 (isbn), 12076 (digitool), FADT12076 (IID), fau:8987 (fedora)
Degree granted: Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2003.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): College of Education
Subject(s): Special education
Children with disabilities--Education
Educational tests and measurements
Students with disabilities--Rating of
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12076
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.