Perceptions of Selected Groups Toward the Current and Ideal Role of Special Education Directors as Administrative Leaders in North Dakota Schools Which Have High Concentrations of American Indian Students

Abstract

The Problem. The purpose of the study was to determine how selected groups view the role of the special education director/coordinator in North Dakota schools which have concentrations of American Indian students. This study also compared the perceptions of the selected groups toward the current and ideal role of the special education director/coordinator. Procedure. A survey instrument was developed and administered to seventy-eight administrators, special education directors/coordinators, and special education teachers to assess perceptions toward the current and ideal role of the special education director/coordinator in North Dakota schools serving significant numbers of American Indian students. The data obtained from the survey instrument were statistically tested for significant difference. The .05 level of significance was considered sufficient to reject a hypothesis of no difference. The data reported represented the responses of seventy-eight participants who were working in Bureau of Indian Affairs, contracted, cooperative, boarding, public, or private schools which had 30 percent or more American Indian student enrollment during the 1980-1981 school year. Forty-six (100%) of the special education teachers, twenty-one (95%) of the administrators, and eleven (92%) of the special education directors/coordinators elected to participate in this study. The Results. There were statistically significant differences among the perceptions of all the groups toward the current and ideal role of the special education director/coordinator in all areas of administrative functioning. However, some individual items in the four administrative functions--planning, decision making, executing or operating, and appraising--indicated no significant differences. There were no perceived differences among the selected groups as to the ideal role of the special education director/coordinator. However, there were a few differences on individual items within the four functions as perceived by the three selected groups. There was no perceived difference among the three selected groups as to the current role of the special education director/coordinator. However, there were few differences on the individual items with the four functions. In describing conflicts or problems inherent in working with significant numbers of American Indian special education students, respondents expressed concerns about following regulations recruiting and/or retaining special education teachers or in comparing special education programs to other schools. Other difficulties cited were that there were language and cultural differences which surfaced when interpreting test results. The respondents also cited isolation, stringent North Dakota requirements, lack of suitable housing, and social activity as major factors in recruiting and retaining special education teachers. Conclusions. Three major conclusions were drawn from the statistical treatment and analysis of data used in this study. For the total population, there were statistically significant differences among the perceptions of all groups toward the current and ideal role of the special education director/coordinator. The special education directors/coordinators, special education teachers, and school administrators viewed the ideal role in essentially the same way. The special education directors/coordinators, special education teachers, and school administrators viewed the current role in essentially the same way