A survey of teacher competencies as judged by teachers of the visually impaired, multiply handicapped

Includes bibliographical references.The purpose of this study was to investigate the congruence of perceptions of teachers of the visually impaired, multiply handicapped regarding their level of training compared with on-the-job use of teaching competencies. Comparisons were evaluated as to how teachers rated their level of training, and concurrently, rated on-the-job use for teaching areas. A survey was mailed to 275 teachers of the visually impaired and vision coordinators in Illinois. After a second mailing, a 57 percent response rate was obtained. The mean of training and on-the-job use was determined for all items on the survey. The difference between these means were then found to determine if there were significant findings. For purposes of this study, a difference of equal to or greater than +1.00 was arbitrarily chosen to represent a significant difference. A difference of +.50 to + .99 was considered to be moderately significant. Those items which showed a difference ranging from +.^9 to -.^9 were considered to have demonstrated congruence between training and on-the-job use. Differences falling between -.50 and -.99 were considered to be moderately significant, indicating slightly more emphasis in training than was needed for on-the-job use. Differences falling below -1.00 were considered to be significant, indicating much greater emphasis in training programs than was warranted for on-the-job use. Results indicated that of all teaching areas, 14 percent showed significant differences between means related to training and on-the-job use; 45 percent of items had moderately significant differences, 36 percent of items showed no difference, and 5 percent revealed negative differences. The areas of significant differences were? the IEP process, parent effectiveness training, working with aides and volunteers, occupational therapy, guidance and counseling, parents' rights, physical therapy, and multi-disciplinary approach. These teaching areas were perceived as not given adequate attention in teacher training programs. A significant negative difference was found for Braille where teachers thought that this competency was given much greater emphasis in training than was warranted for on-the-job use.M.S. Ed. (Master of Education