LD Teachers' Perceptions of Severely Learning Disabled Students

Abstract

Questionnaires completed by 223 elementary and secondary learning disability teachers were analyzed for information about teachers' perceptions of the incidence and characteristics of severely learning disabled (SLD) and mild-to-moderately learning disabled (MLD) students. Incidence figures for other handicapping conditions represented in learning disability classrooms were also determined. Findings showed that the SLD and MLD groups differed significantly on 40 of the original 44 questionnaire items. Items were clustered into 12 factors. Results of a discriminant analysis showed that three of the twelve factors correctly classified 82.7% of the SLD and 84.1% of the MLD elementary-aged students. At the secondary level, the final stepwise function contained only one factor. This factor correctly classified 89.2% of the SLD and 86.5% of the MLD students. Overall, the most significant factor for both elementary- and secondary-aged SLD students dealt with the need for one-to-one instruction and alternative curricula in addition to the existence of extreme discrepancies between students' apparent intelligence and achievement. Diagnostic and instructional implications as well as suggestions for further study are discussed.