Program Graduates' Perception of Need for Training in Mainstreaming

Abstract

This study describes a step in institution-specific program evaluation: the survey of a program's weaknesses as perceived by its graduates. Program graduates were asked to rate their competency in each of 25 areas, using a scale of 1 (great difficulty) to 5 (no problem). They were also requested to comment on the degree to which the program had prepared them for their position and to recommend needed changes via open-ended questions. The graduates surveyed seem to be experiencing the greatest difficulty in measuring, planning for, and dealing with individual differences. These findings suggest the need for new preservice training that emphasizes mainstreaming within the context of individual differences.