Changing Attmitudes Toward People with Disabilities

Abstract

This study investigated changes in attitudes toward persons with disabilities among students in an introductory special education class (experimental group) and students in a general foundations of education class (control group). A multifaceted intervention consisting of information, contact, and persuasive messages was provided to students in the experimental condition during a 10-week course. Results indicated that students in the experimental group had significantly greater improvement in attitudes than students in the control group, as measured by the Attitudes toward Disabled Persons scale. Students in the experimental group reported that contact was significantly more influential in changing their attitudes than either information or persuasive messages.