A Multidimensional Scaling Study Of Administrators' And Teachers' Perceptions Of Disabilities

Abstract

There is a growing recognition that the perceptions educators hold about youngsters with disabilities may affect the way they classify and treat these children in their classes. The present investigation focused on the perceptions of disabilities of four groups of educators: elementary school principals, special education administrators, regular elementary teachers, and special education teachers. The study examined differences in the perceptual spaces of the four groups. Multidimensional scaling was utilized to assess the perceptions of disabilities. Results indicated that perceptions of disabilities were multidimensional and that the perceptual structure differed for the four groups. Despite the differences among the perceptual spaces, the groups shared some commonalities relating to physical, behavorial-emotional, perceptual, and sensory disabilities.