Educational Service Provision for Students with Mild Intellectual Disability: Teachers, Schools, Integration and Resources

Abstract

This paper reports the results of part of a three stage examination of services to students with mild intellectual disability in two educational regions of New South Wales. The purpose of the study was to obtain a comprehensive picture of the educational services being provided to these students. The stages in the study included a questionnaire completed by 68 teachers, an interview administered to a sub-sample of 27 teachers, and observations in seven classrooms. The results of the study reported in this paper relate to characteristics of the teachers and school and classroom variables, the nature of integration occurring in these settings, and the resources accessed and needed by these teachers. The study found that the average class size was 13.3 children; boys out-numbered girls by 1.66:1; fewer than half of the children also participated in an integration program; about half of the teachers had been trained in special education; and most teachers would have preferred more support services than they were receiving.