Knowledge and perception of the resource room: the students' perspective.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine regular and special education students' knowledge and perception of the elementary school, special education resource room. A sample of 126 nonhandicapped students and 20 students with learning disabilities, grades 1 through 6, were individually interviewed. Results indicate few differences between LD and non-LD students regarding their knowledge and perception of the resource room and special education. There are, however, significant differences between primary and intermediate students, with intermediate students having more knowledge of who goes to the resource room and more understanding of special education concepts. Most non-LD students ranked the resource room as a desirable place to spend time, though primary students with learning disabilities perceived it less positively than intermediate special education students.