Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2005

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Gregory R. Ulm

Second Advisor

David W. Worley

Third Advisor

Robert Boyd

Abstract

The lack of research studies relevant to faculty attitudes impacting the learning environment for learning disabled students led this research to investigate the actual practices of faculty teaching accommodations in the classroom context. 111 This study was conducted with 523 faculty members at Indiana State University, a midsize Midwestern university. 160 faculty members responded to a survey of required and recommended accommodations made for learning disabled students in the classroom and the statistical data analysis included descriptive statistics, t-tests, and logistic regression. The study found there was a significant difference among faculty based on tenure status and number of required accommodations made for LD students in the classroom. There was also found to be a significant difference among faculty based on academic discipline and number of recommended accommodations made for LD students in the classroom. The variable tenure status of faculty was found to be a possible predictor of Conventional or Interactionist viewpoint of disability. These findings are not consistent with previous studies that found a significant difference in non-tenure-track faculty's efficacy and understanding of providing accommodations. Previous studies do support a significant difference in provision of accommodations among faculty based on academic discipline. The possible reasons for these results are discussed in the Summary of Findings and Discussion.

Download

Share

COinS