Teacher Responses to Two Types of Consultative Special Education Services

Abstract

Elementary general education teachers who had students with learning disabilities in their classes received consultation from experienced special education teachers using one of two models: a model combining teacher consultation and direct instruction (C/D, n = 20), or an indirect services model consisting solely of consultation (C/I, n = 14). The teachers completed pre/post questionnaires and an interview assessing their responses to the two models. A third group of teachers from the same schools who did not receive consultation also responded to the questionnaires (control, n = 13). Results indicated that teachers (a) preferred a consultation model that involved collaboration between the general education teacher and special education teacher across all stages of problem solving; (b) preferred consultation over referral, although those receiving C/I tended to lose this preference over time; (c) saw students' problems as more severe after receiving C/D, but not C/I; and (d) had different views of C/D and C/I. Implications of the findings are discussed.