Effects of Teaching on Elementary Students'attitudes toward Handicaps

Abstract

During a six-week period, nonhandicapped third and fifth grade students were taught about five handicapping conditions. Attitudes of experimental subjects to handicaps were compared to controls on the Scale of Children's Attitudes Toward Exceptionality (SCATE). Although significant differences between experimental and control groups were not found, differences between third and fifth grade students were found, and both positive and negative trends were noted. One negative trend was a hierarchy of attitudes, with attitudes toward the retarded rated more negatively than were those toward other handicapped groups. Discussion of these trends and suggestions for future exploration of ways to teach children about handicaps are given.