Regular and Special Educator Perceptions of Nonacademic Skills Needed by Mainstreamed Students with Behavioral Disorders and Learning Disabilities

Abstract

This study was designed to solicit teachers' perceptions of nonacademic skills required for students with behavioral disorders and learning disabilities to be successful in mainstreamed settings. Regular class teachers designated nonacademic skills possessed by a learning disabled or behaviorally disordered child recently mainstreamed into their class while special educators designated skills possessed by children recently mainstreamed out of their programs. Special educators indicated to what extent the nonacademic skills were trained in their classrooms. Teachers also assessed the extent to which nonacademic skills were considered in decisions relating to mainstreaming. Results revealed that regular class teachers perceived differences in nonacademic skills as demonstrated by behaviorally disordered, learning disabled, and normally achieving students. Differences were also found between regular and special class teachers' perceptions of the number of skills possessed by recently mainstreamed behaviorally disordered students.