The Effect of Functional vs. Non-Functional Activities on Attitudes/Expectations of Non-Handicapped College Students: What They See is What We Get

Abstract

Six sections of a general education class for prospective teacher trainees were randomly assigned to one of two groups (N = 162). Each group was exposed to an identical audiotaped/slide presentation of a special education program involving a young woman with Down's Syndrome. However, the slides accompanying one group's taped presentation consisted of functional, integrated, and age appropriate curriculum activities and the slides accompanying the other group's presentation included non-functional, segregated, and age inappropriate activities. Prior to viewing the slide/tape presentation, all persons completed the Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons Questionnaire (ATDP) (Yuker, Block & Younng, 1966). After viewing the slides, the participants completed a teacher-made questionnaire regarding their attitudes and expectations toward a young woman with Down's Syndrome. The multivariate analysis of variance resulted in no statistically significant differences between the two groups on the ATDP, but did result in statistically significant differences on the eight non-demographic items of the teacher-made questionnaire. Subsequent comparisons of individual questionnaire items revealed significant differences on those items which estimated IQ, future earning capacity, label of retardation, “best” residential environment, appropriate classroom placement, and most likely employment setting. These differences were in the direction of predicting higher levels of competence for the student when depicted as being involved in functional, integrated, and age appropriate activities.