Special Education ETDs

Louis Carri

Publication Date

8-8-1972

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to compare academic achievement and social class standing among four groups of exceptional children attending school.

Subjects for this investigation were selected from the following educational settings: Group I (N=10) – Self-contained classes for the emotionally disturbed, Group II (N=9) – Public school operated resource rooms for the learning disabled and/or emotionally disturbed, Group III (N=10) – Educational Professional Development Act resource rooms for the learning disabled and/or emotionally disturbed and Group IV (N=6) – A control group of subjects diagnosed as needing special education services but remaining within regular class placement and receiving no services.

All subjects were between the ages of eight years, three months and 11 years, three months, and were above a measured Intelligence Quotient of 70 on the Wechsler Intel­ligence Scale for Children (WISC).

Subjects were pre tested on the Wide Ranae Achievement Test (WRAT) to establish academic levels at the beginning of the investigation. By use of the formula Pre WRAT Grade Level, No. of years in School the expected grade level the child should have attained by the termination of the investigation, based upon past performances, was calculated. Readministration of the WRAT as a post test instrument enabled a comparison of the expected score with the actual obtained score.

An investigator designed sociometric device was admin­istered to establish the social position of the exceptional child at the beginning of the investigation. This same instru­ment was readministered to determine if the social position of subjects had altered by the end of the investigation. The relationship between academic achievement and social class standing was then analyzed. In addition, the two ethnic groups comprising this investigation (Spanish surnamed and White) were also compared on academic achievement and social standing.

Results emanating from an analysis of the data com­paring the difference between expectancy scores and WRAT scores failed to reach significance when Groups I, II, III, and IV were compared. The difference between expectancy scores and obtained WRAT scores within each group also failed to reach significance. Therefore, it appeared academic achievement was not significantly affected by differing educational placements. Analysis of the data indicated there was a sig­nificant relationship (F = 3.2122) between social class standing and academic achievement. It therefore appeared the teaching of academic skills had social value as well as academic value.

Analysis of the difference between post WRAT scores and expectancy scores of Spanish surnamed and White subjects yielded conflicting results. In two of the academic areas measured, Reading and Arithmetic, a significant difference was not obtained. However, in the area of Spelling, the difference between the two groups was significant at the .05 level. No difference between the ethnic groups was evident in social standing.

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Special Education

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Special Education

First Committee Member (Chair)

Richard Lane McDowell

Second Committee Member

Gary Wayne Adamson

Third Committee Member

Marian Newman Works

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