Date of Award

1986

Degree Name

Educational Leadership

College

College of Education and Professional Development

Type of Degree

Ed.D.

Document Type

Dissertation

First Advisor

Jennifer W. Britton

Second Advisor

Jo Ann Hall

Third Advisor

Helen M. Hazi

Fourth Advisor

William G. Monohan

Fifth Advisor

Ken M. Young

Sixth Advisor

Paul A. Leary

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the expectations held by key administrative personnel within West Virginia’s county school systems regarding the role of the special education administrator. Seven functional areas of administration containing forty specific tasks were examined to identify potential areas of conflict among and between special education administrators, superintendents and principals. Data resulting from 202 returns of the questionnaires and demographic surveys from the 260 individuals contacted were analyzed to test fourteen null hypotheses. Respondents were asked to rate perceived performance of tasks as well as their perception of the degree of importance of each. Demographic data were used to develop a profile of the three respondent groups.

The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test all hypotheses. An alpha level of a .05 was set as the criterion used to reject the null hypotheses. In instances where the null hypothesis was rejected, the Scheffe’ method of multiple comparisons was used for post hoc analysis. In some instances, the Scheffe’, because it is a very conservative test, did not identify where those differences indicated by the ANOVA occurred. In these instances, the Duncan Multiple Range Test was applied to pinpoint those differences.

Analysis of the data resulted in these major findings:

  1. There were significant ( .05 level) differences among or between the three groups of administrators regarding the perceived performance of all seven functions.
  2. There were significant ( .05 level) differences among or between the subject groups regarding the perceived performance of twenty-one of the forty tasks contained within the seven functions.
  3. There were significant ( .05 level) differences among or between the three groups of administrators regarding the perceived degree of importance assigned to six of the seven functions.
  4. There were significant ( .05 level) differences among or between the three subject groups regarding the perceived degree of importance assigned to eighteen of the forty tasks contained within the seven functions.

Note(s)

The University of West Virginia College of Graduate Studies became the WV Graduate College in 1992 and was subsequently merged with Marshall University in 1997.

Subject(s)

Special education – West Virginia – Administration.

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