ROLE EXPECTATIONS FOR DIRECTORS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SELECTED NEW YORK STATE SCHOOLS AS PERCEIVED BY SUPERINTENDENTS, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, AND DIRECTORS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the different expectations for the role of the director of special education as perceived by superintendents, elementary principals, special education teachers, and directors of special education. Secondary purposes were to (1) describe the organizational characteristics of the special education program in New York State and determine the relationships between these organizational variables and expectations for the role of director of special education as held by the superintendents and role incumbents; (2) to identify the personal/professional characteristics of the director of special education in New York State and to determine the relationships between these personal/professional variables and expectations for the role of director of special education as held by the superintendents and role incumbents.;Part I of the survey instrument which listed thirty-eight role expectations for directors of special education was mailed to a total of 857 individuals representing the four groups used in the study. Returns were received from 471 participants. Participants were asked to indicate on a five-point scale their opinion regarding role expectations for the director of special education. In addition to the role expectation instrument, the directors of special education completed Part II and Part III of the instrument. These questionnaires were used to obtain organizational characteristics of special education programs and personal/professional data from the role incumbents.;Data was computed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The analysis of variance and Scheffe test were used on Part I of the instrument to determine significant differences in the group means. Descriptive data gathered from Parts II and III were grouped, and calculations of frequency and percentage were conducted. Correlation analysis determined the relationships between organizational and personal/professional variables and expectations for the role of director of special education as held by superintendents and role incumbents.;The conclusions based upon this study were: (1) In twenty-one of the thirty-eight items listed in the role expectation questionnaire, there were measurable differences in the expectations of the director of special education as held by superintendents, elementary principals, special education teachers, and directors of special education. (2) Of the groups selected for this study, the group of special education teachers had the most measurable differences in the expectations for the role of director of special education. (3) There are relationships between organizational variables and the expectations for the role of director of special education as held by superintendents and the incumbents. (4) There are relationships between personal/professional variables and the expectations for the role of director of special education as held by superintendents and the incumbents.;The study was based upon a sample of New York State public schools that employ directors of special education. Excluded were those schools in New York City and BOCES facilities. Only those schools that had a director of special education for one or more years were included.