Project S.E.R.T. Special Education Training for Regular Educators of Native-Americans.

Overview & Synopsis

The Bureau of Indian Affairs' (BIA) Chinle Agency mainstreamed 85% of its 230 special education students during the 1983-84 school year. A survey of the agency's regular education teachers revealed that many felt inadequately prepared to teach the mainstreamed special education student. Based on this information, the Special Education Office, in cooperation with the University of Arizona, implemented Project SERT (Special Education for Regular Teachers) training, providing graduate level instruction to 60 regular teachers for 4 months. Analysis of pretest/posttest results indicated that these teachers significantly improved in special education knowledge. Further, a questionnaire completed by participants at the end of the project showed that special education information received was implemented in the classroom. Although the training of regular teachers in special education knowledge and skills was limited to the Chinle Agency, the training program should be considered by all BIA schools. Assuming that the special education practices of the Chinle Agency are widespread, BIA schools are mainstreaming special education students into classrooms with regular teachers who may be inadequately prepared in special education knowledge and skills. In such cases it could be argued that BIA special education students are placed in restrictive mainstream environments which are providing an inappropriate education. (JHZ)