Development of Distance Training Packages on Providing for Learner with Special Needs

Abstract

The purposes of this research were 1) to survey the teacher’s needs for knowledge on learning management for learners with special needs; 2) to develop a distance training package on learning management for learners with special needs and verify its efficiency; 3) to compare knowledge scores on learning management for learners with special needs of teachers before and after using the distance training package on learning management for learners with special needs; and 4) to study opinions toward the distance training package of teachers who used the distance training package on learning management for learners with special needs.  This study was a research and development study.  The research sample consisted of 86 teachers for the survey, and 22 teachers for verification of its efficiency and study of its effects in terms of knowledge and opinions of teachers who used it.  The employed research instruments comprised 1) a distance training package on learning management for learners with special needs, 2) a learning achievement test, and 3) a questionnaire on opinions toward the distance training package.  Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, and content analysis. The findings of the research were as follows: 1) the teachers expressed their top priority needs for knowledge on learning management for learners with learning disability, mental retardation, and autism, followed by the needs for knowledge on special education research, and learning management for learners with physical and health impairment, respectively. 2) the developed distance training packages were composed of distance training document on learning management for learners with special needs and a manual for using the distance training package. The developed distance training packages were efficient at 79.50/81.35. 3) The post-experiment learning achievement mean score of teachers who were trained with the distance training package was significantly higher than their pre-experiment counterpart mean score at the .05 level. 4) The trainees had opinions that the distance training package were appropriate at the highest level