Date of Award

Winter 12-1-1987

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Medical Science)

Department

Teaching & Learning

Abstract

The purposes of the present study were these: (1) to identify and compare the entrance and exit criteria developed for speech and language special education programs currently utilized within the fifty states; and (2) on the basis of a review of literature and current practice, to formulate and present several recommendations and considerations regarding the development of entrance and exit criteria for speech and language special education programs. The data consisted of the criteria developed at the state level by the fifty states. The criteria for thirty-three of the states were obtained from officials within state departments of education responsible for speech and language special education programs. The criteria for the remaining seventeen states were obtained from Lois McDermott, state consultant for the Minnesota Department of Education. All of the data were classified and compared for presentation in both tabular and narrative form. The data revealed that one-half of the fifty states had established entrance criteria, but the majority of states had not established exit criteria. The exit criteria presented were primarily descriptive in nature. Some states

utilized field professionals in the development of criteria. Several states presented entrance criteria in similar rating scale formats, with the levels of severity primarily characterized by qualitative measures. Some states used definitions of disorders as criteria. The entrance criteria for fluency, articulation, and language programs primarily consisted of quantitative measures, while the criteria for voice programs were qualitative in nature. The recommendations and considerations regarding the development of criteria addressed these areas: involvement of field professionals in the development of state level criteria; use of diagnostic data in defining entrance criteria specific to four major disability areas; development of referral procedures; utilization of quantitative and qualitative measures, and the specification of norms in determining placement; use of normative data and problems associated with norm-referenced assessment tools in developing criteria; use of rating scales in developing criteria and compensatory instruction; consideration of programmatic decisions at local levels; consideration of definitions as criteria; development of exit criteria; and the need for continued research.

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