A NATIONAL SURVEY ON THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST IN EDUCATIONAL PLACEMENT DECISIONS FOR DEAF STUDENT

Abstract

One of the most controversial issues in the field of education is the determination of the educational placement of deaf K-12 students. Although school psychologists are involved in the determination process, little is known about their specific role in decision-making. School psychologists (n=357) with varying degrees of specialization in this area were surveyed with regard to their experience and perceptions. Results indicated that student audiological status predicts the types of assessment data that school psychologists collect and report in order to inform educational placement decisions. Participants who responded to the survey on the basis of their experience making placement decisions for deaf students (n=54) perceived themselves as less influential over the decisions than participants who responded on the basis of their experience making placement decisions for hearing students (n=303). Additionally, there was a relationship between school psychologists' specialization in the area of deafness and the interpretation of the phrase, the "least restrictive environment." Possible explanations and the associated implications of these findings are discussed.