The Effects of Selected Inservice Education Methods on the Attitudes of Vocational Education Instructors Regarding Teaching Students with Physical Disabilities.

,The primary purpose of the study was to determine effective inservice Education methods to reduce the apprehension of experienced vocational education teachers regarding instruction of handicapped students. Beginning and post-workshop attitudes toward the disabled were also sought. In order to guide the study, three null hypotheses were generated and tested. A three-group, randomized, preand post-test experimental design was utilized. Thirty teachers of vocational agri-business in Alabama, who were attending a workshop for cooperating teachers, were randomly assigned treatments which consisted of a videotaped presentation, a lecture (control) and 4 a self-paced individualized packet. The "Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons" (ATDP) instrument was utilized to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics utilized to analyze the data included: percentages, means, frequencies, correlated T -tests, Chi Square and analysis of variance. The participants ranged in age from 24 to 56 years (mean of 35.7 years). Number in.the immediate family was one to seven (mean of 3.5). The average income was $17,217.00. Just four participants had handicapped.perions-in their family, and only one-third had taken coursework in teaching the handicapped; but, 55.2 percent had experience in teaching the handicapped. Education was nearly equally divided among masters, bachelors, and specialist degrees. No statistically significant differences were found on demographic variables among the three groups. All three null hypothesis were rejected at the .05 level:of confidence: Vo-Ag teachers were moderately positive in attitudes toward the disabled; there were changes in attitudes after inservice treatments as measured by the ATDP; and the videotape presentation was most effective. Lecture was next in effectiveness and the self-study was least effective in changing attitudes of teachers toward the disabled. Seven recommendations were made, based on the findings of this study. ii