Availability of Quality Standards in the Special Education Program at Majmaah University - Saudi Arabia, from the Perspectives of Teachers and 8th level Students

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess to what extent the quality standards in the Special Education Program at Majmaah University, were available from the point of view of faculty members and 8th level students who were expected to graduate, in the light of a number of variables. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher  used a  descriptive survey method and developed a questionnaire, consisting of six areas:  (objectives of the program, teaching methods, and curriculum,  students’ evaluation, facilities and services, and field training). The study sample consisted of all faculty members at the Department of Special Education in the College of Education, totaling (42) faculty members, and (62) 8th Level students who were expected to graduate in the academic year 2015 / 2016.  The study results revealed the availability of quality standards in the program to a high degree from the point of view of faculty members, and in all the areas of the questionnaire, with a slight variation between these areas  "standards ". The standard “objectives of the program” ranked first, while the standard “facilities and services” ranked last. From the students’ perspective, on the other hand, the results indicated that  quality standards, which are related to program objectives only, were available in the program  to a high degree. In other areas of the questionnaire, students’ perspectives had a medium degree. The results of the study did not show any significant differences at the level (α = 0.05) between the means of the faculty members perspectives, attributed to the variables (gender, years of experience), but there were statistically significant differences (α=0.05), attributed to the impact of level of education, in favor of MA and PhD holders. Also, the results did not reveal any significant differences at the level (α = 0.05) between the means of the students’ perspectives due to the variable (GPA, gender). Keywords: Graduate students, Majmaah University, Quality standards; Special education program.