Development of a Scale to Assess University Faculty’s Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Special Education

Abstract

With the increasing number of university students with disabilities, university professors play a significant role in teaching and assessment. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a scale to assess university faculty’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices in relation to providing special education services. A total of 210 faculty members recruited from 15 universities in Taiwan participated in this study. The sample included lecturers (n = 51), assistant professors (n = 75), associate professors (n = 66), and professors (n = 18). The proposed Faculty Perspectives on Special Education Scale (FPSES), a 32-item scale, includes three subscales: Special Education Knowledge (SEK), Attitudes Towards Students (ATS), and Provision of Services (POS). Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, item analysis, correlation analysis, t tests, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results showed that FPSES has satisfactory internal consistency reliability, with Cronbach’s ? ranging from .93 to .96 and test-retest reliabilities, with coefficient ranging from .88 to .96. The FPSES also exhibited favorable content validity. Furthermore, the CFA confirmed a good fit between the proposed second-order model and the sample data, thereby ensuring the construct validity. In summary, FPSES is a favorable assessment tool with good psychometric properties, which provides insights into faculty perspectives, attitudes, and practices in the provision of special education services for university students with disabilities. Recommendations are provided for future research and the Office of Disability Services at the university.    Received: 29 March 2024 / Accepted: 30 April 2024 / Published: 5 May 2024