Social work and its relationship to special education: The effect of a sensibilization training based on the attitudes of social workers who provide integrate educational services to students of special education in the San Juan Region
Perez Rodriguez, German. University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras (Puerto Rico), ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2009. 3362113.
The present investigation consisted in the use of the model developed by Torres (1995) and adapted here for social workers, based on the sensitization technique. This model is based on the Martin Fishbein (1975) reasoned action's theory and it is use for the purpose of predicting behaviors to maintain, modify or replace them.
The sample was selected at random, so all social workers in the region of San Juan's Department of Education had the same chance of been chosen. We also stratified the sample of the following manner: under the regular school curriculum, with 3 or more years of experience, but not working directly for the special education program and should be located in one of three levels of education of public school: elementary, junior or high school.
The purpose of this study was to propose a model of social management in order to provide a more efficient educational service for people diagnosed with disabilities. The study is to compare the results obtained by experimental and control groups, after the latter have been subjected to a process-based training technique to promote behavior change awareness.
The first chapter examines the conceptual framework of social management, the theory of reasoned action and local laws in force in relation to the provision of educational services to people with disabilities. The second chapter is devoted to methods for the study and the third chapter is to explain the results. Finally, the Fourth Chapter presents the findings, implications and recommendations.
The importance of this study for the profession is, first, it provides a behavioral model adapted to the Puerto Rican society in the social work field, and secondly, the management provides a model of social development staff. Finally, it becomes an interdisciplinary model to combine two very important professions in our society: social work and special education.