Attitudes of Israeli Teachers and Paraprofessionals towards the New Definition of ID and Their Willingness to Cope with Special Education Law Changes

Attitudes of teachers (N= 96) and paraprofessionals (N — 48) working with students with intellectual disability (ID) towards the new definition of ID (Luckasson et al., 1992, 2002), was examined. The main innovation of the new definition of ID is the cancellation of the four ID levels, suggesting an optimistic view, especially towards individuals with severe/profound ID. Participants' attitudes towards modifiability and the acquisition of new skills by students with severe/profound ID were investigated. Their willingness to cope with the changes stemming from the implementation of the Special Education Law (1988) was also examined as well as their general educational attitudes (conservatism vs. progressiveness) according to role and type of popula tion. Findings yielded low attitudes towards modifiability of students with severe/profound ID (2-4 out of 6). The Denial Culture and the Integrated Threat Theory of prejudice explain these findings. The "control theory " and the top-down approach explain the low scores in willingness to cope with changes stemming from the Special Education Law. The research hypothesis was supported. Paraprofessionals express a higher level of conservatism and lower scores in the attitudes towards the new definition of ID than teachers, especially those working with students with severe and profound ID. These findings suggest that it is not only the education level, but also the type of occupation that determine the worker's orientation. A new definition for intellectual disability profound ID to be modified in ADL and (ID) was developed by Luckasson et al. in instrumental skills, conceptual and social 1992 and was modified in 2002, with the domains. Although the new definition of ID main innovation being a cancellation of the has not yet been implemented in Israel, a four retardation levels and relating to indi- change emerging from the definition has viduals with ID according to their weak- been applied in schools of students with ID nesses, strengths and levels of support. as a consequence of the Special Education These changes suggest an optimistic view, Law. These changes are expressed by inclu especially towards latent abilities and poten- sion of students with severe/profound ID in tial of students with severe/profound ID. schools for those with mild/moderate ID. The main goal of the current study was to Furthermore, the schools' curricula include examine the attitudes of teachers (N = 96) adaptive behavior skills as well as literacy and paraprofessionals (N = 42) working in and academic skills. The students' achieve schools for students with mild/moderate ments are quantified to national standards and severe/profound ID, towards the new and the teachers are required to demon definition of intellectual disability (Luckas- strate achievements in these two parts ac son et al., 1992; 2002). More specifically, the cording to a standard national scale. There objective was to examine their attitudes to- fore, the participants' willingness to cope wards the capability of students with severe/ with the changes stemming from the Special Education Law was also examined, as well as their general educational attitudes (conser Correspondence concerning this article should vatism/progressiveness), with reference to be addressed to Hefziba Lifshitz, School of Educa- their role (teachers/paraprofessionals) and