AN ANALYSIS OF THE PERCEPTIONS OF STATE DIRECTORS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND SELF-DIRECTED PARENT LEADERS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DUE PROCESS REGULATIONS FOR THE HANDICAPPED (PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS)

Statement of the Problem. The purposes of this study were: (1) to survey opinions of two select groups on state and local implementation of procedural safeguards for handicapped children and youth, and (2) to compare these opinions through use of chi square analyses. Procedure. This study involved a survey of State Directors of Special Education (State Directors) and Self-Directed Parent Leaders (Parent Leaders) concerning implementation of procedural safeguards for the handicapped. To determine differences in the responses of State Directors and Parent Leaders, chi square analyses were used. Each chi square result was compared at the .05 level of significance to determine a statistical difference. The survey research design associated with this study involved the use of a twenty-four item survey instrument to elicit responses from State Directors and Parent Leaders on issues concerning procedural safeguards for the handicapped. Results. Findings of this study indicated that there were no significant differences of opinion between State Directors and Parent Leaders concerning factors associated with the implementation of procedural safeguards. Responses of State Directors and Parent Leaders indicated that there were difficulties at the state and local level concerning parent access to mediation, parent access to information about their rights, and the degree of knowledge that professionals have relative to procedural safeguards for the handicapped. Conclusions. Chi square analyses of responses indicated that there were no significant differences between the opinions of the two groups regarding factors concerning the implementation of procedural safeguards for the handicapped.