Perceptions about Cleft Palate Held by School Personnel: Suggestions for In-Service Training Development

Abstract

Public school personnel were surveyed regarding their perceptions about the effect of a cleft palate on students' behavior and achievement and their needs for in-service training on that topic. Results of the survey suggest that school personnel differ in their view of cleft palate children and their needs for in-service training. One of the most prevalent handicapping conditions, which is the second most frequent congenital malformation among school age children, is a cleft palate. It is estimated that between 48,000 and 60,000 school age children have cleft palate, and that the vast majority of these children are being educated in regular classrooms. Recent research has indicated that gen— eral and special educators are deficient in basic information about cleft palate and have limited academic and clinical training with this population (Finnegan, 1982). Richman (1978a) reported that classroom teachers rated the intellectual ability of cleft palate children with severe facial dis-figurement less accurately than cleft palate children with relatively normal facial appearance. The classroom teachers underestimated the ability of brighter children with more noticeable facial disfigurement and overestimated the ability of cleft palate children with below average intelligence. Richman (1976, 1978b) also found that teachers rated cleft palate children as more withdrawn and inhibited in the classroom than noncleft control children. Richman and Eliason (1982) suggested that this in— hibition in the classroom may lead to academic underachievement. No studies were found that provided information about educators' perceptions of cleft palate children and in-service training pertinent to cleft palate. This survey was conducted to determine: 1) perceptions of school personnel regarding characteristics of children with cleft palate, 2) information about cleft palate desired by school person— nel, and 3) comparisons between the in-service needs perceived by school personnel and the known problems of children with cleft palate. Procedure A survey questionnaire was mailed to 285 individuals employed in the public schools of Caddo Parish, Louisiana: 147 regular teachers, 73 special education teachers, and 65 speech-language pathologists. Recipients were chosen randomly from rosters provided by the schools. Of the 107 (37%) school personnel who responded to the questionnaire, 32 (21%) were regular teachers, 27 (36%) were spe— cial education teachers, and 48 (73%) were speech-language pathologists. There were 308