An investigation of the roles and responsibilities of the educational therapist as perceived by allied professionals in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador

Sheppard, Nelson (1989) An investigation of the roles and responsibilities of the educational therapist as perceived by allied professionals in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

This study was designed to identify perceptions held by principals, regular classroom teachers, special education teachers, school counsellors, and coordinators of special services regarding the role of the educational therapist. -- In this study the educational therapist was seen from an organizational perspective as a boundary role professional. Such a practitioner, in order to perform the responsibilities of the position, must frequently cross the professional boundaries of allied professionals. Incumbents of similar positions in the education system, such as the school counsellor and school psychologist, perform their role in much the same way. Role conflict and role ambiguity have been identified as potential problem areas that may be experienced by these boundary role professionals. -- The instrument used was a survey questionnaire developed for this study. The sample consisted of five teachers, including the principal and school counsellor, selected from each of seventy-four schools in the province employing an educational therapist, eighteen education psychologists, and seventeen coordinators of special services. -- The allied professionals were consistent in their perceptions of issues relating to the educational therapists’ role such as educational background, teaching experience, labelling, orientation, and need for additional educational therapists. The findings also indicated an awareness on the part of allied professionals concerning the goals of educational therapy, hiring criteria, and regulations governing the acquisition of an educational therapy unit. -- However, other areas of the therapists’ role, such as duties, functions and role of allied professionals in developing the position of an educational therapist within a school revealed little consensus among allied professionals. -- As a result of these findings, recommendations are made for further research and action to be taken to help provide a more complete and more consistent understanding of the role of the educational therapist in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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