Implementing Special Education Legislation in Ontario, Canada--A Comparative Study in Higher Education.

Abstract

A major contribution to development of theory in the social sciences involves the development of empirical data supporting construct validity, in which predictions made from theoretical constructs are supported by subsequent research findings. This study reviews the capacity of four universities in Ontario (Brock, Ottawa, Western Ontario and Windsor) which offer teacher training programs in special education to respond to the new dem and s made by Bill 82 (an Act to amend the Education Act, 1974) on the educational system. Rogers' theory of diffusion of innovations was used to identify two significant groups, i.e., "gatekeepers" (Faculty of Education administrators and special education professors, n = 21) and "opinion leaders" (advanced students in special education, n = 148). Respondents answered a survey questionnaire of 53 items which elicited their views on the problem as divided into 16 central foci. Statistical analyses were carried out at the .05 level of confidence. Each of these groups was assessed across the four universities studied. The two principal purposes of this study are: (1) to examine the characteristics of selected university special education teacher training programs in Ontario, as they relate to the implementation of Bill 82; and (2) to demonstrate the utility of selected components of a major theory of diffusion of innovations in addressing a major societal initiative. The results of the study indicate substantial differences between gatekeepers and opinion leaders, which are in keeping with theoretical considerations regarding the diffusion of innovations. The results also indicate that efforts to implement Bill 82 in Ontario will require differential approaches to institutions of higher education, depending upon their unique characteristics, but that such efforts are likely to yield highly productive outcomes. The implications of future research are explored.