지방 특수교육 현장의 장애아동 선별 및 진단평가를 위한 개선방안 모색

Exploring Improvement Strategies for Screening and Diagnosis of Children with Special Needs in a Rural Special Education Area

본 연구는 지방 특수교육 현장에 적용이 용이한 실제적인 장애아동 선별 및 진단평가를 위한 개선방안을 제안하기 위하여, (1) 장애아동 선별과정과 진단평가, 관련전문가 재교육에 대한 지방 특수교육 현장 내 치료 및 교육기관의 실태를 조사하였으며, (2) 실태조사 연구의 결과를 수렴하여 장애아동 선별 및 진단평가, 관련전문가 재교육을 위한 개선방안을 모색하였다. 연구대상은 천안·아산 지역 내 장애아동 치료 및 교육기관에서 근무하고 있는 관련전문가 24명이 대상이었으며, 설문조사의 분석결과 (1) 관련기관 간의 연계를 통한 체계적인 아동발견과 조기중재 및 특수교육 서비스 제공이 이루어질 수 있도록, 다학문적인 선별 및 진단평가 모형의 개발이 시급하며, (2) 일관성 없고 비연속적인 장애아동 발달과정의 특성을 고려하여 장애아동의 선별 및 진단평가 과정은 반복적으로 시행되어야 하고, (3) 개인차가 크고 다양한 특성을 지닌 장애아동에게 적용 가능한 선별검사 및 진단도구의 개발이 필요하며, (4) 전문지식 부족과 문제인식능력 부족 등의 문제점을 극복하기 위하여 관련전문가 및 부모들에 대한 재교육의 필요성을 발견하였다. 결론을 통하여, 장애아동 선별 및 진단평가에 대한 다학문적인 연계모형의 정착을 위하여 실제적이고 정책적인 개선방안을 선별, 진단평가, 관련전문가 재교육의 측면에서 제시하였다.

In order to suggest improvement strategies for screening and diagnosis of children with special needs that would more likely be able to be applied in rural special education practices, this study attempted to (1) investigate the actual conditions of therapeutic and educational facilities for young children with special needs within Cheonan and Asan cities regarding screening, diagnosis processes, and practitioners training and (2) explore improvement strategies for screening and diagnosis of children with special needs, and practitioners training based on practitioners opinions collected by surveys. A total of 24 practitioners who were working in therapeutic and educational facilities within Cheonan and Asan cities served as participants of the study. As results of surveys, I found (1) that the development of a multidisciplinary model for screening and diagnosis should be developed immediately to provide young children with special needs and their families with systematic child screening, early intervention, and special education services via a collaborative teamwork approach among related service disciplines; (2) that screening and diagnosis processes for children with special needs should be implemented periodically with considering their characteristics of inconsistent and uncontinuous developmental processes; (3) that screening and diagnosis instruments which would more likely be able to be applied in young children with special needs having great individual differences and diverse characteristics should be required; and (4) that training programs for practitioners and parents should be provided to overcome the critical problems regarding their lacks of professional knowledge and disability awareness skills. In conclusion, to establish a mutidisciplinary collaborative model for screening and diagnosis of children with special needs, I discussed practical and political improvement strategies in terms of screening, diagnosis processes, and practitioners training. In order to suggest improvement strategies for screening and diagnosis of children with special needs that would more likely be able to be applied in rural special education practices, this study attempted to (1) investigate the actual conditions of therapeutic and educational facilities for young children with special needs within Cheonan and Asan cities regarding screening, diagnosis processes, and practitioners training and (2) explore improvement strategies for screening and diagnosis of children with special needs, and practitioners training based on practitioners opinions collected by surveys. A total of 24 practitioners who were working in therapeutic and educational facilities within Cheonan and Asan cities served as participants of the study. As results of surveys, I found (1) that the development of a multidisciplinary model for screening and diagnosis should be developed immediately to provide young children with special needs and their families with systematic child screening, early intervention, and special education services via a collaborative teamwork approach among related service disciplines; (2) that screening and diagnosis processes for children with special needs should be implemented periodically with considering their characteristics of inconsistent and uncontinuous developmental processes; (3) that screening and diagnosis instruments which would more likely be able to be applied in young children with special needs having great individual differences and diverse characteristics should be required; and (4) that training programs for practitioners and parents should be provided to overcome the critical problems regarding their lacks of professional knowledge and disability awareness skills.