Date of Award

8-1-2014

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Special Education

First Advisor

May, Michael

Abstract

Behavior management is arguably the cornerstone of good teaching and this is particularly so in traditional educational school settings. In Thailand, the most common strategy for managing problem behavior is the use of the Ministry of Education's Code of Conduct for all children. However, reactive strategies produce negative side effects in terms of student prognosis, inclusion, and also teacher stress. There is currently no data regarding the types of problem behaviors experienced by teachers working in special residential schools for students with visual impairments. Therefore, the goals of this thesis are to examine teacher perceptions regarding the types of problems they typically encounter and the behavior management practices they use in their classrooms. Thai teachers working in these special residential schools completed a 61-item questionnaire rating the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that problem behaviors were observed and the extent to which they found specific behavior management practices effective. Results suggested Thai teachers occasionally experienced problem behaviors related to distractibility and stereotypy, which can interfere with instructional activities and learning. However, the teachers infrequently encountered more serious behaviors such as aggression or self-injury. Teachers also reported using more proactive instructional approaches and positive disciplinary practices to keep students engaged in instruction as opposed to more punitive management practices, like reprimands or office referrals. Results are discussed in the context of behavior management practices across traditional and self-contained educational settings, and a focus on transition practices to facilitate including more Thai students with visual impairments into traditional educational settings with their non-disabled peers.

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