Eastern Michigan University
CEC/Department of Special Education

Survey of Program Graduates and Their Employers

            The Department of Special Education surveys its program graduates every five years to assist department faculty in revising and enhancing the initial preparation programs in Special Education.  A random sample of school district Superintendents and Directors of Special Education are also selected and surveyed, further assisting the department to fine-tune programs and courses to meet the demands of the field.

            Survey instruments were sent through surface mail to 673 graduates of initial preparation programs in the Department of Special Education.  The time-span addressed were program graduates from December, 1997 through April, 2002.  Thirty-four (34) surveys were sent to randomly selected Superintendents and Directors of Special Education in the state of Michigan.  Surveys were received through July 30, 2002, at which time data were recorded and analyzed. 

Of the 673 surveys sent to program graduates, fifty-four (54) were returned with out-of-date addresses, resulting in a corrected sample size of 619.  Two hundred twenty-eight (228) surveys were completed and returned by the July 30^th date, representing a thirty-seven percent (37%) return rate.  An additional eight (8) completed surveys were returned after the July 30 deadline and were not included in the sample.

Thirty-four (34) surveys were sent to randomly selected Superintendents and Directors of Special Education.  Nine (9) completed surveys were returned, representing a twenty-seven percent (27%) return rate.

Results - Program Graduates

            Demographic data revealed that the majority of respondents (53%) have been teaching special education for three or more years.  Ninety-one percent (91%) or respondents are female, seven percent (7%) are male, and two percent (2%) did not respond. 

            All participants indicated their area of initial preparation, with six respondents indicating a double-major.  These data are depicted in Table 1.

Major Area	Number	Percent
Students with Emotional Impairment	84	37%
Students with Hearing Impairment	20	9%
Students with Learning Disabilities*	6	2%
Students with Mental Impairment	63	27%
Students with Phys/Health Impair.	22	9%
Students with Speech/Language Imp.	28	11%
Students with Visual Impairment	11	5%

                  Table 1 - Area of Initial Preparation in Special Education

            (*Note:  Eastern Michigan University does not provide an initial preparation program in Learning Disabilities.)

            Program graduates were asked to indicate the disability area of their current teaching position.  Results, displayed in Table 2, indicate that a greater percentage of program graduates are teaching in a cross-categorical classroom rather than a self-contained classroom setting.  Only three percent (3%) of respondents are teaching in general education rather than special education.

            It is important to note that the State of Michigan continues to require special education teachers to be trained, and receive endorsement, in a categorical manner.  Based on the current information from program graduates,  twenty-seven percent (27%) are employed in cross-categorical, rather than categorical,  special education settings.

Current Teaching Position	Number	Percent
Emotional Impairment	44	17%
Hearing Impairment	12	5%
Learning Disabilities	44	17%
Mental Impairment	25	10%
Physical/Health Impairment	6	2%
Speech/Language Impairment	29	11%
Visual Impairment	8	3%
General Education Classroom	8	3%
Autism	11	5%
Cross-Categorical Special Education	65	27%

Table 2 - Current Teaching Position