Perceptions of High School Principals

Perceptions of High School Principals

Introduction

This paper discusses the importance of the role played by the counselors and principals of schools in the transition process of disabled students from schools to post-secondary education. The paper will present this issue in the light of Sec. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act-Amended Acts of 2009.

Statement of the Problem

The students with disabilities or special needs have problems while studying with the normal children. Therefore, there are many schools in the world which support the education needs of these children. However, these students have to be prepared for their transition from school to college or university. There is a major role played by the counselors and principals of the school in developing or preparing the child to be adjusted in college or university successfully.

Purpose of the Study

Transitions from one stage of life to another have been discovered in several areas of science as an important research subjects and examined under different aspects. There are several theoretical approaches to the long-term and complex processes that occur during transitions to describe and explain. The transition from school to professional study is considered a very restrictive phase in human life, which is accordingly, devoted much attention. Here, a partial aspect of this transition is the focus; the transition from school to higher education with special attention to young people with a disability or chronic illness. It will be good to report of opportunities that open up for the individual with the risk of studies, as well as obstacles in dealing with these children (Neubert, 2006).

Research Questions

The research questions of this research paper are given below:

Do counselors and principals recommend IEP students become 504 students in their junior year as preparation for post-secondary education?

Do counselors and principals prepare IEP/504 students as they transition to post-secondary education?

Do counselors and principals instruct IEP/504 students their rights prior to graduation so the students know what to expect in the post-secondary setting?

Do counselors and principals prepare parents of IEP/504 students for post-secondary education services?

Do counselors and principals follow up with the IEP/504 students' paper work before the forms are submitted to the post-secondary institutions?

Do counselors and principals teach IEP/504 students how to “self-advocate?”

Research Hypothesis

Hypothesis: The counselors and principals of the school play a significant role in the transition phase of disabled children from school to college.

Null Hypothesis: The counselors and principals of the school play a significant role in the transition phase of disabled children from school to college.

Theoretical Framework

Access to secondary school education was difficult for disabled young people in the recent past. They usually relied on private initiatives, as existing educational institutions for the disabled did not led them to be successful. In United States, an act of self-help was one of the first targeted measures, which disabled people had to pave the way for the study. The fact must be considered that in general, the percentage of an age group who attended the college was considerably lower than ...