| The current emphasis on the use of technology in schools is not a recent development and new software tools are being developed that can assist teachers in their work. Computerized Individual Education Plans and related software tools hold great promise for reducing the paperwork of special education teachers. The use of any support tool, however, requires the user to expend time and energy in learning how to use it.; This study was an evaluation of the implementation of an E.P.S.S. for special education teachers. This study investigated the question 'what actually occurs within a work site during the implementation of an electronic support system'. As a mixed method study, a survey, informant interviews, observations, and a focus group were used to collect data. Key informants were teachers using the electronic I.E.P., their supervisors, and their support personnel.; The Stages of Concern Questionnaire provided a general overview of the concerns of the teachers across the district. The peak score analysis indicated that nearly half of the teachers had peak stage Scores in the '0' stage, reflecting low levels of concern regarding the software. Further analysis of the second peak score for the teachers indicated that many of the teachers across the district were still dealing with feelings of uncertainty as far as their abilities to use the software.; The data reflect that respondents made substantial changes in the method they used to produce an I.E.P. Obvious aspects of these changes were in data entry, manipulation of data, and printing. For many of the teachers, time---either in training, exploration of the tool, or in update reviews---was a concern. Support staff and administrators also recognized the issue of time for many of the same reasons.; Overall, the feelings of the teachers were that the software is a good tool to use, and that it is worth the time and effort put in to learning how to use it. Respondents made recommendations for improvement that included use of a central server system, differentiated training, and an update memo. Implications for the development of E.P.S.S.s were discussed. |
