A service delivery system for persons with mental retardation in Thailand

The present study was intended to investigate (a) the need for special services for persons with mental retardation in Thailand, (b) the attitudes held by 558 Thai educators toward persons with mental retardation, (c) the needed competencies for teachers of persons with mental retardation, and (d) the perceived barriers to the delivery of high quality special programs.;The needs assessment, instruments for assessing teaching competencies and barriers and the Multidimensional Attitude Scale for Handicapped Student (MASHS) were administered to 101 public school administrators, 118 in-service regular education teachers, 103 pre-service regular education teachers, 74 from administrators and experts in special services facilities for persons with mental retardation, and 162 in-service special education teachers.;The need for special services and the present status of special services for persons with mental retardation were reported. Needed teaching competencies and barriers to the delivery of high quality special programs were analyzed and identified.;The data supported the following conclusions: (1) The need exists for special services programs for persons with mental retardation in Thailand. (2) Significant differences existed among Thai educators related to their professional roles in attitudes toward persons with mental retardation. (3) No significant differences existed among Thai educators related to their professional roles in their perceptions of competencies needed by teachers of persons with mental retardation. (4) No significant differences existed among Thai educators related to their professional roles in their perceptions of barriers to the delivery of high quality special programs for persons with mental retardation.