Use of Paraprofessionals in the Resource Room

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Abstract
Increasing pressure is being exerted upon teachers of mildly handicapped students to maximize the efficiency of their programs in the most cost-effective manner possible. Although paraprofessionals are becoming valuable allies in this endeavor, there is growing concern over the manner in which they are used. This study examined how 23 resource teachers who work with paraprofessionals perceived a need to modify the manner in which paraprofessionals are used. Comparisons between the teachers' actual and desired methods of using aides were made by means of t-tests. Results indicate that resource teachers favor expanding paraprofessionals' skills to enable them to conduct more specialized and complex tasks. The development of preservice training models for paraprofessionals is recommended.

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