KNOWLEDGE OF LEARNING DISABILITY AMONG PRE- AND IN-SERVICE TEACHERS IN INDIA

The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge level of learning disabilities (LD) among teachers in India. A survey was distributed among 144 teachers in two regular high schools, 38 teachers in two special schools, and 165 pre-service teachers in a teacher education college in a metropolitan city in a southern state in India. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the knowledge level of learning disabilities among teachers working in regular schools was statistically different. Among the three groups, the pre-service teacher group scored the lowest (M = 60.76, SD = 13.36, N = 165) which was below the mean score for the entire group (M = 66.32, SD = 13.37, N = 347). Teaching experience and familiarity with persons with LD did not affect the knowledge level of the three groups of participants. The study makes recommendations on how to improve the knowledge level of learning disabilities among pre-service teachers in India, and the need to assess knowledge of LD among physicians, parents, paraprofessionals, educational administrators and other stake holders.