HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD BE SPENT ON SKILL INSTRUCTION AND FRIENDSHIP DEVELOPMENT - PREFERENCES OF PARENTS OF STUDENTS WITH MODERATE AND SEVERE PROFOUND DISABILITIES

Parents of students with moderate and severe/profound disabilities were surveyed to determine their preferences for the percent of a typical school week that should be spent on functional life skills, academic skills, friendship/social relationship development and other educational activities (e.g., physical/speech therapy, music) in the educational programs of their sons/daughters. Parents of students with moderate and severe/profound disabilities showed a clear preference for the largest percentage of a school week to be spent on functional life skills. Parents of students with moderate disabilities showed preference for academic skills as the next largest percentage, followed by friendship/social relationship development, and little preference for other educational activities. Parents of students with severe/profound disabilities showed preference for friendship/social relationship development as their next largest percentage, followed by academic skills, and other educational activities. A trend was observed for parental preferences to increase for functional life skills, but decrease for friendship/social relationship development, as the age of their son/daughter increased. Implications for future research and educational practice are suggested.