Developing Self-Advocacy Skills in Japanese Special Needs High Schools: A Survey of Teachers Educating Students With Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

This study investigated the awareness and frequency of self-advocacy skills development training for students with intellectual disabilities conducted by teachers in Japanese special needs high school sections. The study developed the Difficulty Scale for Self-Advocacy Skills Development (DS-SSD) and the Frequency Scale for Self-Advocacy Skills Development (FS-SSD). Using these tools, the study surveyed teachers in special needs schools for students with intellectual disabilities. Teachers' responses (N = 80) to the DS-SSD underwent exploratory factor analysis, which revealed two primary factors: “difficulty in developing self-understanding” and “difficulty in developing communication skills for rights.” The results indicated that teachers with more years of experience, especially in special needs education, reported less difficulty developing students' self-understanding. Teachers with more years of teaching in schools found developing students' communication skills for rights less challenging. However, the study found no relationship between the frequency of self-advocacy skills development and the teachers' gender, overall teaching experience, or experience in special needs education. These findings offer insights into the challenges and frequency of self-advocacy skills instruction provided in special needs schools. Factors influencing the efficacy of these educational practices are discussed.