THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS IN THAILAND

The purpose of this study was to identify various management systems existing in special education schools in Thailand as well as to explore the teachers' perceptions concerning the effectiveness of those management systems in special education schools in Thailand. The population was comprised of teachers and principals in eleven special education schools in Bangkok and in other regions of the country. Three instruments were utilized: Form 3 and Form 5 of the Profile of a School and the Effectiveness Rating of Management System. Three statistical techniques were used on the returned questionnaires (87% of those submitted to school personnel): The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, the Scheffe Test and One Way Analysis of Variance, to determine the significance at p < .05 level of confidence. The statistical analyses yielded the following conclusions: (1) Management systems in special education schools fell into the Consultative Model, System 3 of Likert's management system. (2) The teachers in special education schools perceived their school's management system as effective. (3) There were significant correlations (r = .67) in mean scores between management systems and their measured effectiveness. (4) There were no significant correlations (r = -.085) between management systems and the level of education of the principals. (5) There were statistically significant differences between the teachers and the principals with regard to the perceptions of the management systems of the school. (6) Management systems under the leadership of female principals were not significantly different from those under the leadership of male principals. (7) Management systems among various types of special education schools were not significantly different. (8) Management systems in special education schools in Bangkok were not significantly different from those in the "up country" schools. Based upon the analyses and the findings, the following recommendations were made: (1) Likert's Survey Feedback strategy should be applied after the study so that school administrators could have maximum opportunities to improve their administration which would assist in moving the management systems toward System 4: the participatory model. (2) Further studies should include the replication of this study in order to detect the change, if there be any, in management systems after a period of time has elapsed.