Information in this publication was collected through two techniques. The first was through the work of a committee of ten experts, who prepared a report identifying and describing the competencies which they believed were needed by directors and specialists responsible at the State level for the education of various types of exceptional children. In order that it might give a balanced point of view, the committee was composed of persons working in local school systems as well as in State departments of education.

The second means of collecting information was through the series of inqui forms which were sent to four groups of special educators. They were: 102 special educators in State departments of education; 153 special educators in local school systems; 279 instructors in colleges and universities preparing teachers handicapped and gifted children; and 1,079 successful teachers in 10 areas of exceptionality, such as the blind, mentally retarded, and gifted.

PARTICIPATING DIRECTORS AND SPECIALISTS

Since a large part of the information reported in this publication was supplied y directors and specialists in State departments of education, something should e said about the background of these people. In delimiting the study, the Naonal Advisory Committee set the following criteria for participation: Each articipant must give full time to special education; he must be an educator, not psychologist, therapist, or specialist concerned with related fields; he must have tatewide responsibility for the education of exceptional children.

One hundred percent of the persons working in State departments in 1953 and eeting the criteria participated in the study. In all, there were 102 State special ducation leaders; 40 directors, and 62 specialists. There was, however, considerble variation in the titles reported. These directors and specialists were workng in 36 States and the District of Columbia. The 12 States not represented ither had vacant positions, no special education staff, or staff members who gave nly a minor part of their time to special education.

Some additional information on the participating directors and specialists may erve as a basis on which to interpret their opinions. The number of areas in pecial education in which these directors and specialists were working is reported

n table 1.

Examination of this table shows that, in general, the directors or overall super-isors tended to have responsibility for many groups of handicapped or gifted hildren, while the specialists usually had responsibility for the education of from one to three groups of exceptional children. Table 2 shows the areas of special ducation for which these staff members had responsibility.

Nearly all of the directors participating in the study had responsibility for the ducation of crippled, hard of hearing, speech handicapped, and mentally retarded hildren. The largest number of participating specialists (about one-third) also eported that they were working in these areas. The area for which the fewest irectors and specialists reported responsibility was the gifted.

This kind of status information might well be studied again in the near future, ince special education is still in a formative stage, and the areas of responsibility may shift considerably within the next few years. At such a time, it might be well to study the matter in relation to such factors as size and spread of populaion and wealth of the various States. It might also be feasible in the future to ollect status data from which conclusions could be drawn about current State ervices to handicapped and gifted children; within the scope of the present study, However, this was not possible.

The State leaders, both directors and specialists, reported that they were designated by such titles as: Director, assistant superintendent of instruction, consultant, supervisor, assistant director, coordinator, specialist. The definition of "director" and "specialist" as used in this study may be found in appendix B.

Table 1.-Number of Areas of Exceptionality for Which State Direc and Specialists Reported Responsibility

Table 2.-Number of Directors and Specialists Reporting Responsi bility for Each Area of Exceptionality

COMPETENCIES NEEDED BY
DIRECTORS AND SPECIALISTS

ATEN-MEMBER committee representing widely scattered areas of the United

States was made responsible for preparing a statement on the knowledge and the abilities which they regarded as essential to the successful performance of duties by State special education leaders. It was the function of this committee to define the competencies needed by directors and specialists which are different from, or in addition to, those required by other educators. The complete report of the committee, prefaced by the names of the members,' appears below.

In order that the competencies needed by persons working at a specific task may be listed, the nature of the work to be performed must first be examined. The duties of State personnel working in the field of special education seem to fall into two broad areas: (1) Administrative, and (2) supervisory or consultative. Under the former will be found such responsibilities as the preparation of budgets, the evaluation and formulation of legislation, the distribution of State funds, supervision of educational programs in day and residential schools, selection of personnel, formulation of policies and standards, and approval of local programs. of special education. The consultative or supervisory functions include the coordinating of activities of various agencies concerned with the problem; the establishment of new programs; the evaluation of local programs of special education; the upgrading of local programs; the inservice and preservice education of teachers; the preparation of reports and publications; incorporation of the special education program into the total school program; and integration of the services with the policies and programs of other agencies and institutions, both public and private, dealing with handicapped children.

In practice these responsibilities are not mutually exclusive, for it frequently 1 Titles of committee members are shown on page iv.

happens that both administrators and consultants carry on activities in both field Indeed, in some of the State programs, one person often serves both as an administrator of a State program and as a consultant in all areas. A person in such 4 position carries an extremely difficult assignment and, despite the excellence of his preparation and the richness of his experiential background, cannot hope to perform altogether effectively such a variety and number of duties.

Personal Characteristics Needed by Directors and Specialists

Despite the diversity of duties falling to the lot of the two types of State leaders, the personal characteristics needed would appear to be fairly common to both. It is assumed that all educators should possess tact, patience, and an understanding of children as well as self-understanding, creativeness, resourcefulness, and optimism. In addition to these basic competencies, however, those who work with exceptional children must be motivated by a high interest in children who deviate from the so-called "average" and must be both physically healthy and emotionally well-adjusted. The State worker, especially, must be physically strong to withstand the rigors of a type of work which requires constant and extensive travel, frequent night engagements, the strain of heavy responsibilities. and frequent appearances before community and educational groups.

Because of the nature of his responsibilities, the State director or specialist should possess characteristics which make him both socially and professionally acceptable as a leader in order that he may be effective in promoting the program with lay individuals and groups as well as with professional educators. His work brings him into contact with persons from all economic and social levels in a wide variety of situations; unusual qualities of personality and of "adjustability” are required to meet these situations effectively.

While the State leader should have sufficient vision and imagination to qualify as an idealist—to dream grand dreams and to set his ultimate goals far beyond present accomplishments-he should still be sufficiently realistic to keep his program in operation in terms of actualities. In this kind of person, realism will balance idealism in such a way that action will reflect sound judgment far beyond that required in less responsible positions.

One of the characteristics of any person engaged in professional work is growth in knowledge, skill, and understanding. To an even greater degree than usual, however, the State director or specialist should reflect this quality. If he is to assume the role of statewide leadership which this position requires, he should be thoroughly informed of new developments in all fields of special education and related areas, or if he is a consultant in one area, in the area for which he is responsible. Breadth as well as depth of knowledge is required, and the worker who is unwilling to grow soon loses his effectiveness in the field.

Because he must work closely and cooperatively with many disciplines which