TRAINING AND MOTIVATIONS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN GREECE

This research aims to investigate the characteristics of teachers of the special education population, their training, the available training programs, the necessary qualifications the possibility of their cooperation with bodies and individuals (like school counselor) and their motivations as regards this field of employmen.
The results show that: Women are the majority among young teachers having less experience in special education. On the contrary, men between 31-50 years old are comparatively more than women. The majority of teachers up to the age of 30 years old serve special schools and the majority of teachers between 31-40 years old serve integration classes. INSET colleges (Didaskalia) train the majority of teachers on special education. Special studies and sensitization motivate teachers to choose the field of special education to a high degree. Financial bonuses also play an important role in their choice. According to teachers, school units and school system in general does not correspond to a great extend with the particular needs of special education. Teachers cooperate satisfactorily to a great extent with their colleagues and with the parents of their students. The element that mainly differentiates teachers that participated in the research in relation to the total of their answers is their age.