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Article

Questionnaire on the Training Profile of a Learning Therapy Specialist: Creation and Validation of the Instrument

by
Laura Martín Martínez
and
Esther Vela Llauradó
*
Faculty of Education and Psychology, Francisco de Vitoria University, 28223 Madrid, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 9159; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219159
Submission received: 25 September 2020 / Revised: 19 October 2020 / Accepted: 1 November 2020 / Published: 3 November 2020

Abstract

:
This article provides a description of the creation and validation process for a questionnaire designed to analyze the initial training received by students of degree programs in pre-primary and primary education, specializing in learning therapy. The instrument consists of 175 items in three sections: the first collects sociodemographic data; the second analyzes the initial training received; and the third and final section analyzes the perception of this initial training. The questionnaire was subjected to a double validation process: an evaluation by a panel of experts and a pilot group, these permitted the validation of the content and construct, as well as the corresponding reliability assessment. The results confirm the validity of the questionnaire with an excellent reliability index, allowing the effective evaluation of the training profile of learning therapy specialists.

1. Introduction

Special education is a discipline that deals with the education of children with disabilities, addressing their specific needs as have been identified over time [1].
The General Education Act of 1970 saw the first mention of special education and with it a new teacher profile—the learning therapist—responsible for providing the specific educational support necessary in the classroom.
According to article 19 of the Order of 20 August 2010, this professional has multiple responsibilities such as adapting the curriculum to address student needs, developing and adapting materials, providing assistance to teachers, tutoring students with special educational needs and coordinating with mainstream teachers, orientation teams and other professionals who may be involved with these students [2]. They will also work and coordinate with families to ensure effective communication and avoid contradictions that may hinder student learning [3].
All of these functions are designed to improve teaching-learning outcomes, to build student autonomy and active participation in society [4], with the cooperation of all teachers, at all educational levels, in order to develop student potential and meet established objectives [5].
We therefore understand that this is a professional who will engage with a very heterogeneous group with a broad spectrum of needs, both in mainstream and specialized schools. This will require the appropriate training as set forth in the World Report on Disability (2011) [6], which states: “The appropriate training of mainstream teachers is crucial if they are to be confident and competent in teaching children with diverse educational needs. The principles of inclusion should be built into teacher training programs, which should be about attitudes and values not just knowledge and skills” (p. 222).
This training begins with the initial skills acquired by future teachers during their university studies, with a methodology combining both theory and practice [7]. This combination is important as the goal for university students is to acquire not only theoretical knowledge but also have the appropriate practical skills, attitudes and behaviors to effectively manage the educational challenges they will face professionally [8,9].
As shown by Moriña and Carballo (2018) [10] in their study on the importance of inclusive education, interviewees highlighted the need for useful and practical training that gives teachers the skills to work effectively, to develop curricula, to create materials, etc., that is, specialist teachers able to fulfil their professional responsibilities with confidence, practical knowledge and experience, and devoting the specific attention required by each student with special educational needs to each student.
This conforms to article 4, section I of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN, 2006) [11], which highlights the need “to promote the training of professionals and staff working with persons with disabilities in the rights recognised in the present Convention so as to better provide the assistance and services guaranteed by those rights”. Furthermore, there are a number of works, including that of González-Gil and Martín (2014) [12], that affirm that the training of professionals is the key to ensuring a quality, inclusive education that attends to the individual needs and characteristics of these students and prepares them for a productive future.
However, we have found that, currently, this professional training is neither unified nor shared across university programs, this is, in part, due to the extinction of the former programs of psycho-pedagogy and special needs education and their substitution with a specialization within the degrees in pre-primary and primary education under the Bologna Process [5]. As shown in a recent article about the analysis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) classrooms, half of teachers do not feel that they have received the correct initial training for starting their professional activity [13].
Specialization in learning therapy is the training pathway for future teachers of a diverse range of students in the classroom, responsible for the detection and prevention of learning difficulties, employing the necessary strategies for the effective education of students with special needs [14].
There are a number of instruments that evaluate teacher training in educational diversity and inclusion [15], aiming to determine the training received by mainstream teachers in degree programs in pre-primary and primary education in dealing with special needs students. The instruments have resulted in a multitude of studies into the level of teacher training in the area of diversity and inclusion, and the deficiencies encountered in professional practice [16,17,18,19,20]. This is not the case with specialists in learning therapy, as there are no instruments to analyze the support provided to students, teachers and families in order to determine if the training is adequate and suitable to their needs.
Considering that the principal barrier for students with disabilities is the lack of adequate training on the part of teachers, often resulting in negative attitudes towards students with special needs [21,22,23,24], it is important to ensure that learning therapy specialists have the appropriate training to work with students and their families, and to provide orientation to mainstream teachers in addressing the needs of students with disabilities. This will help ensure that, based on their initial training, an inclusive education is available to all students [25].
The evaluation of the training of learning therapy specialists, by means of our questionnaire, will help achieve the goal of a quality education for all (goal four) and the reduction of inequalities (goal 10) set out in the United National Agenda 2030 for sustainable development.
Thus, the aim of this research is to create and validate a questionnaire that will allow the effective assessment of the training received by future teachers in degree programs in pre-primary and primary education specializing in learning therapy. Two aspects have been addressed to achieve this objective:
  • Analysis of the content validity and construct of the questionnaire “Profile of the specialist in Learning Therapy”
  • Analysis of the reliability of the questionnaire “Profile of the specialist in Learning Therapy”

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Design

This research applied a descriptive methodology for an objective and verifiable analysis of a specific population. A questionnaire was used to collect information as the easiest and most commonly used tool in the field of education [26].

2.2. Instrument

An initial review of existing questions revealed that there are no questionnaires that evaluate the training received by teachers of pre-primary and primary education specializing in learning therapy. Given the diversity of the students with whom they will be working, and the wide range of needs to be addressed, we proceeded to create a questionnaire that asks a series of questions encompassing their knowledge of these needs and how to address them.
The questions were created taking into account the persons to whom they were addressed, aiming to be clear and concise. The questionnaire is of considerable length. This aspect was carefully considered, and it was difficult to reduce the number of items addressing all the aspects deemed necessary for training and intervention.
The questionnaire is structured in three sections. The first deals with sociodemographic data, the second consists of 10 subscales that measure the training profile of the students’ information, using a Likert scale from 1 to 5, where 1 is “I don’t know” and 5 is “I know a lot”, finally, the third section analyzes their opinions of their initial training, using both open questions and questions using the same Likert scale.
This structure allowed us to make a comprehensive analysis of the specialist teacher by completing the questionnaire in full, or a partial analysis merely using the training subscale.
The initial questionnaire consisted of 186 items. The sections on sociodemographic data and initial training consisted of 15 questions while that on academic training consisted of 171 questions divided into 10 subscales, this structure is illustrated in Table 1 below:

2.3. Participants

Once the questionnaire was created, it was put before a panel of experts. These experts were selected based on the following criteria [27]:
  • Experience in making evaluations.
  • Professional reputation.
  • Availability and willingness to participate.
  • Impartiality and inherent qualities such as confidence and adaptability.
For the expert evaluation, two specialists were selected for each of the disabilities or dysfunctions included in the questionnaire for a total of 18 people. Each of these experts made an evaluation of the block dealing with their area of expertise, providing qualitative analysis of each item, taking into consideration:
  • If the text of each item is clear and correct.
  • If the questions have the appropriate length.
  • If the content of the questions is coherent with each of the blocks.
  • If the response options (1 to 5 scale) are appropriate to the questions.
  • Other aspects.
More generally, the experts were also asked to consider if any information or items should be added or eliminated, and any other aspects they wished to comment on.
Furthermore, the questionnaire was posed to a pilot group consisting of 32 recent graduates in pre-primary and primary education specializing in learning therapy, a sample similar to the group we aimed to study. The role of this group was to answer the questionnaire and offer a qualitative analysis, indicating at the end of each block their observations and considerations, the same as the group of experts. They were also asked to evaluate the suitability and length of the questionnaire and the time given for completion.

2.4. Procedure

An initial review was conducted of the existing questionnaires used to determine the profile of the learning therapy specialist. It was found that there were no questionnaires that collect the information necessary to effectively evaluate this professional profile.
The next step was the creation of a questionnaire covering the theoretical and practical aspects considered necessary for an effective evaluation of the training received by these specialists.
A group of experts was then consulted to validate the questionnaire, which was subsequently posed to a pilot group to verify that the included items were appropriate. A qualitative evaluation was used in both cases.
Once this information was collected, an analysis was made of the corresponding data.

2.5. Data Analysis

The validity of the content and construct was analyzed by means of a panel of experts and a pilot group. A reliability test (Cronbach’s alpha) of the complete scale and the various subscales was also conducted.
In all cases, data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software, version 24.

3. Results

The results are presented in two parts. The first part analyzed the validity of the content and construct by means of a panel of experts and a pilot group, the second calculated the homogeneity index of the items and the final reliability test of the complete scale and each of the subscales.

3.1. Panel of Experts and Pilot Group

Based on the evaluation by the panel of experts, the following modifications, additions, or eliminations were made:
  • ASD block—the following items were added:
    • I can create an agenda according to the needs of the ASD students, considering different levels of abstraction.
    • I can create materials to develop the social skills of ASD students.
  • Visual impairment block—the following item was eliminated as being repetitive:
    • I am familiar with Braille print.
  • Hearing impairment block—dactylology and fingerspelling were specified in the item referring to deaf-blindness.
  • Personality disorders block—three items referring to the classification of dysfunctions in the DSM-V in A, B and C were eliminated as irrelevant from an educational point of view, but the specific needs produced by these dysfunctions are relevant.
Based on the opinions of the panel of experts, the indicated items were added or removed (Table 2). The initial questionnaire consisted of 186 items, later reduced to 184 items: eight in the sociodemographic section and 176 in the training section after the modification of items related to “Autism Spectrum Disorder”, “Visual impairment”, “Hearing impairment” and “Personality disorders”.
The pilot group did not suggest any changes, considering the items to be appropriate, except with regard to the length of the questionnaire. It was decided not to make changes in the length given the importance of the information evaluated.

3.2. Reliability Assessment

The questionnaire was administered to a pilot group of 32 students in order to determine their comprehension of the items and analyze the construct validity.
To analyze the construct validity, a homogeneity test was conducted of the items of each subscale to eliminate those with low discrimination (<20) or those with a low correlation but above 20, and thus increase the reliability of the instrument if eliminated. A reliability test was also conducted using Cronbach’s alpha, before and after eliminating the items with low correlation to verify the difference.
Table 3 shows the results of these tests, showing how the elimination of a number of items enhanced the reliability of the scale, not the instrument as a whole in the training section. The reliability index of the instrument is good or excellent in all scales according to the criteria of George and Mallery (2003, p. 231) [28].
After the validation of the content and the construct, the final questionnaire had a total of 175 items, of which, 160 corresponded to the training section, configured into different subscales. The final questionnaire is provided in Appendix A.

4. Discussion and Conclusions

This work describes the process of validation of a questionnaire created to analyze the training profile of learning therapy specialists. A number of studies provide a general assessment of the university training of mainstream teachers [29,30,31,32] and for more specific teacher profiles such as specialists in physical education [33], music [34] or foreign languages [35]. However, when we looked at specialists in learning therapy, we found that many studies analyze more general aspects of pre-primary and primary teacher training in the area of educational diversity and inclusion, making use of instruments designed for this type of analysis [14], but not for the profile of the learning therapy specialist. Thus, the present work aims to validate an instrument that will allow the analysis of the training in this professional field.
This section offers some of the principal conclusions drawn from the results of the analysis of the design and psychometric properties of the questionnaire.
Firstly, we assessed the content and construct validity using a panel of experts of an appropriate number according to previous studies [36,37,38]. These experts performed a qualitative analysis to determine the suitability of both the questionnaire as a whole and each of the items. Certain minor changes were made to improve the questionnaire.
The questionnaire was subsequently analyzed for homogeneity, eliminating those items with low correlations and therefore enhancing the reliability of the subscales. We determined that the reliability was excellent in general terms and good to excellent in the different subscales.
The work has allowed us to develop an important instrument for evaluating the training profile of the learning therapy specialist, a professional who must address the highly diverse needs of a highly diverse set of students. To do this effectively, it is essential that these professionals have the appropriate training. The assessment of learning therapists will reveal the current reality in order to identify areas for improvement, starting with initial professional training, with clear and objective criteria.
However, there are certain limitations to the present study that should be noted. Firstly, the questionnaire may be too long, a possible impediment to those who need to complete it. Secondly, the size of the pilot group was limited and should be expanded in order to have a more substantial and generalizable data set.

Author Contributions

L.M.M. and E.V.L. worked jointly on the data processing and on the composition of the paper. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Appendix A

Questionnaire on the training profile—learning therapy specialists
Sociodemographic data:
Qualification:
□ Degree in pre-primary education.
□ Degree in primary education
Specialization:
□ Learning therapy
□ Other……………………………………
University where you studied…………………………………………………………..
Year of graduation ……………………………………………………………………………
Years of teaching experience
□ I have no teaching experience
□ Less than 5 years
□ Between 5 and 10 years
□ More than 10 years
Are you currently working?
□ Yes
□ No
If the answer is Yes:
□ You are a mainstream classroom teacher
□ Pre-primary
□ Primary
□ Secondary
□ You are a learning therapy teacher
□ Pre-primary
□ Primary
□ Secondary
□ Other
Age……………………..
Gender
□ Male
□ Female
Training analysis:
Table A1. Motor impairment (MI).
Table A1. Motor impairment (MI).
Not at AllVery littleSlightlySomewhatA Great DealTotally
ITEM
1I am familiar with the needs of students with MI.123456
2I am able to address the needs of students with MI in the LT classroom.123456
3I am able to address the needs of students with MI in the mainstream classroom.123456
4I am able to create education materials adapted to the needs of students with MI.123456
5I am familiar with alternative and augmentative communication systems.123456
6I am familiar with pictograms are.123456
7I am familiar with a communication board is.123456
8I am able to create a communication board (using BLISS, SPC, ARASAAC).123456
9I am familiar with an E-TRAN board is.123456
10I know of ICT programs and tools that facilitate access to communication.123456
11I am familiar with support technologies.123456
12I am able to introduce support technologies to facilitate learning for students with MI in the classroom.123456
13I am familiar with basal stimulation is.123456
14I am familiar with multisensorial stimulation is.123456
15I am able to create sensorial materials for the classroom.123456
16I believe my current level of training in motor impairment allows me to provide basic orientation to families.123456
17I believe my current level of training is adequate to address the needs of students with MI.123456
Table A2. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Table A2. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Not at AllVery LittleSlightlySomewhatA Great DealTotally
ITEM
18I am familiar with the needs of students with ASD.123456
19I am able to address the needs of students with ASD in the classroom PT.123456
20I am able to address the needs of students with ASD in the mainstream classroom.123456
21I am familiar with Social Stories are.123456
22I am able to create a Social Story.123456
23I am aware of when it is appropriate to use Social Story.123456
24I am familiar with the Theory of Mind.123456
25I am able to create materials to work with the Theory of Mind for students with ASD.123456
26I am able to create materials to work on the emotion regulation of students with ASD.123456
27I am able to create materials to work on the social skills of students with ASD.123456
28I am able to structure an LT classroom based on the ASDCCH system.123456
29I am able to create materials for the TEACCH system.123456
30I am aware of the Positive Behaviour Support program.123456
31I know about hyper-sensitivity and hyper-sensitivity among people with ASD.123456
32I am able to use visual supports with pictograms to adapt materials such as stories, sequences, routines, visual timetables, etc.123456
33I believe my current level of training in ASD allows me to provide basic orientation to families.123456
34I believe my current level of training is adequate to address the needs of students with ASD.123456
Sensory disabilities:
Table A3. Visual impairment (VI).
Table A3. Visual impairment (VI).
Not at AllVery LittleSlightlySomewhatA Great DealTotally
ITEM
35I am familiar with the needs of students with visual impairment.123456
36I know how to address the needs of students with visual impairment in the LT classroom.123456
37I know how to address the needs of students with visual impairment in the mainstream classroom.123456
38I am familiar with Tiflotechnology.123456
39I am able to create a text in Braille.123456
40I am familiar with the Braille Terminal.123456
41I am familiar with the Perkins Brailler.123456
42I am able to address the spatial-temporal needs of students with visual impairment.123456
43I am able to create supports as a guide for the spatial-temporal needs of students with deaf-blindness.123456
44I am able to adapt materials for students with visual impairment (i.e., text in high relief).123456
45I believe my current level of training in visual impairment allows me to provide basic orientation to families.123456
46I believe my current level of training is adequate to address the needs of students with visual impairment.123456
47I believe the training received in university is adequate to address the needs of students with visual impairment.123456
Table A4. Hearing impairment (HI).
Table A4. Hearing impairment (HI).
Not at AllVery LittleSlightlySomewhatA Great DealTotally
ITEM
48I am familiar with the needs of students with hearing impairment.123456
49I know how to address the needs of students with hearing impairment in the LT classroom.123456
50I know how to address the needs of students with hearing impairment in the mainstream classroom.123456
51I am familiar with the FM System is for hearing impairment.123456
52I am familiar with cued speech is.123456
53I am familiar with the bimodal communication system.123456
54I am able to communicate in signs using the bimodal structure.123456
55I am familiar with Sign Language.123456
56I am familiar with dactylology or fingerspelling.123456
57I am able to communicate using dactylology.123456
58I believe my current level of training in hearing impairment allows me to provide basic orientation to families.123456
59I believe my current level of training is adequate to address the needs of students with hearing impairment.123456
60I believe the training received in university is adequate to address the needs of students with hearing impairment.123456
Table A5. Intellectual disability (ID).
Table A5. Intellectual disability (ID).
Not at AllVery LittleSlightlySomewhatA Great DealTotally
ITEM
61I am familiar with the needs of students with ID.123456
62I know how to address the needs of students with ID in the LT classroom.123456
63I know how to address the needs of students with ID in the mainstream classroom.123456
64I am aware of the priority areas in addressing the needs of students with ID.123456
65I am familiar with individual support plans.123456
66I am able to create an individual support plan.123456
67I am aware of the different intensities of support for students with ID.123456
68I am familiar with the five basic dimensions in the assessment of intellectual disability.123456
69I am familiar with the four steps in the planning and evaluation of the support required by students with ID.123456
70I am familiar with co-active, cooperative and reactive learning.123456
71I am familiar with the principal behavioural problems associated with ID.123456
72I am able to create a behaviour modification program.123456
73I believe my current level of training in intellectual disability allows me to provide basic orientation to families.123456
74I believe my current level of training is adequate to address the needs of students with ID.123456
75I believe the training received in university is adequate to address the needs of students with ID.123456
Table A6. Personality disorder (PD).
Table A6. Personality disorder (PD).
Not at AllVery LittleSlightlySomewhatA Great DealTotally
ITEM
76I am familiar with the needs of students with PD.123456
77I know how to address the needs of students with PD in the classroom.123456
78I am able to identify distinct types of attachment and their influence in the personality development of children.123456
79I am familiar with schizophrenia and its manifestations in childhood.123456
80I am familiar with borderline personality disorder and its manifestations in childhood.123456
81I am familiar with narcissistic personality disorder and its manifestations in childhood.123456
82I am familiar with antisocial personality disorder and its manifestations in childhood.123456
83I am familiar with avoidant personality disorder and its manifestations in childhood.123456
84I am familiar with dependent personality disorder and its manifestations in childhood.123456
85I am familiar with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and its manifestations in childhood.123456
86I am familiar with childhood depression and its manifestations in childhood.123456
87I am familiar with histrionic personality disorder and its manifestations in childhood.123456
88I believe my current level of training in PD allows me to provide basic orientation to families.123456
89I believe my current level of training is adequate to address the needs of students with PD.123456
90I believe the training received in university is adequate to address the needs of students with PD.123456
Table A7. Gifted students (GS).
Table A7. Gifted students (GS).
Not at AllVery LittleSlightlySomewhatA Great DealTotally
ITEM
91I am familiar with the needs of gifted students.123456
92I know how to address the needs of gifted students in the mainstream classroom.123456
93I am aware of the difference between precocious, talented, gifted, genius and prodigy.123456
94I am aware of how to identify gifted students in the family context.123456
95I am aware of how to identify gifted students in the school context.123456
96I am aware of the procedure for the assessment and education of gifted students.123456
97I am familiar with the most commonly used assessment instruments for gifted students.123456
98I am familiar with Renzulli’s three-ring model.123456
99I am familiar with MÖNKS’ triadic model of interdependence.123456
100I am aware of the most important aspects in identifying the educational needs of gifted students.123456
101I am aware of the measures for educational diversity for gifted students: enrichment, extension and flexibility.123456
102I am able to create a program of curricular enrichment.123456
103I am able to create a program of curricular extension.123456
104I am aware of the steps necessary for curricular flexibility.123456
105I believe my current level of training in gifted students allows me to provide basic orientation to families.123456
106I believe my current level of training is adequate to address the needs of gifted students.123456
107I believe the training received in university is adequate to address the needs of gifted students.123456
Table A8. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Table A8. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Not at AllVery LittleSlightlySomewhatA Great DealTotally
ITEM
108I am familiar with the needs of students with ADHD.123456
109I know how to address the needs of students with ADHD in the LT classroom.123456
110I know how to address the needs of students with ADHD in the mainstream classroom.123456
111I am familiar with the three principal characteristics of students with ADHD.123456
112I am familiar with executive functions.123456
113I am able to plan an intervention to develop executive functions.123456
114I am familiar with the comorbidities of ADHD.123456
115I am aware of cognitive therapy.123456
116I am able to plan activities based on cognitive therapy.123456
117I am aware of behaviour therapy.123456
118I am able to plan activities based on behaviour therapy.123456
119I am able to adapt an exam for students with ADHD.123456
120I am aware of the learning difficulties of students with ADHD.123456
121I am able to address the reading, writing and mathematics needs of students with ADHD.123456
122I am familiar with mental operation and their relation to ADHD.123456
123I am able to plan assignments for students with ADHD based on thought routines.123456
124I am able to plan assignments for students with ADHD based on graphic organisers.123456
125I believe my current level of training in ADHD allows me to provide basic orientation to families.123456
126I believe my current level of training is adequate to address the needs of students with ADHD.123456
127I believe the training received in university is adequate to address the needs of students with ADHD.123456
Table A9. Specific learning disabilities (SLD).
Table A9. Specific learning disabilities (SLD).
Not at AllVery LittleSlightlySomewhatA Great DealTotally
ITEM
128I am familiar with the needs of students with SLD123456
129I know how to address the needs of students with SLD in the classroom.123456
130I am aware of the principal reading difficulties (dyslexia) of students with SLD.123456
131I am able to address the principal reading difficulties of students with SLD.123456
132I am aware of the principal difficulties in writing (dysgraphia) of students with SLD.123456
133I am able to address the principal writing difficulties of students with SLD.123456
134I am aware of the principal difficulties in mathematics (dyscalculia) of students specific learning disabilities.123456
135I am able to address the principal difficulties in mathematics of students with specific learning disabilities.123456
136I am familiar with Non-verbal Learning Disorder (NVLD)123456
137I am able to address the principal difficulties of students with NVLD.123456
138I believe my current level of training in specific learning disabilities allows me to provide basic orientation to families.123456
139I believe my current level of training is adequate to address the needs of students with SLD.123456
140I believe the training received in university is adequate to address the needs of students with SLD.123456
Table A10. Intervention planning.
Table A10. Intervention planning.
Not at AllVery LittleSlightlySomewhatA Great DealTotally
ITEM
141I am aware of the difference between integration and inclusion.123456
142I am aware of the difference between significant and non-significant curriculum adaptation.123456
143I am able to create a non-significant curriculum adaptation.123456
144I am able to create a significant curriculum adaptation.123456
145I am familiar with an Individual Curriculum Plan (ICP).123456
146I am able to create an ICP.123456
147I am familiar with individual development programs for specialized schools.123456
148I am able to create an individual development program for specialized schools.123456
149I am familiar with a psycho-pedagogical assessment.123456
150I know the education orientation and psycho-pedagogical teams.123456
151I am aware of the protocol when a student needing specific educational support is identified.123456
152I am aware of Verdugo’s 8 Quality of Life (QoL) dimensions.123456
153I am familiar with person-centred planning (PCP).123456
154I am able to create a person-centred planning.123456
155I am familiar with cooperative learning.123456
156I am able to create cooperative learning groups.123456
157I am aware of the benefits of cooperative learning.123456
158I am able to organise the classroom based on cooperative learning.123456
159I am aware of the function of the teacher in Learning Therapy.123456
160I know the people with whom I must coordinate in order to address the needs of students with specific educational needs.123456
Table A11. University training.
Table A11. University training.
Not at AllVery LittleSlightlySomewhatA Great DealTotally
ITEM
I have received training in learning diversity in university.123456
I believe my current level of training in diversity is adequate.123456
I believe the training received in university in the specialisation in learning therapy was adequate.123456
My university training made me aware of the importance of inclusion.123456
If you are currently a teacher, what training was lacking for the appropriate attention to learning diversity?
After responding to the questionnaire, in what area did you receive the BEST training in university?
After responding to the questionnaire, in what area did you receive the WORST training in university?

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Table 1. Structure of the questionnaire by dimensions, specifications, and number of items.
Table 1. Structure of the questionnaire by dimensions, specifications, and number of items.
DimensionInformationNº Items
Sociodemographic DataThis section collects the information of the respondent regarding their qualifications, age, year of graduation, etc.8
Training sectionMotor impairment (MI)For each of the different disabilities or dysfunctions the theoretical and practical knowledge needed by teachers is evaluated, as well as their feelings of competence in dealing with families and their evaluation of the training they have received in each of the blocks.19
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)17
Visual impairment (VI)15
Hearing impairment (HI)15
Intellectual disability (ID)15
Personality disorders (PD)18
Gifted Students (GS)18
Attention deficit syndrome (ADHD)20
Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)13
Intervention Planning (IPLAN)Includes different aspects related to processes and forms of intervention (Curricular adaptations, student-centred planning, cooperative learning, etc.)21
University training (UTrain)This block evaluates university training in diversity and inclusion and the specialisation in Learning Therapy. It includes three open questions to evaluate the training received at the end of the questionnaire.7
TOTAL 186
Table 2. Final distribution of items by the dimensions of the questionnaire.
Table 2. Final distribution of items by the dimensions of the questionnaire.
DimensionNº Items InitiallyNº Items EliminatedNº Items AddedNº Items ModifiedNº Items Final
Sociodemographic data80008
Motor impairment (MI)1900019
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)1702019
Visual impairment (VI)1510014
Hearing impairment (HI)1500115
Intellectual disability (ID)1500015
Personality disorders (PD)1830015
Gifted Students (GS)1800018
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Syndrome (ADHD)2000020
Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)1300013
Intervention Planning (IPLAN)2100021
University training70007
TOTAL186421184
Table 3. Analysis of the homogeneity and reliability of the items.
Table 3. Analysis of the homogeneity and reliability of the items.
SubscaleItemsEliminated Items
(Discrimination Index)
Nº Items FinalInitial Cronbach’s AlphaFinal Cronbach’s Alpha
MI1–19Item 16 (0.288)
Item 19 (0.232)
170.8980.911
ASD20–38Item 35 (0.234)
Item 38 (0.329)
170.9450.962
VI39–52Item 43 (0.293)130.8630.866
HI53–67Item 61 (0.300)
Item 64 (0.377)
130.9060.915
ID68–82-150.9240.924
PD83–97-150.9740.974
GS98–115Item 101 (0.442)170.9500.953
ADHD116–135-200.9480.948
SLD136–148-130.8700.870
IPLAN149–169Item 150 (0.111)200.9180.925
Total169 1600.9860.986
Note: MI: motor impairment; ASD: autism spectrum disorder; VI: visual impairment; HI: hearing impairment; ID: intellectual disability; PD: personality disorders; GS: gifted students; ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; SLD: specific learning disabilities; IPLAN: intervention planning.
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Martín Martínez, L.; Vela Llauradó, E. Questionnaire on the Training Profile of a Learning Therapy Specialist: Creation and Validation of the Instrument. Sustainability 2020, 12, 9159. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219159

AMA Style

Martín Martínez L, Vela Llauradó E. Questionnaire on the Training Profile of a Learning Therapy Specialist: Creation and Validation of the Instrument. Sustainability. 2020; 12(21):9159. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219159

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Martín Martínez, Laura, and Esther Vela Llauradó. 2020. "Questionnaire on the Training Profile of a Learning Therapy Specialist: Creation and Validation of the Instrument" Sustainability 12, no. 21: 9159. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219159

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