Early Intervention Services as Perceived by Parents of Children with Special Needs at Yasothorn Special Education Center

Abstract

This survey research aimed to examine and compare parents' opinions on the early intervention services provided by Yasothon Special Education Center, categorized by gender, age, education level, and occupation of the parents. The sample comprised 144 parents of students, determined using Krejcie and Morgan's sample size table and selected through simple random sampling via a lottery method without replacement. A five-point Likert scale questionnaire was used as the research instrument, validated for content through an index of item-objective congruence analysis with values ranging from 0.67 to 1.00, and demonstrated reliability with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.87. Statistical methods for data analysis included percentages, means, standard deviations, T-tests, and one-way ANOVA. The findings revealed that the early intervention services provided by Yasothon Special Education Center were rated as high overall. Parents of different ages and income levels did not significantly differ in their opinions regarding these services. Recommendations for improving early intervention services include implementing an online enrollment system for parents to register their children, re-evaluating disabilities using medical certification as baseline information, involving parents in assessing students' basic abilities, and offering information on basic skills assessment. It is further suggested that an interdisciplinary team provide regular home-based services to enhance the physical development of students with disabilities. The center should also report progress online, develop training manuals or instructional videos for various developmental skills, and establish specialized classrooms to prepare students for inclusive education.