Development of the “special-vocational-education-service-quality scale”: Listening to the voices of students with intellectual disability

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a scale for the evaluation of the perceived quality of services provided to students with disabilities by Special Vocational Education (SVE) institutions in Greece. Design/methodology/approach: SVE service quality was approached on the basis of the performance-only model. The participatory research paradigm was followed, engaging students with disability and specifically with intellectual disability in several stages of the instrument development. The methodological design included two phases for the establishment and testing of the reliability and validity of the scale. Findings: The findings of the study support a multifactorial construct of SVE service quality consisting of five factors: responsiveness, surroundings, personalization, training and facilities adequacy. Research limitations/implications: Generalization of results should be attempted with concern. The type and severity of disability should be considered in future use of the scale. The construct of training for students with disability needs to be further investigated. Practical implications: SVE-Service-Quality Scale may be used in SVE settings highlighting areas of improvement or as an instrument for the assessment of implemented interventions. Social implications: Participatory research may serve as an empowerment opportunity for students with disability, whose active engagement in the research design allows for a small-scale yet valuable social impact, promoting emancipation for people with disability. Originality/value: The study draws attention on the field of SVE service quality where research is scarce, introducing SVE in the discussion about educational service quality assessment. © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited.