본 연구의 목적은 국내 장애영아를 위한 특수교육기관인 특수학교와 특수교육지원센터의 관리자들이 인식한 장애영아를 위해 제공되는 특수교육 지원 실태 및 요구를 알아보는 것이다. 연구 대상자는 특수학교 관리자 31명, 특수교육지원센터 관리자 46명, 총 77명이다. 연구 결과, 장애영아를 위한 1) 특수교육기관의 특성, 2) 특수교육대상자 선정ㆍ배치실태 및 요구, 3) 교육과정 운영 실태 및 요구, 4) 특수교육 관련서비스 지원 실태 및 요구, 5) 행ㆍ재정 지원 실태 및 요구를 파악하였고, 그 결과를 바탕으로 몇 가지 제언을 제시하였다.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate current state and needs of early intervention for young children with special needs in the special schools and the special education support centers in Korea. The participants of the survey were 77 administrators of programs for young children with special needs, 31 from the special schools and 46 from the special education support center. The subjects of the survey were 1) the characteristics of the early intervention programs for young children with special needs; 2) the process for child diagnosis, evaluation and placement in the special education support centers; 3) managing of the curriculum for the early intervention programs; 4) providing special education related services for young children with special needs; 5) support for administration and finances for the early intervention programs. Based on the results, several suggestions for ensuring quality early intervention were presented: 1) expanding early intervention programs across the nation for the young children with special needs and their families to access easily in various early childhood programs; 2) recruiting qualified early childhood special educators to provide quality educations; 3) developing evaluation inventories for young children with disabilities and providing guidelines on curriculum for infants with special needs; 4) providing special education related services for infants with disabilities regardless of their region and attending programs.