본 연구에서는 발달장애 성인의 평생교육을 위한 문해교육으로써 독서활동의 가치를 제고하고, 발달장애인평생교육센터에서 교육프로그램으로서 독서활동이 활성화되기 위한 실제적이고 구체적인 방안을 모색하기 위해 발달장애인평생교육센터의 독서활동 운영현황과 종사자의 인식 및 지원 요구에 대해 알아보았다. 이를 위해 서울시 17개소 발달장애인평생교육센터 종사자 116명을 대상으로 설문을 실시하였으며, 설문지는 국내외 선행연구에 따라 항목을 구성하고 예비조사를 통해 타당도를 제고하였다. 연구 결과, 첫째, 운영현황과 관련하여 우선 서울시 발달장애인평생교육센터 14개소에서 종사자들이 독서활동 관련 프로그램을 진행하고 있는 것으로 파악되었으나, 실제 독서활동을 운영하는 종사자 수는 상대적으로 적었다. 둘째, 발달장애 성인의 독서활동 및 모둠 독서활동에 대한 필요성과 목적, 나아가 센터 내 운영 등에 대해 종사자들은 대체로 긍정적으로 인식하였다. 셋째. 독서활동 활성화를 위해 우선적으로 종사자들의 인식개선 필요성이 제기되었고, 적합한 도서 개발 및 보급을 요구하였다. 논의에서는 발달장애인평생교육센터에서의 발달장애 성인 독서활동의 의미와 독서활동 활성화 방안을 모색하기 위한 세부 요소를 검토하고 향후 연구에 주는 시사점을 제시하였다.

This study was conducted to enhance the value of reading activities as literacy education for the lifelong education of adults with developmental disabilities and to find practical and concrete ways to activate reading activities as an educational program in lifelong education centers, the purpose of this study to find out the current status of reading activities in lifelong education centers of adults with developmental disabilities, and the perceptions and support needs of workers. To this end, 116 staffs from 17 lifelong education centers for people with developmental disabilities in Seoul were surveyed about the current status of reading activities, their perception of the operation and practice of reading activities, and their support needs. The questionnaire was designed based on the previous domestic and international studies and validity was improved through preliminary research. As the results, first, regarding the operation status, it was found that staffs were conducting programs related to reading activities in 14 lifelong education centers, but the number of staffs actually running reading activities was relatively small. Second, the staffs were generally positive about the necessity and purpose of reading- and group reading activities for adults with developmental disabilities, as well as their operation in the centers. Third, in order to activate reading activities, the necessity to improve the awareness of staffs was raised first, and they requested the development and distribution of ‘easy-to-read’ books. The discussion reviews the meaning of reading activities for adults with developmental disabilities and factors to explore ways to activate reading activities, and suggests implications for future research.