Abstract
The Florida Diagnostic Learning Resource System (FDLRS)/Big Cypress Associate Center is one of eighteen FDLRS centers in the state of Florida. This associate center serves the counties of Collier, Hendry, Glades and Lee. This is an in-depth study of one associate center. The mission of FDLRS is to provide support services to the education of exceptional students, teachers, parents and agencies. FDLRS is mandated by state statutes to provide the services of: child find, diagnostics, media and materials, inservice, consultation and instructional technology.The study analyzed these FDLRS' services by parents, exceptional education teachers and administrators in this geographic region for the 1991-92 school year. Three data collection devices were used; an interview, a survey and a data base. The survey consisted of 28 items using a Likert-type scale. It was distributed to 623 ESE teachers, 213 administrators and 17 selected parents. An interview of eighteen questions that paralleled the survey was conducted with 10 key-stakeholders in the FDLRS organization. A media management data base of actual usage by participants for each of the FDLRS' functions was reviewed. These figures were compared to the participants' acknowledged use of services as documented by the survey. The FDLRS' participants rely on media and materials and consultation services.