In 2000, the Education Commission launched a 10-year campaign that strived reform education by reconfiguring the academic system, including redesigning curriculum aims and assessment mechanism. Intense and frequent changes that resulted transformed the ecology of the education system. Local surveys indicated that most teachers suffered a high level of stress and many of them were nearly burnout. A combined inquiry was used to probe the external and internal influences that education reforms had upon teachers in schools for children with physical disabilities in Hong Kong. On the external influences, historical study and document analysis were employed. As to the internal influences, three methods were utilized. First, a four-section modified questionnaire was distributed to investigate these teachers' (n=92) stressors and gather data regarding their professional development. Second, 11 individual interviews were conducted in order to collect in-depth concerns from the representatives of novices, experienced and administrative teachers. Third, a focus group discussion with six experienced teachers was held to collect further data. Results of data analysis were discussed in order to provide recommendations to various stakeholders in supporting teachers along different stages of their career paths. 在2000年，教育統籌委員會啟動長達十年的教育改革，不但重新規劃香港學制，也重整課程目標及評估機制。自此，轉變密集而頻繁，改造了整個教育系統的生態，而本地多項調查顯示大部分教師承受着高度的工作壓力，有許多更近乎耗盡。本文採用綜合方法，深入調查教育改革對肢體傷殘學校教師所帶來的外在及內部影響。就其外在影響，作者運用歷史研究法及文件分析法調查；至於內部影響，則透過問卷調查、個別面談、焦點小組三種方法搜集資料。經過分析資料及討論觀點後，作者向教育官員、學校領導、特校教師提出建議，望後者在不同階段的教學生涯中獲得支援。
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This study aimed to investigate how the special educators perceive their stress and professional development amidst Education Reform 2000 in Hong Kong. A conceptual framework was constructed to probe the external and internal influences of education reforms upon teachers in special schools. A combined inquiry was used to complete the task. For knowing external environment influences, two methods were employed. Historical study was selected to scrutinize 21 official documents that were closely related to the education reforms. Document analysis was chosen to examine 21 local theses, surveys, or reports on teacher stress, and to categorize 409 relevant news clippings related to the education reform, teacher stress, and professional development. As to internal influences, three methods were utilized. First, a four-section modified questionnaire was sent to 159 teachers in special schools, among them 92 teachers responded (57.9%) for data analysis. Second, 11 individualized semi-structured interviews were conducted, which were categorized into four administrative teachers, three experienced teachers and four novice teachers to triangulate the findings of quantitative analysis. Third, a focus group discussion with six experienced teachers was held to collect further relevant data.
Results were found in data or evidences on four foci. As for the education reforms, most teachers realized that the influence of education reform was complex. The frequent changes in educational policies, which were relating to class structures, curricula, teachers' qualification and composition, existence and stability, quality assurance and accountability, operation style, and provision of special schools, had affected the schools' operations and teachers' lives. Regarding teacher stress, all levels of teachers in special schools were working at a high level of stress. The stressors of professional investment, school organizational variables, personal variables, and work-related stressors