Low-Incidence Special Education Teacher Preparation: A Supply and Capacity Pilot Study

Abstract

This study was designed to obtain information on special education teacher preparation practices, including program capacity and projections of future program graduates, from institutions of higher education. A pilot survey instrument, "Personnel Preparation Program Supply and Capacity Survey," was developed and sent to a target population of low-incidence area special education teacher preparation programs. Low-incidence program areas were chosen as a smaller subset of the larger field of special education training programs due to the paucity of teacher supply data in these areas. Survey questions were clustered under six topics closely related to the supply of new teaching personnel. The topics included were (a) institutional program information, including present and projected number of graduates, (b) certification practices, (c) student recruitment and retention, (d) program capacity, (e) graduate follow-up, and (f) supply/demand projections. Findings are presented and discussed with implications for national practice.