Special Education Knowledge Research Articles

Principals as Co-Advocates for Caregivers of Children With Disabilities: Possibilities and Realizations Beyond IDEA’s Collaborative Ideal

Although special education and its legal provisions under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) were designed to support all children with disabilities, it has created a litigious and bureaucratic environment that further marginalizes disabled and labeled children of color and their families. Falling short of a collaborative ideal, school principals who can serve pivotal roles are often siloed from the rest of the school team, often lack special education knowledge and training beyond procedural matters, and can perpetuate inequities through their actions or inactions. We present a scenario illustrating the challenges and possibilities for school principals to promote equitable transformation through (a) an equitable, active leadership role, (b) embodying systemic equity commitments using intersectionality as praxis, (c) moving beyond school and district compliance, and (d) a co-advocacy role with families.

Understanding Mixed Reality Simulation as a Training Environment for Behavior and Special Education Knowledge and Skill Acquisition

Concerningly, pre-service teachers might utilize practices during practicum and student teaching experiences in ways that are less than satisfactory, or even harmful, to students, peers, or mentors. Mixed reality simulation (MRS), an educational tool for practicing teaching skills, may be a warranted approach to field experience that limits wrongdoing. However, few studies have researched the impact and meaningfulness of MRS teaching experiences. Therefore, this study combined both survey results and interview findings to report the extent to which MRS might improve the knowledge and skills of pre-service educators and whether MRS was considered an appropriate field experience alternative. Within one simulated scenario design, participants ( n = 94) were asked to engage five elementary-aged avatar students who presented challenging behaviors and asked questions or made comments about disability. Implications of findings are discussed in relation to mitigating common barriers of field experiences in higher education programs suggesting that, potentially, MRS may be an innovative way to respond to attrition concerns in the field of special education.

Understanding anxiety‐related problems of children with ASD in school settings

AbstractThe primary purpose of this current study was to identify knowledge of special education and mental health professionals in anxiety‐related problems of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in four Different Categories: Separation Anxiety (SA), Uncertainty (U), Performance Anxiety (PA), and anxiety Arousal (AA). Three hundred eighteen participants across the United States (199 special education teachers, 97 school counselors, and 22 school psychologists) participated. The finding indicated that special education teachers and school counselors have significantly less training and expertise to identify anxiety symptoms in typically developing children and children with ASD than school psychologists (p < .05). Moreover, school counselors have significantly limited knowledge in identifying and treating anxiety issues in children with ASD (p < .05). Findings showed that school counselors could not determine precisely whether symptoms of uncertainty events existed because of anxiety issues or ASD characteristics. School psychologists and special education teachers identified the uncertainty of children with ASD as characteristics of children with ASD, not anxiety symptoms. Implications were discussed.

Exploring Differences in Spanish- and English-Speaking Parents’ Experiences With Individualized Education Program Meetings

This study aimed to explore the experiences of parents ( N = 177; Spanish-speaking and English-speaking parents) of children with disabilities navigating the special education process. This descriptive study collected quantitative and qualitative data through an electronic survey. Results describe Spanish- and English-speaking parent’s experience during Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, challenges in attending IEP meetings, special education knowledge, participation during IEP meetings, feelings of discrimination, parental stress, and dissatisfaction with special education services. Spanish-speaking parents reported less special education rights knowledge and feeling more discrimination at IEP meetings in comparison to English speakers and reported language barriers and inadequate interpretation services as challenges to attending an IEP meeting. Findings highlight the need for equitable parent-school partnerships to support and empower all families. Awareness of the unique experiences of Spanish-speaking families may further equitable school efforts to serve this population and other linguistically diverse parents.

Special education experiences and stress among Asian-American parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities

ABSTRACT Family involvement is an essential component of the special education process for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In addition to the legal requirement that parents should be equal partners in the decision-making of the student’s individualized education program (IEP) program (IDEA, 2004), a bulk of empirical research demonstrates the positive impact of parent involvement on student outcomes. However, many families face barriers to participation in the special education process. Culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD), including Asian-American families, especially face systemic barriers when accessing services for their children with disabilities. Unfortunately, less research is known about how Asian-American families participate in their child’s IEP meeting. To these ends, individual interviews were conducted with eight Asian-American families of children with IDD to explore parental perceptions of stress in relation to IEP meetings, special education knowledge, and family-professional partnerships. Participants reported feeling stress before, during, and after the IEP meeting. Regardless of the nature (i.e. positive, negative, or neutral) relationship with the school, participants reported barriers (i.e. language and poor experiences with school personnel) to their family-school partnerships. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Scale Development and Validation for Assessing University Faculty’s Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Special Education

This study aims to develop and validate a scale to assess university faculty’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices in special education. A total of 210 faculty members in Taiwan participated in this study. The proposed Faculty Perspectives on Special Education Scale (FPSES), a 32-item scale, includes three subscales: Special Education Knowledge (SEK), Attitudes Towards Students (ATS), and Provision of Services (POS). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, item analysis, correlation analysis, t tests, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results showed that FPSES has satisfactory internal consistency reliability, with Cronbach’s α ranging from .93 to .96 and test-retest reliabilities, with coefficient ranging from .88 to .96. The FPSES also exhibited favorable content validity. Furthermore, the CFA confirmed a good fit between the proposed model and the sample data, thereby ensuring the construct validity. In summary, FPSES is a favorable assessment tool with good psychometric properties, which provides insights into faculty perspectives, attitudes, and practices in the provision of special education services for university students with disabilities.

Development of a Scale to Assess University Faculty’s Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Special Education

Development of a Scale to Assess University Faculty’s Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Special Education

STAGES OF BECOMING A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER IN FLORIDA

This article outlines the steps a teacher must take to obtain a special education teacher license in the state of Florida. It was established that there are different types of certificates: those that allow to carry out educational activities with students with general educational needs; to carry out educational activities with students with speech and language impairments; deaf and hard of hearing; and visually impaired children. To obtain a license, an applicant must complete a special education college program, complete an internship and write a coursework, pass the Florida State Teacher Certification Examination, and obtain a special education teacher certificate. The cost of college varies from state to state, but there are different types of financial aid available. Practice characteristics for special education teachers are also vary by program and course. A standard 4-year special education program involves a gradual intensity of student. After passing the practical part, a teacher pass the Florida State Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE), which consists of three different tests. The next step is obtaining a certificate (professional or temporary). There are many resources for special education teachers that are designed to support and advance the skills of special education teachers. Despite such a wide variety of professional development paths, there is an acute shortage of special education professionals in Florida. In order to eliminate the problem, the US government foresees an increase in wages and the number of jobs in the perspective of 2020‒2030. It was established that in addition to traditional classroom classes, professional development in the field of special education offers different opportunities for career growth. Knowledge of special education can also be used to work in positions funded by statewide programs aimed at meeting the needs of people with disabilities. Work experience in the field of special education gives an advantage among other applicants for teaching activities. The prospects for the work of a special teacher were outlined and the main shortcomings of this field of education were identified.

Research on the Teachers' Dilemma in Inclusive Education under the Background of Learning in Regular Classrooms

Inclusive education has been a crucial education revolution since 1994 the Salamanca Statement, proclaiming that children with diversified abilities should have access to regular schools with appropriate scaffolds and support. Chinese inclusive education is presented as Learning in Regular Classrooms where children with special needs are placed in a regular classroom of a regular school. This article explored and identified challenges LRC faces through teachers roles, standards, and relationships with the childrens families that lead to unsuccessful LRC. The lack of special education knowledge in teachers, mono-teaching-evaluation standards on academics, and disagreements between teachers and families on support for children are some causes of unsuccessful LRC. This article proposed multiple solutions according to the challenges which include cooperating with special education schools to provide systemized special education training and support for teachers, schools providing clear, written, and diversified teaching standards, increase in communication between teachers and childrens families, and schools providing extra support for children.

Teachers’ Integration Strategies And Challenges On Inclusion In Selected Public Primary Schools In Lagos, Nigeria

Inclusion aligns with the goals of Education for All (EFA). Therefore, the study identified teachers’ integration strategies and challenges on inclusion in selected public primary schools in Mushin Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos, Nigeria. Descriptive Survey Research Design was used for the study. 240 teachers in Basic 1-6 formed the sample size who were randomly selected across 24 public primary schools in the LGA. Ten teachers were randomly selected from each school. Three research questions in a 21-item structured questionnaire titled ‘Teachers’ Integration Strategies and Challenges on Inclusion’ (TISACI) was used to elicit information from respondents. The instrument was modified and validated by experts in Early Childhood and Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability instrument coefficient was at 0.798. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency count, percentages and mean. The study found out that that strategies teachers adopt to integrate pupils include differentiation, use of positive technology tools, giving individualized support and collaborative efforts among others. Also, the study outlined challenges teachers face in inclusion such as having to deal with diverse learners with diverse learning needs, lack of resources and support, poor knowledge in special education among others. The study also found that inclusion has positive impact on pupils’ academic performance as it fosters positive classroom climate, provides individualized support and encourages peer tutoring among others. It was therefore recommended that teachers’ professional training should focus more on tenets of special education, use of differentiation, and diversification of assessment strategies for optimal learning outcome in order to accommodate special needs pupils among others.

Balancing special education knowledge and expertise in teacher training programs

ABSTRACT Inclusive education is a leading priority of education policymakers and the subject of a recently amended law in Israel. As seen in many countries globally, the shift towards inclusive education in Israel requires a thorough evaluation of the current and suggested proportion of special education expertise and knowledge in teacher training programs. This qualitative study, which included 34 semi-structured interviews, examined the existing and recommended balance of special education expertise and knowledge within general education Bachelor of Education teacher training programs in Israel. The interviewees were four heads of elementary school education programs from four different teacher training colleges, seven pedagogical counselors, six teacher candidates, six elementary school principals, and eleven elementary school teachers. Three major themes related to the existing and recommended balances between special education expertise and general education emerged: a) successful teaching in general education, b) developing special education knowledge in teacher training programs and c) teamwork and cooperation. The findings led to the conclusion that general education educators in schools and academia lack the expertise and knowledge needed to teach children with diverse needs and to instruct the teacher candidates accordingly. Adjusting the special education knowledge and expertise within the general education teacher training programs is required.

The Gap Between What Parents Need and How Pediatric Primary Care Providers Can Help Families of Children With Special Education Needs.

We describe the gap between parents' special education needs and pediatric primary care providers' (PCPs) ability to address those needs from a mixed-methods study at a safety-net hospital. We conducted qualitative interviews with English- and Spanish-speaking parents (n = 25) and PCPs (n = 11) about special education knowledge and experience and interactions with a primary care-embedded special education clinic. PCPs also answered survey questions on these topics. Parents reported four challenges: (1) knowing where to start and how to advocate for their youth, (2) being heard or having a say, (3) using the "right" language, and (4) gathering information on special education resources. Primary care providers disclosed three barriers: (1) training, (2) knowledge to assess the appropriateness of supports, and (3) time to address concerns. The gap between PCPs and parents was bridged by the special education clinic. Systematic interventions can ensure that PCPs help parents address the special education needs of their patients.

Red Flags Associated With Knowledge Of Speech And Language Disorders Among Special Educators

Objective: To explore the knowledge about speech and language disorders among special educators of Army schools in Pakistan in association with qualification and experience. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study using convenience sampling was conducted at Isra Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isra University from May to October 2017 and comprised of two phases. Phase 1 included the construction & pilot testing of a questionnaire utilizing a sample of N=20 educators and Phase 2 included the main study with N=100 educators of both genders from schools of Army Special Education Academy, Sir Syed School and College of Special Education and Aghosh Special Education Centre Kharian Cantonment. The sample educators included both genders, dealing with children with intellectual and hearing impairment. SPSS Version 20 was used for data analysis. Results: To assess the knowledge of the educators, a specially structured questionnaire with Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.79 was applied to a sample with a mean age of 32.70±6.92 years with the majority of 85(85%) being female educators. The study revealed good knowledge of educators with a total mean score of 69.70±10.61 and a significant (p=0.000) association of knowledge of educators with the highest scores for those with Masters Qualification (73.15±7.68). However, no significant association between gender (p=0.151) and work experience of educators (p=0.093) was noted, though the scores were higher for educators with 11-15 years of experience. Conclusion: The study concludes good knowledge of special educators about speech and language disorders with some red flags including the significant association of knowledge with qualification with master (special education) qualification presenting with a higher level of knowledge. However, work experience and gender did not reflect any significant association with the knowledge of educators. Keywords: Hearing Impairment, Intellectual Impairment, Special Education, Speech Language Disorders

Barriers to Early Identification and Intervention for Children with Special Education Needs (SEN) in Public Kindergartens (KGs) in the Sagnarigu District of the Northern Region, Ghana

This descriptive study examines the barriers to early identification of pupils with Special Education Needs (SEN) and its related intervention in 25 public Kindergartens (KGs) randomly selected within the Sagnarigu District of Northern Ghana. A total of 50 KG1&2 teachers and 25 Headteachers answered our questionnaires. The data collected were cleaned, presented in a tabulated form, and analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The study revealed that only 12 learners with SEN were identified and supported in 7 schools out of a total of 25 schools. This shows that there were more children with SEN in those schools. Yet, they were not identified because most teachers had inadequate knowledge of special education and relied mostly on observational techniques to identify such children in their classes. Also, most Heads of schools and teachers were unconcerned. They had no plan to identify SEN children in their schools because the inclusive education policy in Ghana only proclaims the rights of SEN children but does not make any provision for their identification and integration in the regular classroom. The study recommended, among others, that the National Teaching Council (NTC) should review the teacher education curriculum in Ghana to include some core courses in SEN in order to equip all teachers with the needed knowledge to identify and handle learners with SEN at all levels in Ghanaian basic schools. Also, the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service should provide sustainable funding for early identification and support systems for SEN learners in public KGs.

Educating Latinx Parents of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT Family-school partnership is an essential component of the special education process for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Latinx families especially face systemic barriers when participating in education decision-making for their children with IDD. However, few interventions have been developed to facilitate and educate Latinx parents of children with IDD. This study presents findings from a pilot randomized controlled trial, testing a 12-hr intervention to educate Latinx parents of children with IDD to advocate for school services – the Families Included in Receiving Better Special Education Services (FIRME) program. Participants included 26 Latinx parents of children with IDD, randomly assigned to a treatment (N = 11) or wait-list control (N = 15). The FIRME program had acceptable feasibility and treatment fidelity. Intervention group participants demonstrated positive changes following the intervention, including significant increases in special education knowledge, advocacy, empowerment, and decreased parental stress. Findings offer promising evidence of advocacy programs for Latinx families of children with IDD. Implications for research including the need for a fully powered randomized controlled trial are discussed; also, to address parental stress, the FIRME program may need to include ongoing supports.

SUPPORT OF FAMILY ECONOMIC STATUS FOR FULFILLING THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Recognizing the right to education is essential for all groups, including children with disabilities. Therefore, this research was conducted to analyze the relationship between family economic support and the family’s ability to fulfill the educational rights of children with disabilities. Research on disability enhances knowledge in special education and inclusive practices, refining teaching methods and support systems additionally, understanding the vital role of families to advocate for their children's educational rights. This study uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive method. The informant who participated in this study was one of the special school teachers in Yogyakarta who was selected by purposive sampling and had voluntarily agreed to become an informant. Data was collected through structured in-depth interviews and documentation and analyzed inductively. The study results show that family economic support is not the main obstacle in realizing the right to education for children with disabilities. A more significant obstacle that arises in realizing the rights of children with disabilities is parents’ perception in educating their children whether they attend school or not. The results of this study indicate that parents must realize that the right to education must be given to all children, including children with disabilities. Apart from special education, inclusive education must also be widely promoted to increase awareness and the responsibility of parents or families toward their children’s right to education

Instructional Media for Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Children: A Study on Need Analysis

ASD children exhibit social functioning issues that indicate difficulty communicating with others and often do not understand why they have to have social interactions with other people. One way of helping them is to develop media based on their needs. This research aimed to analyze the specifications of the media required. The study is designed as a mixed-methods study. The data were collected using a questionnaire in the form of a survey and combined with interviews. The respondents to the survey consisted of 24 respondents from Malaysia, the Netherlands, Canada, and Indonesia, and include teachers from inclusive schools. The selection of the sample used purposive sampling techniques to ensure that they had background knowledge either in education, linguistics, or special education and were willing to be included in the research. The data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results of the study show that the media have essential specifications that are: the media should be in the language that supports their learning; the media developed should be able to establish their purpose; the media developed should be able to provide learning support; the media should be in different variations to provide meaningful learning; the media should consider various factors that can affect their ability to access and benefit from different forms of media; the media should be meaningful for assessing students' progress and achievement; and the media should provide various functions. These specifications are the basis for developing the media based on the needs of students with ASD.

Exploring correlates among Latino/a parents of young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including autism, experience stress in part due to child and parent characteristics. Although there is significant research about the correlates of parent stress, less is known about stress among Latino/a parents of children with IDD. The purpose of this study was to explore the correlates of empowerment, type of disability, stress, and special education knowledge among 61 Latino/a parents of children with IDD. Findings revealed a positive, significant correlation between empowerment and special education knowledge. Parents of children with autism reported significantly greater special education knowledge and stress. Implications for the future research including the need for longitudinal research are discussed.

Czech and Finnish Primary School Teacher in the Background of Inclusive Education

The paper discusses the issue of primary school teachers in the conditions of inclusive education in the Czech Republic and Finland. The aim of the thesis is to create and compare real profiles of Czech and Finnish primary school teachers with an emphasis on finding out what is behind the quality of inclusive education in Finland and how these findings can improve inclusive education and the teaching profession in the Czech context. The key aim is to create an ideal profile of a first grade teacher in inclusive education, i.e., a conception of the teachers’ own learning processes, competences and real conditions that a teacher needs for his/her work in a heterogeneous classroom. In order to achieve the goal, the comparative nature of the work and the design of the qualitative case study was chosen, where the case is understood as a primary school teacher against the background of inclusive education — the total number of participants is 20 teachers (10 Czech and 10 Finnish). The main methods for securing data were content and thematic analysis of Czech and foreign sources. The findings became the basis for further reflection and the creation of semi-structured interviews and observations. The first round of data processing used case studies of individual participants, which were subsequently supplemented by data obtained by axial coding. Real profiles of both Czech and Finnish teachers were then created. These profiles were compared and a draft ideal profile of a primary school teacher in inclusive education was created, which reflects the data obtained by the research of this thesis with the data from the thematic analysis and was created from below, based on the opinions and experiences of the teachers themselves. The results show that the professional primary school teacher has a positive attitude towards inclusive education; uses a variety of teaching strategies leading to active involvement of pupils; is involved in his/her own professional development and the development of the school as a community; uses individualisation and differentiation in his/her work and is part of a multi-professional team. Conditions must be created for the teacher to do his/her job where other teaching staff are available to take away from the teacher’s high demands for specific knowledge of special education and legislation; lower class sizes; the introduction of pupil assessment criteria and the use of appropriate forms of assessment.

The Impact of a School-University Partnership Model on Preservice Teacher Outcomes: Developing Future Special Educators

ABSTRACT Solutions for the special education teacher shortage typically focus on the retention of inservice teachers. A different approach starts earlier, focusing on preservice teachers who are developing their skillsets and determining their field of interest. Using Social Cognitive Career Theory as a framework, we examined preservice teachers’ special education career-related outcomes. In this pilot study, we evaluated the effect of a school-university partnership compared to a typical introduction to special education course. Using a quasi-experimental design, 77 participants completed pre- and post-measures on their special education: (a) perceived knowledge and comfort, (b) teaching efficacy, (c) career outcome expectations, (d) interest, and (e) career intentions. Results of paired t-tests showed that participants in both groups improved significantly in their perceived special education knowledge, confidence, and self-efficacy, with larger effect sizes for the partnership group. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) showed higher posttest scores in special education self-efficacy, interest, and intentions for those in the partnership group. Themes from participants’ open-ended responses mirrored quantitative findings. Implications from this pilot study for research, practice, and policy are discussed.