Special Education Programs Research Articles

Trends in the Potential Supply of New Special Educators

ABSTRACT Special education teacher shortages result in unqualified teachers working with students who have disabilities. Past research has focused on national shortages and the number of special education teachers in schools, but fewer studies have examined the number of new special education program completers, an important aspect of the potential special educator pipeline. In this study, we used publicly available data to examine long- and short-term trends in the number of program completers, if these trends were related to the number of students with disabilities over time, and if trends varied by state. Using graphs and multilevel modeling, we found that trends in the special education teacher pipeline varied dramatically by state, that national averages might be substantially influenced by large states, and that trends in recent years suggest a decline in special education program completers. We discuss the implications of these findings for ensuring that all students with disabilities have access to teachers with special education training.

Effects of Parental Migration on Dental Caries of Six- to Eight-Year-Old Children Using Structural Equation Modeling.

This cross-sectional study aimed to document the relationship between dental caries, oral health behaviors, and the duration of parental migration in rural Yunnan, China, from September to December 2020. Seven rural primary schools with high parental migration were studied. The oral health status of 500 six- to eight-year-old students was assessed using clinical examination and caregivers’ interviews. A total of 51.8% of the children had at least one parent absent for at least 6 months (left-behind children). Among those children with parental migration <6 months, 40.0% consumed sugar twice or more daily and 82.8% of those with parental migration from 6 to 12 months brushed once a day or less. The percentage of daily sugar consumption twice or more and brushing once or less among those without parental migration were 36.0% and 68.6%. Prevalence of caries in permanent teeth (DMFT) in children without parental migration and those whose parental migration <6 months, 6 to <12 months, and ≤12 months were 30.9%, 20.0%, 28.7% and 19.8%, respectively. Out of several other causal pathways between parental migration and dental caries, our structural equation model delineated that sugar consumption is the important mediator variable. Special education programs may be needed to educate caregivers on sugar consumption for the left-behind children in rural areas.

Migraine awareness, prevalence, triggers, and impact on university students: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundMigraine is a public health concern, and university students have been found to be particularly susceptible to stress and other factors that trigger migraines. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, awareness, and impact of migraine on University of Sharjah students.A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. The diagnosis of migraine was made according to the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria and the impact on life was calculated through the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) score.ResultsThe overall migraine prevalence was 26.35% with 25.3% of migraineurs were unaware of having migraine. The most common reported symptoms during a migraine headache attack were one side headache (82.7%) and pulsating headache (66%). Sleep deprivation (74.7%), stress (58%), and hunger or skipping meals (57.3%), were the most common triggering factors. Almost 60% of the migraineurs had a disability ranging from moderate to severe and hospital admission was needed by 30%.ConclusionsThe prevalence of migraine was high among university students, wherein some students might be unaware of having migraines. Migraine has a deleterious impact on students’ productivity and wellbeing. Well-designed interventions such as screening programs might be needed to help in proper diagnosis and management of migraine attacks as well as special educational programs to raise awareness about migraine.

Food Safety Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Among Food Handlers in Kirkuk City Hospitals, Iraq

Introduction: Food safety and hygiene remains one of the important public health issues. In hospitals, poor food handling by food handlers during food preparation has been linked to many incidences of foodborne disease or food poisoning. This study assesses food handlers’ food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practises at Kirkuk city hospitals in Iraq. Method: Fifty food handlers from three hospitals in Kirkuk’s city centre were asked to complete a four-part questionnaire. Results: Results revealed that most respondents had a fair understanding of food safety, with the highest pass rate of 96% for knowledge of hand washing, 90% for knowledge of foodborne illness symptoms, and 80% for knowledge of cross-contamination. In regard to attitudes, 56% of participants had fair attitudes toward food safety, with highest marks observed for attitudes toward wearing gloves, masks, and head caps (90%), followed by cooking habits (90%). Food safety practises were also observed with 98% participants receiving a fair level of practice in terms of food safety hygiene. Spearman rho coefficient revealed a statistically significant weak positive correlation between knowledge and attitude scores (r = 0.304, P = 0.032). Conclusion: This study highlighted the important need for specific food safety education and training programmes to enhance food safety and practices understanding among hospital food handlers in Iraq.

Delivering Instruction During the Pandemic: Insights for Special Education Administrators and Teacher Preparation Programs

This study examined considerations for delivering online instruction and related services to students with disabilities. The purpose of the study was to uncover teachers’ reflections about their experiences with online learning for students with disabilities as a response to COVID-19. We used an online open-ended survey to collect reflections from practicing teachers, who were graduates of a special education program at a university in Florida. Our findings highlighted challenges and unanticipated benefits of online service delivery. We discussed how administrators should streamline instructional-delivery platforms and procedures for teachers, students, and families. We recommended ensuring that Individualized Education Planning (IEP) teams consider priorities for future pandemics and natural disasters. Keywords: Online learning, special education teachers, students with disabilities, COVID-19, administrators.

An Online Survey on Challenges and Needs for Identifying and Nurturing Twice Exceptional Learners

The current study conducted an online survey to understand the challenges and needs teachers face for identifying and nurturing students with twice exception. Among 896 respondent schools, 179 schools were reported to have 277 identified 2E students. The results indicated that schools with both gifted and disability classes/programs or services identified more 2E students than did schools without a special education program. Although increasing the awareness and knowledge of general education teachers is beneficial for the identification of 2E students, most of the respondents reported that they need gifted education teachers to get involved in developing students’ talents. Obvious opportunity gaps existed between schools with only disability education and with gifted and disability education. An effective support system with manpower and financial assistance from governments is also essential for closing opportunity gaps and meeting the needs of both learners and teachers.

Stay Mad: A Love Letter to QTBIPOC Psychiatric Survivors

Stay Mad: A Love Letter to QTBIPOC Psychiatric Survivors

Perceptional Differences on the Concept of Sustainability Between Japanese and Foreign Students

The concept of sustainability has complex and multidisciplinary definition, which includes environmental, social and ecological aspects. How well students perceive the concept of sustainability, and do they really understand the meaning of this concept was the main topic of our study. We have evaluated perceptional difference between 80 Japanese and 80 Non-Japanese students, by creating the special educational program which included topics on global and regional issues such as biodiversity loss, climate change, environmental pollution social issues like gender imbalance, health care, human rights and etc. Analysis have shown significant differences between Japanese and Non-Japanese students on the perception of economic development, sustainable communities and livelihoods. As well as Pre- and Post- analysis showed the changes on the perception of the regional issues after the completion of the course. Our study suggests, that the perception on the sustainability may strongly depend on the students’ historical background, cultural differences and living environmental conditions.

Won’t Stop, Can’t Stop: Alternative Route to Licensure Special Education Teachers’ Persistence in their Careers

Alternate route to licensure (AR) programs in special education continue to increase despite concerns that teachers certified through these pathways leave the profession at rates higher than traditionally prepared teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine special education AR program completers to determine their persistence to stay in the profession despite odds of attrition. For this article, we examined survey results from AR special education teachers (n = 57) and completed focus group interviews with a subset (n =13) from this same sample. Using Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to guide our research, we uncovered three major themes from our focus groups: role conceptualization, barriers experienced, and motivating factors. Our findings suggest that AR special education teachers&amp;rsquo; persistence relies on several factors, such as society&amp;rsquo;s respect for teachers, effective mentoring programs, positive collaboration experience, understanding of their unique role as AR teachers, and self-efficacy. Implications for educational practices, policies, and further research about AR teachers is explored.

Perceptions of Saudi Arabian school teachers in private general education schools toward the inclusion of students with disabilities

BackgroundTeachers’ attitudes and perceptions are of significance to the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom with their typical peers. AimsThis study quantitatively investigated the perceptions of private elementary school teachers regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. Methods and procedureThe study sample comprised 213 teachers working in private elementary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that offer inclusive special education programming alongside a general education curriculum. The Opinions Relative to the Integration of Students with Disabilities (ORI) survey, was utilized to adapt the survey instrument for this study. Results and outcomesWe concluded that private school teachers have a slightly negative attitude toward the inclusion of students with disabilities. Although the results did not reveal a relationship between teachers’ attitudes and their age or education level, a relationship was found between their perceptions toward inclusion of students with disabilities and the type of disability, the individual teacher’s gender, the role of the teacher (general vs. special education), and the individual’s training in inclusive education. Conclusions and implicationsThe implications of the results to Saudi and beyond and suggestions for further research including outside of the urban context are discussed.

Foreign language and practical training of students and graduate students of a non-language university

The problem of the status of a foreign language in the context of actualization of practical training of students and graduate students and increasing demand by employers' professional foreign language competence of graduates of Russian non-language universities were raised. Foreign language for a modern graduate, for example, a technical university, no longer the passing discipline, which not yet so long ago could not remember after receiving a diploma, but an effective tool for solving professional tasks of various types, and often the key to building a professional career. The results of a critical assessment of the current system of foreign language training of students and graduate students in several dozens of non-language universities conducted by the authors of the open documentation laid out on the Internet showed its imperfection in terms of professionalization and led to the conclusion about the need to change primarily with the emphasis on communication. Initious training of students with their future professional activities, and the presence of prerequisites for this. The regulatory and legal framework necessary to conduct changes has already been formed, so the initiative of local changes in the system should manifest themselves on the ground by the universities themselves. The authors of the article describes corrective activities regarding the foreign language training of students of a non-language university related to clarifications or changes in the basic characteristics of education and / or organizational and pedagogical conditions for the implementation of specific educational programs for training students and graduate students of directions 22.03.02 Metallurgy, 22.04.02 Metallurgy and 22.06.01 Material Technologies Department Metallurgical Technologies and Equipment of the Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University named after R.E. Alekseev, and already proven its effectiveness. Among them: extension in practical classes in the language as a study within each of the levels and transition from a level on the level of training in the share of foreign language practical training associated with the implementation of students in individual types of work related to future professional activities and aimed at forming, consolidation, development of practical skills and competencies on the profile of the relevant educational program; conducting practical training on optional disciplines of foreign language preparation included in the curriculum is fully in the format of practical training, as well as the organization of practical foreign language preparation within the framework of the production practices of students on the sites of Russian and foreign organizations engaged in the profile of a specific educational program.

Over represented – under represented: the juxtaposition of Black males in special education programs

Abstract The disproportionate, over-representation of Black boys in special education continues to be a matter of social injustice and inequity in education. Many Black students are placed in special education due to subjective identification processes. This is especially true when it comes to classifications such as Emotional Behavior Disorders (EBD). Black boys classified with EBD are more likely to be educated in exclusionary settings, and once placed, are less likely to return to integrated environments. This often leads to poor educational and life outcomes. The topic of disproportionality in special education has been studied and discussed over the past several decades, yet the problems persist. The purpose of this article is to discuss reasons for the over representation of Black boys who are identified as having EBD. Moreover, this discussion is extended to include the disproportionate, under-representation of Black men as special education professionals, classroom teachers and full-time faculty members in special education teacher preparation programs. The impact of this juxtaposition continues to exacerbate both sides of disproportionality of Black males in special education.

LITERATE THOUGHT: A COMMENTARY

A number of d/Deaf and hard of hearing students, as well as other students in special education programs, have difficulty accessing academic content information that, traditionally, has been presented in written language in print and electronically (e.g., textbooks, other school materials, etc.). Because this information represents what students need to know, there will be a large gap in their knowledge base, and students will not have ample opportunities to develop a high level of literate thought. That is, students will not be able to represent and manipulate information, solve problems, or develop other higher-level critical thinking skills. This article presents a case for the reconceptualization of literacy—namely, a broadening of our traditional notion of literacy as being able to read and write a written language. This reconceptualization, emphasizing literate thought, requires a discussion of types of literacies and an understanding of constructs such as access and interpretation, illiteracy, and listening comprehension. Also discussed is the intertwinement of literate thought and Universal Design for Learning. The article concludes with questions for further exploration and dialogue.

Looking Behind Virtual Lenses: Field Experience, Modeling, Coaching, Feedback, Supervision, and Partnerships

Small special education programs (SSEPs) are composed of limited faculty tasked with educating interns dispersed across large geographical areas (Reid, 1994). These needs underscore a call for more flexible educational program options. Moreover, Kebritchi et al. (2017) found professors in higher education institutions sought a variety of instructional methods to critically respond to barriers experienced by SEPPs. The purpose of this article is to highlight virtual methods utilized by SSEPs for field experiences, modeling,coaching, feedback, supervision, and partnerships to leverage faculty expertise effectively and efficiently, to expand recruitment in programs, and to support teacher retention efforts. Using the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) High Leverage Practices (HLPs) of Instruction, Collaboration, and Assessment (McLeskey et al., 2017), this article will look behind the virtual lens to uncover how SSEPs faculty can support interns using a developmental and scaffolded approach.

Role Play Activities in Small Programs: What, Why, Where, and How?

Preservice teachers need many opportunities to practice teaching skills prior to using the skills in high-stakes settings like real, live classrooms. Role play is an accessible and flexible option for embedding skill practice into individual courses. They may focus on specific high-leverage practices (HLPs) and enable preservice teachers to engage in activities to use skills learned across courses. This article provides an analysis of why to use role play, suggestions on when to use role play, and steps and resources for creating and using your own role play activities. We conclude with lessons learned by our Small Special Education Program.

Expérience sensorielle et affective du lien dans le cadre du psychotraumatisme. Médiation thérapeutique par le théâtre

ObjectivesThis article retraces part of the accompaniment of a ten-year-old boy in a special education program. This article raises questions about the child's behavior, which oscillated between fury and tranquillity, as if there was only one step between the two. The authors focus on the functional particularity of psychotrauma which, by its weight, splits certain psychic zones from the rest of the sensory world. They try to understand the link, in its sensory and affective dimension, between areas that no longer participate in the subject's psychic life and the rest of the sensory world, within the precise framework of psychotrauma. MethodThe authors combine art therapy techniques with a psychoanalytical approach, combining the art of theater with the metaphorical capacity offered by Dixit cards. This particular theater, called “Dixian Theatre,” offers a place of scenic expression where the appearance of fury is not stopped, but delimited. ResultsIn this space, and through the accompaniment of the therapists, it appears that the violence of this young boy manifests itself on stage; the child is not in the grip of furor, and the violence that he enacts is bearable for all. The child is gradually able to link his present moments of fury to the terrible events of his past. DiscussionThe device proposed by the authors gives rise to a particular transferential relationship where the clinician becomes the place of deposit of a psychic reality that could not have been elaborated until that moment. The therapist then becomes the link of an associative chain promoting the restitution of psychic content that the child can reappropriate. ConclusionThe clinical support system encourages bodily expression and the adult's reverie. The theater, which became therapeutic, is able to help relaunch a psychic movement, after certain contents had become inaccessible and bruised by trauma. The child can then regain access to a temporal dynamic mixing a “before,” a “during,” and an “after” trauma.

175th Anniversary of the American Annals of the Deaf: Part III-1961 to the Present.

175th Anniversary of the American Annals of the Deaf: Part III—1961 to the Present Peter V. Paul The editorial for this issue is the third and final rendition of a celebration of the 175th anniversary of the American Annals of the Deaf. In this issue, I cover the period from 1961 to the present. Much as in the editorials in the two previous celebration issues (Paul, 2022a, 2022b), my initial primary focus was on articles covering various aspects of the development of language and literacy. However, here I have strayed from this original emphasis to discuss other interesting, perhaps groundbreaking articles. The time frame covered by this editorial, and by this special Annals issue, has been marked by stark economic and political events in America. These include the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., the emergence of the counterculture of the 1960s, the Vietnam War, the stock market crash of 1987, and the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan—to name a few. Events that have affected the education and social welfare of individuals of color, those with disabilities, and others include the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, better known as Public Law 94-142 (and subsequently amended several times), the American With Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The period since 1961 has also seen the rise of inclusion and the disability rights movement, challenging the utility and effectiveness of special education programs and services and our long-standing perspectives on constructs such as disability and deafness. I could go on—think of the explosive impact of the Internet and the introduction of transformational digital devices (e.g., iPads, iPhones) and social media platforms. Oh yeah, Gallaudet University appointed its first deaf president in 1988. And I was proud to be selected the first deaf editor of the Annals in 2011. Range of topics There was no avoiding the challenge posed by the selection of articles for discussion and the few chosen for reprinting in this issue. Initially, I was intrigued by the titles and quick perusals of 146 articles. This was a smaller number than those I considered for the first celebration issue (194), and much smaller than the total contemplated for the second (338). Looking at issues from 1998 to about 2010, I was captivated by a few of the editorials by the previous Annals editor, Donald F. Moores, covering controversial and interesting topics such as demography (Moores, 2001a), teacher preparation (Moores, 2003), the No Child Left Behind Act (Moores, 2004), and residential schools (Moores, 2009). Several of his editorials on cochlear implants were also of interest (Moores, 2002, 2005, 2008–2009, 2010). Perhaps Moores’s approach and style of writing served as an inspiration for my editorials. [End Page 407] Looking at articles from the inception of my editorship in 2011 to the present, I found it difficult to select articles to read (again!) and discuss or to highlight as reprints. In fact, making selections for the 50 years from 1961 to 2011 was equally difficult because I had read and synthesized a number of articles on a range of topics—such as American Sign Language– English bilingualism, Cued Speech, the developmental differences between deaf children of deaf parents and deaf children of hearing parents, language and literacy development, lipreading/speechreading, signed systems, and vocabulary—in writing my own published works. I hope that some of my readers are familiar with my stances on these issues. Of course, I promise not to say anything more here about the qualitative similarity hypothesis (Wang & Andrews, 2014, 2015). As usual, the Annals contained information on a wide range of topics—not only the above-mentioned cochlear implants (pros and cons!), Cued Speech, inclusion, and digital technology, but also communication and signed systems, instructional television, intelligence (oh, the debates…), internal speech, locus of control, mainstreaming, mathematics, the purpose of science in the curriculum, signed language, speech and hearing issues, Visual Phonics, visual sequential memory, and on and on. Several issues of the Annals provided lists of speech and hearing centers, organizations and associations (National Association of the Deaf, etc...

Physical Activity And Mental Health Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is demanding, and parents of children with ASD are speculated to have challenges in mental health, such as anxiety and depression. Regular physical activity (PA) participation, such as meeting the 150 minutes per week moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) guideline, is recommended for physical and mental health benefits; however, little is known about the PA levels in parents of children with ASD. PURPOSE: To examine the current PA levels and mental health status (i.e., anxiety and depression) among parents of children with ASD. METHODS: A secondary data analysis was conducted using the 2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). We identified 139 parents of children with ASD (66.9% mothers; Mage = 41.19 ± 8.7) and 4470 parents of children with no disability (59.8% mothers; Mage = 38.82 ± 8.8). Their PA levels (meeting the 150 minutes per week MVPA guideline; frequency of light-to-moderate PA, vigorous PA, and strengthening PA), anxiety, and depression were analyzed. Weighted logistic and ordinal regression analyses were conducted on PA levels, anxiety, and depression between parents of children with ASD and parents of children with no disability, after controlling for age, sex, race, family income, and medication use for anxiety and depression. RESULTS: Parents of children with ASD were significantly less likely to meet the MVPA guideline compared to parents of children with no disability (50.7% vs. 58.8%; aOR = .729 p < .001). Meanwhile, parents of children with ASD had significantly lower odds in vigorous PA (aOR = .706, p < .001) and strengthening PA (aOR = .884, p < .001) but both groups were similar in light-to-moderate PA (aOR = 1.001, p > .05). Compared to parents of children with no disability, parents of children with ASD had two times and four times higher rates of experiencing daily anxiety and depression, respectively. Parents of children with ASD reported significantly higher odds of feelings of anxiety (aOR = 1.521, p < .001) and depression (aOR = 1.923, p = < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the lower levels of PA and higher risks of anxiety and depression in parents of children with ASD. It underscores the need to provide PA and mental health support for this parent population in the United States. Supported by Office of Special Education Program: H325H190001

Undergraduate Students’ Evaluation of Internships in Special Education Programs in Saudi Universities

This study aimed to identify the views of undergraduate students on internships in special education programs in Saudi universities and delineate any statistically significant differences in the students’ views attributable to gender, specialization, university, and grade point average. The study also attempted to investigate the extent to which education outcomes meet the labor market requirements of Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 from the perspective of internship students in special education programs in Saudi universities. To this end, a descriptive approach was applied, using a questionnaire to collect the study data. The study sample consisted of 271 internship students of special education in Saudi universities. The results revealed a high rating level for internships from the perspective of special education students. There were statistically significant differences in the ratings based on gender, with female students reporting better on the academic supervisor dimension. Students specializing in learning disabilities also shared better ratings than those in the autism program, and students with “Excellent” grades reported higher ratings of internship than those with “Good” grades. Overall, there was a high level of compatibility between educational outcomes and the requirements of the labor market stipulated by Vision 2030.

EEFFECTS OF VIDEO-ASSISTED TEACHING PROGRAM ON KNOWLEDGE OF UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION MANAGEMENT AND PREVENTION AMONG PARENTS OF THE CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OLD, FARASAN, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Among children, Acute Upper Respiratory Infections constitutes a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. It accounts for 4 million of the 15 million child deaths in the world, annually. Globally, 30-60% of paediatric outpatient attendance and 20-30% of hospital admissions are due to Acute upper respiratory tract infections. Mothers are the main caregivers for their children, so their behaviours may be used as a disease prevention technique. The aim of the study is to identify the parent’s knowledge and practice of upper respiratory tract infection of children with under five age groups. Pre experimental design was used and 104 parents were selected by using of purposive sampling technique. The knowledge and practice were assessed by using structured interview schedule and checklist. The results of the study shows that in knowledge the total mean score for pre-test was 2.33±0.886, whereas in post-test it was 8.89±0.81 with the mean difference of 6.56. It shows that parents had excellent knowledge on Upper respiratory tract infections after implementation of educational programme, it shows that teaching was more effective. The overall mean score for practice on Upper respiratory tract infections shows that, in pre-test the mean score was 6.85±1.413, whereas in post-test it was 20.49±1.115, with the mean difference of 13.64. It predicts that parents were improved their practice after implementation of education programme on Upper respiratory tract infections preventive measures. The calculated ‘t’ value for awareness and practice scores were 7.24 &amp; 2.914 at 0.05 level respectively. Hence it shows that significant improvement of parents knowledge and practice of Upper respiratory tract infections after implementation of educational programme. Infection prevention is critical in children under the age of five, as is thorough handwashing while caring for children who have respiratory infections. The researchers proposed that special instructional and educational programs for mothers be conducted to inform them about the preventive measures that should be taken to avoid upper respiratory tract disease.