Special Education Teacher Preparation Research Articles

Early Childhood Special Education Teacher Candidates’ Field Experiences: A Systematic Review

The purpose of this systematic literature review was to understand trends in field experiences that were part of early childhood special education (ECSE) teacher preparation activities. Thirteen studies that included an analysis of ECSE teacher candidates (TCs) completing at least one field experience, including coursework-based practicums or student teaching internships, were published between 2013 and 2022 and reviewed. Specifically, we examined the demographics of TCs and student participants to understand who was included in this research. Field experience parameters including setting, duration, instructional approach, and instructional focus were reviewed to draw comparisons between the various approaches to structuring TCs’ early teaching opportunities. Finally, specific learning activities and feedback opportunities within field experiences, as well as TC and student outcomes of the studies, were explored to determine current trends and findings. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Success for All: Maximizing Digital Accessibility in Special Education Teacher Preparation Courses through Universal Design for Learning

Digital accessibility has become one of the most critical components for post-secondary student learning success because accessibility is the first step of learning and the diverse college student population. However, emerging studies showed that teacher candidates experience high challenges in completing the program due to inaccessible course materials or course implementation. Furthermore, teacher educators addressed the need for more knowledge and skills in utilizing digital accessibility. Despite the demands, few guidelines exist for teacher educators to improve classroom digital accessibility. This article suggests multiple avenues of action for teacher educators to enhance accessibility through the lens of universal design for learning so that all teacher candidates with and without disabilities can succeed. Embedded vignettes illustrate an experience of a practicing teacher educator faced with modifying content with increased demands beyond their own training in special education.

Pulling the Lever: Supporting Critical Consciousness in Secondary Special Education and Transition

Youth with disabilities encounter multiple systemic barriers to post-school success, including racism and discrimination. Critical consciousness is the foundation of culturally responsive and anti-racist work and supports self-determination and vocational outcomes expectations among marginalized youth. While secondary special educators are interested in learning more about culturally responsive practices such as critical consciousness, they lack institutional support and resources to implement these practices. In this article, we present an ecologically based conceptual framework of Critical Consciousness in Secondary Special Education and Transition (CCSSET) to demonstrate how special education teacher preparation programs and school administrators can leverage funding, laws, policies, and resources to support critical consciousness among teachers and students. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Lighting the Path for Incoming Special Education Teachers: Advice From Special Educators on AAC Practices

Special education teachers have students in their classrooms with a variety of needs, and it is their responsibility to meet these needs for all students. Research shows special education teachers oftentimes enter the field with limited knowledge and skills to serve students with complex communication needs. The lack of background in augmentative and alternative communication practices is detrimental, as communication skills are fundamental for students’ independence. To better understand the needs of special education teachers, a survey was conducted to identify recommendations from the experts, in-service special education teachers, to incoming educators on augmentative and alternative practices. Results show that certain participant demographics impacted the recommendations offered to incoming special education teachers. Practical implications for incoming special education teachers, school administrators, and teacher preparation programs are discussed, along with suggestion for future research directions.

Reconstructing special educators’ knowledge about families with members in the autistic spectrum through befriending experiences

The role of parents within special education teacher preparation programs has been widely recognized. Traditional approaches for preparing special educators to interact with parents of children with special needs have been mainly classroom based promoting a narrow view of the disability, as a construct isolated from its micro-level social context (i.e., the home). Befriending has been increasingly supported as an emerging approach for the social support of vulnerable families in the community. Drawing upon the limitations of the traditional approaches and the need for reforming special education teacher training towards experiential learning and greater community engagement, in this paper we will share the insights from the development of a three-year befriending project between a university department and two charities of parents with members in the autistic spectrum. Overall, the scheme involved 35 families with persons in the autistic spectrum and 75 befrienders, the majority of which (n=60) were trainee special education teachers. Finally, we will discuss how befriending, viewed as a process for reconstructing special education teachers’ knowledge about families with persons in the autistic spectrum, can be embedded within curricula in special education teacher training programs.

Examining Relationships Between Field Placements and Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and Career Plans

Field placements are arguably the most crucial component of traditional preservice special education teacher preparation. In field placements, cooperating teachers and university supervisors foster preservice special educators’ sense of efficacy to teach, supporting their investment in continuing in the profession. Although ample research indicates the importance of cooperating teachers for preservice teachers’ outcomes, little of this research has been conducted with preservice special educators. Moreover, prior research has almost never focused on university supervisors, despite their critical role bridging the relationship between content learned in coursework and the applied practice of special education within placement schools. In this investigation, we examined how preservice special educators’ experiences of support from cooperating teachers and university supervisors relate to their teacher self-efficacy and their plans to teach. Analyzing a survey of 154 preservice special educators from six traditional preparation programs, we found that perceptions of university supervisors’ support significantly predicted both self-efficacy and plans to teach, whereas perceptions of support from cooperating teachers were unrelated to either outcome. Our findings indicate that university supervisors’ roles are crucial for preservice special educators’ outcomes, and thus that they could be an important leverage point for improving special education teacher preparation. We call for much more extensive research on university supervisors’ roles.

Using Mixed Reality to Support Inclusive Teaching Strategies in General and Special Education Preparation Programs

Preparing teacher candidates to provide learning strategies that support the differentiated needs of students should be at the forefront of all educator preparation programs (EPPs). Teacher candidates must become fluid in providing strategies that promote students’ individualized academic and social–emotional growth as well as strategies that support effective collaboration to enhance student productivity across the school environment. This pilot study explored the use of mixed reality (e.g., Mursion) as a tool to support pre-service general and special education teacher preparation and improvement of self-efficacy related to student engagement and instructional strategies. This study collected data on teacher candidates’ pre-/post-self-efficacy and participant self-reflections from an EPP in the United States. The results of this study yielded ideas as to how EPPs can better support teacher candidate preparation using a mixed-reality platform, as data revealed participant increase in self-efficacy and gains in the use of student engagement and instructional strategies that supported the use of evidence-based and high-leverage practices.

Leveraging the Paraeducator-to-Teacher Pipeline to Attract and Prepare Special Education Teachers

The well-documented special education teacher shortage in the U.S. has significant negative consequences for students with disabilities who require specially designed instruction from special education teachers. To address this shortage, special education teacher preparation programs should explore innovative approaches to recruiting and training future special education teachers. One such approach is the paraeducator-to-teacher (PTT) pipeline in which paraeducators complete preservice coursework and on-the-job training to earn their special education certification. In this article, we present two PTT pipelines that exist within one special education teacher preparation program. First, we review the literature on PTT pipelines and their efficacy in building the field. Next, we provide an overview of the special education teacher preparation program of interest and its state context, followed by descriptions of the program’s two PTT pipelines. We then discuss the levers that support implementation of each PTT pipeline. Finally, we present considerations for special education teacher preparation programs to ensure PTT pipelines expand the special education teaching workforce with well-prepared, high-quality special education teachers equipped to support students with disabilities.

STUDY OF THE LEVEL OF READINESS OF FUTURE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS FOR TEAMWORK AT THE STAGE OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL

The article highlights the results of the study of the level of readiness of future special education teachers (SET) for teamwork in the process of teaching children with special educational needs in accordance with the determined components of the structure of readiness for teamwork, built on the basis of the competence of teamwork formulated by the author. The research of the readiness of special education teachers for teamwork in the process of providing educational services to children with special educational needs was carried out by determining the level of formation of four interrelated components, namely: value-motivational, which assumes the presence of a sustainable position of the SET in the need to use team-based forms of work in the process of guiding children with special educational needs during their studies, as well as stimulating motivation for teamwork in the process of professional activity, awareness of the advantages of team work over individual activities; content component, which contains the necessary knowledge of SETs regarding the general awareness of the phenomenon of teamwork, as well as understanding the essence of the team approach in their professional activities; activity component, which assumes the availability of appropriate teamwork skills, the ability to practically distribute and perform team roles; personality component, which is manifested by the presence of certain personality traits and qualities necessary for working in a team, in particular empathy, the presence of communicative and organizational skills, the ability to listen to others, to be aware of one's own emotions and to recognize the emotions of other people. The state of preparation of future special education teachers for teamwork was studied through the prism of the formation in students of higher education institutions of specialty 016 Special education of 3-4th years of studying the competence of teamwork at the stage of their professional training, which consists in their readiness (ability) to work in a team.

Making Meaningful Connections: Facilitating Schoolwide Family Engagement With Culturally Diverse Families

The importance of strong family partnerships has long been considered essential to supporting the success of student with exceptionalities. Research indicates that building school-wide relationships with culturally and linguistically diverse families continues to prove challenges for administrators and other school personnel (Fowler, Coleman, Bogdan, 2019). The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) both emphasize the critical importance of family engagement. Due to the national professional standards which undergird special education teacher preparation programs, special educators are uniquely positioned to enhance school-wide family engagement strategies. The focus of this practitioner-based manuscript is to provide building-level school administrators with planning tools to implement culturally responsive family-engagement for families of children with disabilities.

Universal Design for Learning and Direct Instruction in a Special Education Practicum

The Instructional Planning Project (IPP) assignment is set in an online practicum course for graduate students in a high incidence special education teacher preparation program. The IPP assignment is the culminating assignment in a sixteen-week long course. The course provides students with a lesson plan template, for a reading or math lesson, that integrates direct instruction and Universal Design for Learning. The template is used for the major IPP assignment as well as for prior lesson plan assignments. Detailed instructions and a rubric are provided on Canvas, the learning management system, for the IPP assignment, where practicum students infuse Universal Design for Learning principles into a direct instruction lesson.

Alternative Route Programs Within Special Education Teacher Preparation: A Systematic Literature Review

In the United States, there exists a chronic shortage of qualified special education teachers to provide instructional services to students with disabilities. One policy solution developed to increase the number of qualified teachers is “alternative routes,” which are broadly defined as nontraditional and accelerated preparation paths to obtain a teaching license. In this systematic literature review, the authors synthesize empirical studies from 2005 to 2021, examining factors associated with alternative route programs specific to special education. First, an economic framework for the special education workforce is established. This is followed by a descriptive summary of alternative route research nested within the broader teacher labor markets. Then, a systematic literature search on alternative routes for special education teachers is analyzed. The authors found that most studies examined the role of teacher preparation cost (e.g., cost-effectiveness, federal spending), human capital (e.g., recruitment of culturally diverse teachers, location-specific capital), and program design (e.g., collaboration between stakeholders, technology). Furthermore, studies largely investigated alternative route program characteristics affiliated with institutions of higher education. The majority of researchers employed quantitative methods to analyze secondary state or survey data, while two studies used qualitative methods, and two utilized mixed methods. Implications for future research and policy recommendations needed within the recruitment and preparation of special education teachers are discussed.

Field Experiences in Special Education Teacher Preparation: A Review of the Literature

Field experiences are often considered by researchers, leading organizations, and accrediting bodies as a critical component of special education teacher preparation. Yet, much remains unknown about the types or numbers of field experiences that will best prepare special education teacher candidates. Given the ongoing changes in the field of teacher education to move toward practice-based approaches and increasing calls for more rigorous research, we aim to update the review conducted by Nagro and deBettencourt, which looked at special education field experiences from 2000 to 2014. Specifically, we conducted a systematic literature review of the research on field experiences including special education teacher candidates that have been published from 2013 to 2020 to examine what is known about participants, field experience duration and settings, field experience instructional approaches and content, field experience activities, and methodologies employed. We discuss findings for special education teacher preparation, including future research directions.

The Nationwide Trends and Preparation Requirements of Alternative Route Programs in Special Education

In the United States, there exists a chronic shortage of qualified special education teachers to provide instructional services to students with disabilities. One policy solution developed to increase the number of qualified teachers is alternative routes (ARs), which are broadly defined as nontraditional and accelerated preparation paths to obtain a teaching license. In this longitudinal descriptive study, we investigate (a) the national trends of special education teacher enrollment and completion in AR programs from 2012 to 2020 and (b) the special education teacher preparation requirements in state alternative pathways that are disaggregated by their affiliation with institutions of higher education. Findings reveal that AR programs preparing special education teachers are on the rise within the United States, but they vary significantly on their preparation requirements. Implications for future research and policy recommendations needed within the recruitment and preparation of special education teachers will be discussed.

The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Special Education Technology

This manuscript presents a preliminary discussion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a disruptive technology with the potential to significantly change special education practices. The article begins with a brief description of the development of AI. The authors recognize our assertions are subjective and require further research. Several references are not peer-reviewed because educational research takes years to conduct, analyze, and disseminate outcomes. In this manuscript, we discuss current software used for writing with students in special education and discuss similarities and differences with AI software. This discussion is followed by questions and examples related to implementation, ethical and policy considerations, and preservice special education teacher preparation. The article concludes with future considerations for how AI will impact the special education technology field.

The Experiences of Teacher Candidates With Disabilities: A Systematic Literature Review

Despite the availability of disability resource centers and reasonable accommodations to facilitate access among teacher candidates with disabilities, research has shown that access alone may not be conducive to equitable educational experiences that promote program retention and completion. The purpose of this systematic review of the literature was to synthesize existing research on the experiences of teacher candidates with disabilities in teacher preparation programs and present implications and future directions for research, policy, and practice in higher education disability resources and special education teacher preparation to advance both access and equity in these settings. Results from five total articles showed that teacher candidates with disabilities experienced several barriers to access in their teacher preparation programs that negatively impacted their personal and professional outcomes. The authors conclude with a discussion of future directions for research, policy, and practice in both special education teacher preparation and higher education disability resources.

Strengthening Existing Pathways in Special Education Teacher Preparation: An Introduction from the Guest Editor

An introduction to this special issue of JOSEP on the special education teacher shortage.

An Undergraduate Program to Address the Teacher Shortage: What We Thought We Knew

After more than 20 years of a critical shortage in special education teachers, this mid-Atlantic state expedited program development for undergraduate-level teacher preparation programs. To meet the accelerated timeline, one programat a large public university used its graduate-level coursework as a model for the undergraduate level program. After initial implementation, it was clear that revisions were necessary. In this article, we provide a description of the program revision activities conducted, including (a) building a representative advisory board, (b) conducting a needs assessment, (c) developing a coherent curriculum map, (d) creating an action plan and implementing reforms, and (e) reviewing ongoing activities for continuous improvement. Implications are described, including how special education teacher preparation programs can use the CEEDAR Center Roadmap to Educator Preparation Reform to guide data-based program revisions, conduct a Q-Sort Activity as a systematic way to identify program priorities, and engage in program review activities, ultimately to better prepare special educators and reduce the teacher shortage.

Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Teacher Preparation: A Framework to Attract, Retain, and Prepare Special Educators

Special education teacher preparation programs (SETPPs) take on the difficult task of preparing high-quality educators ready to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities. This mission is increasingly vital as we face a widespread and long-standing shortage of special educators and declining enrollment in SETPPs. In this article, we will highlight how integrating a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) model within a teacher preparation program can provide a systematic framework to improve recruitment and retention efforts, stakeholder satisfaction, and pre-service teacher quality. We will provide an illustrative description of how we incorporated an MTSS framework in our undergraduate SETPP, which included a continuum of interventions to meet a wide variety of pre-service teacher needs, data-based decisions and universal screening, and explicit instruction of our core competencies (i.e., knowledge, skills, dispositions). This article opens the conversation on the potential benefits of expanding the MTSS framework into higher education, specifically teacher preparation, as an innovative approach for attracting, retaining, and preparing high-quality special educators.

Forging Partnerships to Address Teacher Shortages in Rural Settings: Engaging Key Players

Discussing the topic of special education teacher shortages across the United States has become commonplace. Although more widespread, special education teacher shortages in rural areas have gained less attention. Teachers in these areas face unique challenges such as overcoming geographic barriers to providing high-quality services, the isolation endemic to rural poverty, and having limited access to resources in schools. Additionally, students with disabilities living in rural areas are more likely to be supported by teachers who are ill-prepared, lack experience, and/or fail to possess the qualifications necessary to meet diverse learning needs. Addressing these challenges requires innovative partnerships between national, state, and university personnel to create systemic change to recruit and retain special educators. The purpose of this article is to describe a partnership between The Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center, the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), Education Preparation Programs (EPPs), including Delta State University, and a cross-section of special education directors in the Mississippi Delta and other regions that utilized The Educator Shortages in Special Education Toolkit (Hayes et al., 2019) as a guide, which resulted in the development of the Special Educator Mentoring Framework. This article will explore the Special Educator Mentoring Framework that engaged stakeholders in purposeful activities through the four-step cyclical process to plan, design, implement, and evaluate efforts to address the special educator shortages in rural regions of Mississippi. This unique collaboration highlights promising practices to promote special education teacher preparation and strengthen teaching practice.