Special Education Programs Research Articles

Federal Leadership Perspectives and Role on the Era of Access, Accountability, and Evidence-Based Practices in Special Education

This article is part of a case study of federal leadership in special education from the perspective of those who served in the roles of Assistant Secretaries of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services and Directors of the Office of Special Education Programs or their equivalents in the former U.S. Office of Education and later U.S. Department of Education. This case study covers the time period from the George W. Bush administration and lasting through the first 4 years of President Barack Obama’s administration (2000–2012). During this time, government intervention in education reached its zenith with the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2001 and the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. The participants detailed their (a) career and appointment, (b) vision for educating students with disabilities, (c) theory of change, (d) politics and financial constraints, (e) advocacy, and (f) views of the past, present, and future.

Resource Provisions for Students with Deafness in Special Education Program: A Quantitative Analysis

Resource Provisions for Students with Deafness in Special Education Program: A Quantitative Analysis

Features of the organizational and legal activities of the state employment service during military situation

Introduction. The article considers the main aspects of military situation as a special legal regime. The peculiarities of the organizational and legal activity of the State Employment Service during the period of military situation are determined. Summary of the main results of the study. The author focused attention on the fact that the issue of the specifics of the organizational and legal activity of the State Employment Service is relevant under modern conditions in connection with the maintenance of the legal regime of military situation on the territory of Ukraine due to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. It was emphasized that in the conditions of military situation it is extremely important to ensure prompt, proper and effective functioning of employment centers. It is noted that in order to ensure the effective operation of the sphere of employment and vital needs of the population during the period of military situation, the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Government, the Verkhovna Rada and other central bodies of the executive power make a number of quick, operative and effective decisions. The main powers of the State Employment Service, which acts as the main body of executive power responsible for ensuring the realization of citizens' right to employment during military situation, are described. In the context of military situation, the activity of the State Employment Service is significantly different from what it carries out in peacetime. Attention is drawn to the fact that during military situation, the State Employment Service performs its tasks with a greater emphasis on support and assistance to citizens who suffered from military actions or lost their jobs due to the negative consequences of the conflict. It implements additional measures, such as the provision of social benefits, assistance in employment and support during the search for a new job. The State Employment Service is actively engaged in retraining and upskilling of workers to help them adapt to changes in the labor market that may arise as a result of the military situation. It develops and conducts special trainings, seminars and educational programs aimed at developing new skills and abilities needed in new conditions. Conclusions. It was concluded that the organizational and legal activity of the State Employment Service is expanded in the conditions of military situation and plays a significant role in realizing the human right to work and receiving social services.

Assessing the Factors Influencing Waqf Contribution Among Public Employees in Gombe Metropolis, Nigeria

Waqf is a significant socio-economic tool utilized by Muslim societies worldwide for the betterment of the public. Despite its recognized potential, empirical research on the factors influencing waqf contribution among Muslims in Nigeria, particularly in Gombe Metropolis, is limited. This study addresses this gap by examining the factors affecting public employees' participation in waqf initiatives. Data for this study is obtained through administration of structured questionnaire and analysed using Poisson and Tobit regression models. Our results indicate that waqf contribution among public employees is notably influenced by income level and trustworthiness. Additionally, the interaction between income level and factors like trustworthiness, religiosity, and altruism plays a significant role in enhancing employees' contributions to Waqf institutions. The policy implications suggest that stakeholders should encourage collaboration and integration of Waqf initiatives into public institutions, making it easier for employees to make regular contributions. There should also be specific awareness and educational programs designed to inform public employees about the significance and advantages of Waqf in promoting socio-economic development.

Инновационная активность и инновационный потенциал персонала предприятия: концептуальный подход к управлению

This article explores the concept of innovation activity in relation to employees of modern enterprises, also ex-amines the innovative potential of organizations, which is closely related to the manifestation of modernization activity of personnel. Various approaches to understanding and evaluating these phenomena are investigated. Resource-based, effective and integrated approaches to the development of innovative activity of employees are discussed, their pros and cons are highlighted. It is emphasized that modern business structures are inter-ested in developing the innovative potential of their employees, as the implementation of relevant technologies and advanced ideas allows them to remain competitive in the market. Several strategies of behavior of the management group of the company to intensify the innovative activity of employees are considered, among which are the following: increasing motivation through financial remuneration, public recognition of the merits of the employee, training in special educational programs, creating a corporate culture focused on innovation. It is concluded that by using these strategies, organizations will be able to significantly increase their efficiency.

How Much English Grammar is Needed in the Ship’s Engine Room

At the Faculty of Maritime Studies in Split, marine engineers have the opportunity to attend an ESP (English for Specific Purposes) course as part of the Special Education Program for Seafarers, which is a prerequisite for their career advancement. A series of surveys were carried out to detect their needs, expectations and the ways they perceive ESP teachers, courses and themselves as English language users. The responses referring to teachers were always clear and consistent – they are expected to understand essential ship engine systems and processes, concepts and contexts, etc. to produce a good learning platform. On the other hand, the responses that were supposed to help teachers to strike a balance in the ESP concept (that includes both general and vocational English) were somewhat ambiguous. Most of the respondents think that their overall command of the English language is “good” or “very good”, while their command of grammar is “good” or at least “sufficient”. Nevertheless, 94% admit that, in their case, learning grammar is “very important” or “necessary”. In the most recent survey, featuring another type of questionnaire, where the respondents were asked to break down the 50-hour ESP course into units, they allocated only 12.44 class hours for grammar (less than 25% of the course time). Further research will, hopefully, help ESP teachers to strike a reasonable balance between grammar, general English and vocational content.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND RESOURCES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATORS IN THE RESOURCE ROOM: A CASE STUDY ON SPECIAL EDUCATION IN PALESTINE

In Palestine, resource rooms were established to assist students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Therefore, getting acquainted and familiarized with the knowledge, experiences, and professional needs of resource room teachers (RRTs) is vital. This qualitative case study aimed to explore RRTs’ professional needs. Data were collected from three resource room teachers using semi-structured interviews and reviewing relevant documentation. Thematic analysis of the data generated two themes in addressing the objective of the study. The emerging themes were (1) professional development, and (2) resources. Results revealed that RRTs required in-service training, including diagnosing students with special needs, teaching methods, creating teaching aids and IEPs, and assessments. Additionally, hands-on experience is required. RRTs also needed resources including raw materials, stationery, devices, and references. The novelty factor of this research is that this is the first Palestinian study to provide insight into RRTs’ professional needs. The outcomes may considerably help policymakers improve resource room practices and enhance the services, support, and special education programs offered to special educators.

Special Education Policy in the United Arab Emirates: Knowledge and Implementation in Ras Al Khaimah

The United Arab Emirates has a bold and progressive special education policy that supports the inclusion of special education students, referred to in this paper as the determined ones and students of determination. The General Rules for the Provision of Special Education Programs and Services, an important policy document for educating students of determination, advocates that the “determined ones” remain in the regular classroom setting whenever possible. This policy paper examines teachers’ knowledge of this inclusion policy as well as their perceptions of other school level inclusion policies. The research undertaken found no significant differences in knowledge or perceptions between and among Ras Al Khaimah teachers placed at government, international, and private schools. However, knowledge about the inclusion policy was low. Additionally, teachers expressed limited confidence that their schools could meet the needs of the “determined ones” in inclusive classrooms. To bridge this gap, the authors discuss recommendations centered on teacher training and how such programs could impact field experiences in inclusive classrooms. Furthermore, suggestions are offered for school-based inclusion policies that can be developed by teams of teachers and school leaders to build teacher knowledge, the national policy, and teacher capacity to meet the educational needs of the “determined ones”.

Влияние международного дискурса Индии на арктическую политику страны

Since the 20th century, international discourse has gradually become a hot topic in the study of political science and international relations, and its impact is especially important in new areas such as space, cyberspace and polar regions, where stable rules and governance system have not yet been developed. In this paper, the influence of international discourse is classified as verbal, structural, institutional and moral. Based on this classification, the increasing influence of India's international discourse on its Arctic policy through its verbal expression, national strength, institutional involvement, and sense of values is examined. The difficulty of developing a strategy in the Arctic is due to the fact that India is not an Arctic country, so there is a cautious attitude of the world community towards it. Northern countries believe that India can use the Arctic for additional natural resources or even political benefit. In addition, there is little coverage of Arctic policy in the Indian media and government activities. Therefore, due to the possible misunderstanding by the international community of India's involvement in the Arctic and the country's weak awareness of Arctic issues, its influence on the international Arctic discourse should be improved in several ways: government officials should participate more actively in international organizations (UN, Arctic Council); the media should fully cover the country's activities in addressing Arctic issues; academically, integration of research, creation of special educational programs should be required, etc. Last but not least, the interests of Arctic Indigenous peoples should be taken into account. The resolution of all these issues can enable India to strengthen its position in the Arctic and increase the country’s potential.

The Relationship between Moral Intelligence and Pain Management Awareness among Medical Interns at Jundishapur Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

Background and Objectives Considering the importance of pain control in patients, examining pain management awareness among medical students is necessary. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between moral intelligence and pain management awareness among medical interns at Jundishapur Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences. Subjects and Methods This cross-sectional descriptive study included 150 medical interns, who completed demographic information, the Lennik and Keil moral intelligence and Macmillan Pain Management questionnaires. Eventually, data were recorded and analyzed using SPSS software (version 26). Results The moral intelligence score of interns was 144.98 ± 17.18219. a total of 21 (14%) had average moral intelligence, and 129 (86%) cases showed good moral intelligence. The highest mean was related to accepting responsibility to serve others, and the lowest mean was related to the ability to forgive others' mistakes. The mean score for pain management was 73.72 ± 4.96446. Moreover, 30 (20%) cases had moderate pain management, and 120 (80%) cases showed good pain management. A statistically significant relationship was found between the moral intelligence and pain management score (P=0.003). The pain management score in women was significantly higher than that of men (p=0.001). Conclusion The indicators of moral intelligence and pain management in medical interns were at a good level, which indicates the success of general and specific educational programs in the field of developing moral skills in medical students.

Entrepreneurial Skills in Career Transition Program among Students with Special Educational Needs (SEN)

With today’s increasingly challenging and growing transformation and technology within the world of education, the impact on the education system among students with special educational needs (SEN) with learning problems is no less great. Various initiatives have been set by the ministry for the benefit of students with special educational need's future, such as the expansion of students with special educational need's Career Transition Program. This study aims to discuss the application of entrepreneurial skills in Career Transition Program among students with special educational needs (SEN). This study uses a qualitative approach, which is a method of structured interviews, observations and document analysis. The study sample is a total of four special educational teachers who teach vocational subjects. The findings of this study show that there are four elements of entrepreneurial skills that are applied to students with special educational need, especially with learning disabilities, which are the skills to produce products, the skills to market products, the skills to do business and communicate and the skills to calculate costs. Most individuals with special needs can perform productively if given the knowledge and skills through an appropriate educational program.

Ensuring the effectiveness of professionalization of local self-government officials

Ensuring the effectiveness of professionalization of local self-government officials

Concept Paper on the Recommendations for the Improvement of the Operating Guidelines for the Integration Special Education Program in Malaysia

This study aims to improve the operating guidelines of the Special Integration Education Program (PPKI) in Malaysia through qualitative methodology. The problem statement for this study is the insufficient operational guidelines for the Integrated Special Education Program, leading to sub-optimal results for students with special educational needs. Research objectives include identifying key challenges in the implementation of Special Integration Education Program operating guidelines, exploring stakeholders' perspectives on the current system, and developing recommendations to improve Special Integration Education Program operating guidelines. The literature review highlighted previous studies on the subject, emphasizing the need for a more comprehensive approach to the operationalization of Integrated Special Education Programs. The conceptual framework shows how the research will be conducted, using qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The findings are expected to contribute to the improvement of the implementation of the guidelines for the operation of the Integration Special Education Program in Malaysia, which will ultimately benefit students with special education needs.

Challenges Students with Special Education in the Implementation of Teaching and Facilitation of Mathematics

Students with special needs often associated with learning difficulties in subject of mathematics. Hence, this study aims to identify the challenges that arise in the implementation of teaching and facilitation of Mathematics for students with special educational needs in the Integrated Special Education Program. This concept paper is based on research in the library, which is through the collection of related information and materials to identify challenges that affect the implementation and facilitation in Mathematics as to increase the interest and performance of students with special needs towards Mathematics subjects. This concept paper is expected to help special education teachers in their efforts to diversify teaching methods that are capable of overcoming the challenges that arise in the implementation and facilitation in Mathematics subjects .The challenges which arise are regards to the special education teacher's delivery techniques, special need students factor itself which limits the learning of Mathematics to only take place in schools, the less attractive approaches and teaching method factor, and the limited use of teaching aids. Suggested implementation to increase special need students interest and performance in Mathematics subjects are the implementation of simulation, the implementation of pretend play, the implementation of student-centered teaching method, and the implementation of 21st Century Learning (PAK21).

Right to Read Implies Opportunity to Read

This paper extends discussion of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) (2022a, 2022b) report entitled Right to Read, which recommended significant changes to both reading instruction and special education programs aimed at providing equitable opportunities for all children to develop strong reading skills. In a critique of the OHRC report (Cummins, 2022), I endorsed the report’s call for the establishment of an identification and intervention infrastructure to support students who are struggling to develop reading skills. However, I also critiqued the report’s misrepresentation of the strong reading achievements of Ontario students and the scapegoating of “balanced literacy.” Klein (2022) disputed this characterization of the OHRC report, highlighting the important contributions of the report to special education policies. In continuing this dialogue, I argue that the OHRC report has omitted consideration of significant dimensions of literacy acquisition and development that are directly relevant to preventing reading difficulties among Ontario children. Specifically, I argue that beyond the systematic teaching of phonics and other foundational literacy skills, which the OHRC report emphasizes almost exclusively, literacy policies should ensure that all children experience extensive opportunities for literacy socialization, which must involve active engagement with print, in both the preschool and early elementary years.

Clarifying the Free Appropriate Public Education Standard Post-Endrew for School Leaders

All the federal laws and policies relating to individuals with disabilities aim to achieve four major goals: equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. The free appropriate public education (FAPE) plays an integral role in contributing to achieving these goals. The purpose of this paper was to obtain more understanding of the meaning of FAPE for students with disabilities especially after the case of Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District in Colorado in 2017. It is significant for administrators and teachers understand the ruling in Endrew because this decision will critically affect special education programs. Several implications for school leaders after the case of Endrew.

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.

ФОРМУВАННЯ САМООСВІТИ ВИКЛАДАЧІВ ЗАКЛАДІВ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ У СФЕРІ ФІЗИЧНОГО ВИХОВАННЯ ДО ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ В УМОВАХ ДИСТАНЦІЙНОГО НАВЧАННЯ

Consideration of the issue of self-education of higher education teachers is due to the requests of higher professional education systems regarding the training of highly qualified personnel in the professional field, the need for specialists in personal and professional growth and self-development. The article substantiates the need for self-education of teachers of higher education institutions, especially in the conditions of distance learning, defines the essence of self-education of teachers and their readiness for self-education, the technology of organizing self-education. On the basis of an empirical study, using a questionnaire, the level of readiness of teachers of higher education institutions for self-educational activities for the period before and after the introduction of quarantine restrictions and the transition to distance learning of students was revealed. The organizational and pedagogical conditions of readiness for self-educational activity, which formed the basis of the proposed practical recommendations, are highlighted. Improving the level of professional competence of teachers is one of the main directions of reforming the education system. The main form of improving the level of professional competence of higher education teachers is professional self-development through purposeful self-educational activities. Modern pedagogy requires highly qualified specialists who are able to creatively approach the organization of the educational process and achieve high-quality results. The duties of teachers include constantly improving their own professional level and pedagogical skills, ensuring the scientific-theoretical and methodical quality of teaching the discipline within the framework of the specialty education program, etc. Self-education becomes the main way of developing professional competence, which is the most complete mastering, updating, increasing and deepening of knowledge, generalization of pedagogical experience with the help of self-development activities and personal improvement. With this ability of higher education teachers to obtain additional pedagogical knowledge, abilities, skills and contribute not only to their self-realization in both personal and professional activities, but also to the quality training of students. Key words: self-education, self-educational activity, teacher of a higher education institution, readiness for self-education, distance learning.

Model Bisnis TikTok Shop dan Implikasinya terhadap Ekonomi Digital di Indonesia

This research investigates the TikTok Shop business model and its implications for the digital economy in Indonesia. TikTok Shop, as an electronic commerce platform integrated with social media, introduces innovation by combining creative content and online shopping experiences. This research explores how TikTok Shop can increase market access for MSMEs, contribute to income, and accelerate digital economic growth in Indonesia. The findings show that TikTok Shop provides new opportunities for local businesses by providing a personal and interactive platform to promote products. However, the challenges of intense competition and the need for digital education are the focus of research to support long-term success. Strategic recommendations include marketing innovation, special education programs, and strengthening product authenticity policies to support TikTok Shop's continued growth. This research makes an important contribution to understanding the new dynamics in Indonesia's digital economy, providing insights for local business development and building a strategic framework for implementing supportive policies

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ДОПОЛНИТЕЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ ЛЮДЕЙ ПЕНСИОННОГО ВОЗРАСТА В РЕСПУБЛИКЕ БЕЛАРУСЬ

The article describes the organizational problems of obtaining additional education for people of the third age in the Republic of Belarus. As a result of a comparison of foreign and domestic practice of organizing lifelong education, the problems of the functioning of the system of additional education for people of retirement age in the Republic of Belarus were identified and ways to eliminate the identified problems were proposed. The empirical basis of the study was normative and legal acts, statistical data. The main recommendations for improving the additional education of pensioners in the Republic of Belarus include: to develop specialized educational programs at educational institutions; to provide state support to non-governmental public organizations that provide free educational services to the elderly; ensure legal regulation of the development of the community of universities of the third age at the state level; involve public organizations and enterprises in the training of people of the third age.