Special Education Teacher Preparation Research Articles

Preparing Pre-Service Special Education Teachers to Facilitate Parent Involvement, Knowledge, and Advocacy: Considerations for Curriculum

More than 40 years after passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), some special education teacher preparation programs offer limited coursework on parent involvement, advocacy, or home–school collaboration. For pre-service special education teachers and/or novice special education teachers working with students with disabilities and their parents in practice, prior parent involvement coursework often enhances knowledge and abilities to provide resources, advocacy support, and insight. Yet, for this to occur in practice, special education teacher preparation program faculty should continue to consider how curriculum that instructs and provides resources regarding home–school collaboration, advocacy, conflict resolution, and federal legislation and programmatic support can enhance parent involvement. Therefore, this article examines IDEA parent involvement provisions, IDEA-mandated and federally funded conflict resolution options, and Parent Training and Information Centers that provide parents resources and support. Also, this article offers suggestions for teacher preparation faculty developing or refining parent involvement curricula.

READY TO TEACH: SPECIAL EDUCATION PRE-SERVICE TEACHER PRESPECTIVES ON TEACHER PREPARATION

In this qualitative research project, pre-service teacher perspectives on the clinical experiences and coursework required for teacher preparation in special education were examined. The goal of this study was to provide data on specific areas where teacher educators can provide more support and better prepare pre-service teachers for the classroom. This particular study focuses on the educational experiences of pre-service teachers and their perspectives on teacher readiness. The pre-service teacher perspectives are limited to a particular special education teacher preparation educational community; however, the clinical experiences portion of the fieldwork hails from a variety of educational settings. The data collection consisted of pre-service teacher interviews during clinical experiences. The findings of this study revealed the value placed on quality mentors, practical experiences, and application in the clinical setting.

Recruiting and Retaining Black Students for Special Education Teacher Preparation Inclusion Programs

AbstractEfforts to recruit and retain effective teachers of color have spread into the field of special education. However, scant research examining the experiences of teachers of color enrolled in special education teacher preparation inclusion programs exists. In the current study, a phenomenological investigation of 10 preservice Black students at predominately White higher education institutes in special education teacher programs designed to train teachers for inclusive classrooms was conducted to understand their experiences and identify effective recruitment and retention strategies. Based on the findings, students reported five themes: (a) feeling alienated in their programs, (b) feeling that they need effective mentoring from faculty of color, (c) better relationships with other peers of color, (d) deliberate mission of the institute and program, and (e) better need for financial support. The implications for recruiting and retaining Black teachers in special education and directions for future research were discussed.

Praktyki pedagogiczne w opinii studentów pedagogiki specjalnej

<p>W artykule przedstawione zostały wyniki badań przeprowadzonych wśród studentek kierunku pedagogika specjalna na UMCS-ie w Lublinie. Badania dotyczyły realizacji praktyk pedagogicznych obowiązujących na tym kierunku. Ich wyniki zostały zaprezentowane<br />dyrektorom i nauczycielom (opiekunom praktyk w placówkach) podczas spotkania, na którym omawiano kwestię związane podnoszeniem jakości praktyk przez UMCS. Miało to na celu wypracowanie wspólnych rozwiązań i postulatów, które pomogą w efektywny sposób zmodyfikować dotychczasowe działania w obszarze praktycznego przygotowania do zawodu nauczyciela-pedagoga specjalnego.</p>

Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Black Male Special Education Teachers

In 2015, the National Goals Conference for and with people with intellectual disability encouraged the field of special education to recruit and retain more Black teachers. In this grounded theory study, 18 Black men were interviewed to learn more about experiences surrounding recruitment and retention in special education teacher-preparation programs (SETPPs) and for teaching careers in special education. Findings led to the development of a theory based on three constructs: (a) motivations for becoming a special education teacher, (b) attractions to SETPPs, and (c) focused strategies for recruitment and retention that indicated several strategies that SETPPs and school divisions should consider (e.g., funding, distance education program, mentorship) when attempting to recruit and retain Black males into training programs and for special education careers. The implication for the special education teacher workforce and potential for future research are discussed.

Devil is in the details: Using logic models to investigate program process

Theory-based logic models are commonly developed as part of requirements for grant funding. As a tool to communicate complex social programs, theory based logic models are an effective visual communication. However, after initial development, theory based logic models are often abandoned and remain in their initial form despite changes in the program process. This paper examines the potential benefits of committing time and resources to revising the initial theory driven logic model and developing detailed logic models that describe key activities to accurately reflect the program and assist in effective program management. The authors use a funded special education teacher preparation program to exemplify the utility of drill down logic models. The paper concludes with lessons learned from the iterative revision process and suggests how the process can lead to more flexible and calibrated program management.

Toward a Model of Learning and Transfer: A Review of Instructional Methods and Learning Outcomes in Special Education Teacher Preparation

In the past decade and a half, measurable outcomes of teacher performance and student achievement have moved to the forefront of education policy. Researchers have identified a gap in special education teacher preparation research and have called for the re-envisioning of current educational models, emphasizing a focus on effective methods in special education teacher preparation. Prior studies and literature reviews have demonstrated a need for experimental research on effective methods that move preservice teachers (PSTs) from knowledge to application. In this article, the authors present a model of learning and transfer based on the How People Learn theoretical framework. Guided by this framework, a review of literature resulted in 12 experimental, quantitative studies of instructional methods delivered primarily within university classroom-based settings, measuring PSTs’ outcomes at increasingly deeper levels of learning and transfer. Findings indicate various instructional methods within university coursework lead to strong, positive learning outcomes for PSTs, with most studies measuring knowledge acquisition and conceptual application of knowledge. Yet, more studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of coursework on teacher candidates’ application for and within classroom settings, as well as students’ outcomes. Implications and future research are discussed.

A Service Learning Model for Special Education Teacher Preparation in Secondary Transition Programming

The current article describes the evaluation of a service-based learning model as part of a special education course focused on secondary programming for students with disabilities. A total of 42 preservice teachers and 21 high school juniors and seniors with disabilities actively participated in the service learning project at a local high school. Preservice teachers conducted a transition assessment, developed and implemented lesson plans for postsecondary skill development with a high school student, presented their results to local high school personnel, and completed a self-assessment of their level of confidence in transition education for secondary students. Overall, preservice teachers reported confidence in transition planning and in designing and delivering instructional opportunities based on assessment of high school students’ transition needs. Moreover, the preservice teachers met the course learning standards by working directly with high school students. Barriers and recommendations for personnel preparation and research are discussed.

A Study Examining the Extent of Including Competencies of Inclusive Education in the Preparation of Special Education Teachers in Saudi Universities

Educators all over the world are trying to revise and/or build their teacher education programmes to ensure pre-service teachers working on their teaching credentials are competent and ready to manage classrooms from day one. This study surveyed 179 faculty from 30 colleges and universities in Saudi Arabia to find out the extent to which they agreed that their coursework included various skills and knowledge sets leading to competent teachers. Teacher education programmes offering special education teacher preparation programmes at undergraduate level strive to base their curriculum on standards recommended by Council for Exceptional Children. The results showed a moderately strong agreement on most items under the various competency areas. Academic ranks of faculty did not have any significant effect on the extent of agreement. However, faculty from newer programmes, and those with degrees obtained in Saudi Arabia showed a better agreement. This article discusses findings, implications for the special education teacher preparation programmes in Saudi universities, and recommendations for future research.

Enhancing quality: Listening to participant voices to improve our Master's program in special education

Newly inducted special education teachers must be well-prepared to address changes in today's schools, including increased student diversity, implementation of tiered systems of support, and the need for increased collaboration with general education teachers and specialists. The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop and implement a data-based continual improvement approach to identify the strengths of our special education Master's program and address changes needed to ensure that graduates are ready to engage with the demands of their chosen profession. Using data gathered from 24 recent graduates and 20 field mentors, we describe our model and what we have done with our results over two years. An important finding is that our students greatly value the relationships they form during the program and the relationships the faculty model, and participants attribute our graduates' skills in collaboration to our program's modeling of collaborative processes and positive relationships. Implications for effective approaches to continuous improvement of special education teacher preparation programs are discussed.

Generalization Training in Special Education Teacher Preparation: Does It Exist?

Enormous resources are committed by universities to prepare special educators to impact student outcomes of our most vulnerable and neediest learners. Generalizing teaching skills from university to K-12 classrooms must be a component of teacher preparation curriculum; otherwise, we continue to merely train our teacher candidates and hope they sustain and generalize their newly acquired skills. Through self-reported surveys and extant data analysis, we identify the extent to which our sample of special education teacher preparation programs are teaching their teacher candidates to generalize newly acquired teaching skills to in-service settings in K-12 classrooms. Results indicate ambiguity with familiarity of generalization techniques and fidelity of implementation. Programming for generalization is absent in reviewed course syllabi, and student teaching supervisors report a disconnect between university and classroom realities. We recommend a systematic approach to programming for generalization by increasing awareness of generalization techniques through professional development, including accountability measures in course syllabi, focusing on high-leverage practices to create more cohesive preparation programs, and improving communication between instructors and student teaching supervisors. Limitations and future research recommendations are discussed.

The Effects of Secondary Special Education Preparation in Reading: Research to Inform State Policy in a New Era

In this study, the authors present findings from a survey of 577 secondary special educators in a large Midwestern state regarding their reading pre-service and in-service teacher preparation and its effect on teachers’ sense of preparedness for teaching reading to adolescents with disabilities. Six models were fitted using multinomial logistic regression analyses. Results demonstrate the importance of two factors in preparing special educators who have a high sense of preparedness for teaching reading to adolescents with disabilities. The first is pre-service coursework that uses practice-based pedagogical approaches as opposed to passive lecture and the second is more extensive in-service professional development. The results are discussed in light of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and its delegation of teacher preparation policy to state education agencies. Implications for future research and policy in special education teacher preparation are provided.

Preservice special educators’ perceptions of collaboration and co-teaching during university fieldwork: implications for personnel preparation

Special education teachers today must demonstrate effective skills in collaboration and often engage in co-teaching with general education colleagues to meet the needs of students with disabilities. In this study, we describe a university-based early fieldwork in which university students seeking teaching licensure in special education taught children from the local urban community, thus developing their collaboration and co-teaching skills under the supervision of university faculty. Although citing challenges such as time constraints and overcoming personality differences, the majority of these preservice special educators reported growth in their teaching skills as the main outcome of this fieldwork in co-planning and co-instructing lessons to meet the diverse learning needs of children from the local community. These preservice special educators’ perceptions of this co-teaching fieldwork experience highlight the importance of special education teacher preparation programs that explicitly train students in collaboration and co-teaching skills.

The Effects of Guided Video Analysis on Teacher Candidates’ Reflective Ability and Instructional Skills

Internships are central to teacher preparation, but many novice teachers do not feel such student teaching experiences prepared them for teaching realities. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to understand the effects of guiding teacher candidates through common video-recording and self-reflection activities during student teaching internships to determine whether such activities improve teacher candidates’ reflective abilities and instructional skills. Thirty-six teacher candidates with similar prior experience were divided into two groups. Both groups participated in semester long internships where candidates video-recorded their instruction 4 times and wrote four corresponding reflections. Treatment group candidates ( n = 17) also received directed guidance and feedback to supplement video analysis procedures. Both groups self-reported significant improvements in their teaching ability, but only the treatment group demonstrated significant growth in reflective ability and instructional skills over time. Addressing challenges in special education teacher preparation research as well as possible future directions are discussed.

Preparing Special Educators for the K–12 Online Learning Environment

Pioneering research studies in teacher preparation in online settings have taken place, yet little to no work has been done specifically focused on teacher preparation for special education and learners with disabilities. In the present study, researchers from the Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities conducted a web-based survey of special education teacher preparation faculty to determine the level to which they were attending to online education preparation. The survey was developed with a specific alignment to the International Association for K–12 Online Learning (iNACOL) online teacher standards. The results of this survey pinpoint several areas of need in the preparation of teachers who are will be working in online education and attending to students with disabilities in these settings.

An Analysis of Teacher Sorting in Secondary Special Education and Alternative Schools

This study provides nationally representative information about the qualifications and preparation of secondary content and special education teachers in special education and alternative school settings, as compared with teachers in regular schools. Findings demonstrate that a statistically significant relationship did not exist between school types and many teacher inputs. However, a relationship between special education preparation and setting did exist among secondary content teachers. Moreover, results highlight the inadequate number of secondary teachers, both in content areas and in special education, who held a degree and/or certification in special education. Practical and policy implications of these findings are discussed, and limitations are addressed.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Special Needs Education: A Case Study of an Art Project with the Multiple/Severe Handicapped

This paper focuses on a project in teacher education through art activities at the undergraduate level. The main theme is art activities by university students and multiple and severe handicapped students. This project has two significant points for the preparation of special education teachers. One point is the opportunity for field work. Even students majoring in special education have insufficient opportunities for field research in places where there are multiple handicapped students because of restricted accessibility, including limitations attributable to medical care. The other point concerns professional learning. In the Japanese system, certification for special education teachers is based on that of regular schools. The students learn about the subject knowledge with non-disabled students in mind, so they have a few chances to learn and inquire about pedagogical content knowledge for severely handicapped students. Both qualitative and narrative analysis has been attempted in this research. The main topics are the university students' awareness and recognition of the communication styles-including non-verbal ones-of the multiple handicapped, and the change in students' views regarding multiple handicapped students' learning and activities through the art activities.

What Unites Us All

The theoretical base that supports human universals served as a model for proposing special education teacher education universals. The human universals model is explained and put forth as a basis for identifying special education teacher education universals. Twenty-four English language journals from different countries representing four continents were searched for special education teacher education universals, represented by four broadly defined categories: (a) policy, (b) practice, (c) pedagogy, and (d) teacher preparation/co-curricular activities. Each journal was searched from 2004 to 2015, and articles were coded using the aforementioned categories. Results indicated an overwhelming presence of teacher preparation/co-curricular descriptions, representing 51% of the total ( n = 815) articles categorized. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to defining and describing special education teacher preparation universals.

Special Education Teacher Preparation Landscape

Special Education Teacher Preparation Landscape

Special Education Teacher Preparation Landscape

Special Education Teacher Preparation Landscape