There has been a long-standing history of segregation and exclusion of students with disabilities from receiving a quality education in public school districts throughout the country. In response to the growing outcry for equal opportunities for students with and without special needs, Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act…

Secondary school administrators increasingly include students with disabilities in general education classrooms with coteaching models. Theoretically, coteaching enables two educators to attend to the learning needs of students with disabilities while exposing them to grade-level content area instruction. However, our study on teachers'…

The diversity of teacher roles has been a long-standing concern in the field of special education. Role complexity has been implicated in teacher burnout and attrition and in the inefficiency of service delivery models. Recent evidence suggests that new policy may be further complicating teacher roles and that teachers may not be prepared for such…

The purpose of this study was to develop and field test an employment screening instrument for special education teachers. The instrument developed demonstrated good reliability and concurrent validity. Both principals and special education administrators could effectively use the instrument. The instrument shows promise for helping administrators…

Teens with disabilities need information about risk topics such as addiction, abuse, sex, and delinquency to make healthy choices as they participate in mainstream society. This article presents questionnaire-based information provided by special educators in secondary schools about their efforts, limitations, and needs in providing risk reduction…

Unlike data that show that all states require credentials for special education teachers, national data indicate that only 27 states require licensure/certification/endorsement as an administrator of special education. The titles used by states to identify the local director of special education include administrator of special education, director…

What is Response to Intervention (RTI) and how can it benefit your school? Find out in "RTI Success", an all-in-one resource that provides information on this innovative model as well as step-by-step administrator guidelines and practical teacher tools for implementation. Despite ongoing federal initiatives meant to increase the profile…

With more than half of children with disabilities being educated in the general education classroom, and with federal education law requiring improved learning outcomes for these students, preparing general education teachers to work effectively with all students is critical. This report on teacher certification requirements in the nine Northeast…

The growing number of children with disabilities who are served in general education classrooms has made it necessary for general and special education teachers to work together to ensure that all students receive an appropriate education. As the instructional leader, the school principal is presented with the challenge of facilitating and guiding…

Preparing administrators with the capacity to improve instruction for all learners is critical for recruiting and retaining special education teachers. However, recent research points out the need to improve skills of current and future administrators for this role. To address these concerns the special education and administrator preparation…

The bibliography lists approximately 125 documents and journal articles concerning issues and practices in the recruitment and retention of personnel for general and special education at district, state, and higher education levels. Citations date from 1975 to 1989 and are listed by author or institution and include ERIC (Educational Resources…

The task of hiring special education teachers may seem daunting because they serve in what is undeniably the most complex of teaching roles. This article provides guidance and suggestions for identifying key competencies that a viable special education teacher candidate should possess. Although many building leaders may still subscribe to gut…

This paper reviews the literature on peer tutoring and other experiences that may interest secondary students in careers in special education, and notes the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of such programs. Examples of current programs are given, including a variation which integrates athletes with and without mental retardation. The potential…

Based on a review of the literature and the authors' experience, this article addresses issues in three aspects of the planning and delivery of online content: (1) online support services; (2) technology assistance; and (3) course content. Recommendations are given for administrators and instructors involved in the delivery of online coursework in…

Attrition statistics were analyzed for the entire teaching population in Wisconsin from 1984-1988. Teachers with provisional certification were more likely to leave teaching than were fully certified teachers during the first 2 years of the study, but during the third year of the study, attrition rates were comparable. Attrition rates of special…