The current study looked to understand the lived experience of special education teachers who work with children and young adults with disabilities in a non-academic setting (NAS). The study explored relationships between the learning experience and the teachers' self-efficacy in the setting. The experience of pre-service and in-service special…

This study aims to determine mothers' concerns regarding their children, before and after giving birth. The study sample consists of 13 mothers working as special education teachers having graduated from the Special Teaching Department. The study utilized a semi-structured interview technique, which is one of the qualitative research methods, and…

The three of us met in 2014 through our shared interest in adult literacy. We are colleagues as practitioners and as researchers; altogether, we have been in the field of adult literacy in Canada since the 1980s. Our experiences working with learners come from our role as volunteer tutors and paid staff in provincially funded programs and…

It is critical that educators learn about the concept of implicit bias and contemplate any unconscious biases they may hold since Black students disproportionately experience punitive school disciplinary consequences and placement into programs for students with disabilities. Greenwald and colleagues' early (1998) research on implicit association…

The attitudes towards inclusion and the terms used related to special needs by pre-service teachers in three Finnish universities were studied. Inclusion is the main educational policy in Finland, and special solutions are avoided when possible. With a questionnaire and a brief survey, data from 488 pre-service teachers (PSTs) were collected and…

A critical issue in the preparation of special education teachers working with students with significant disabilities is the lack of commonality in what preparation programs should include in their academic plans of study. As such, some special education teachers enter the workforce unprepared for the expectations of their role responsibilities.…

Given the importance of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for improving outcomes for students with disabilities, it is key that preservice special education teachers have the opportunity to implement EBPs with high levels of fidelity during their teacher preparation program. For this reason, the authors conducted a systematic review of the…

In this study, the authors examine the impact of a community service learning course on undergraduate students' decisions to pursue careers as special education teachers or related service providers. Participants (N = 134) completed a course involving volunteer service with persons with disabilities in the local community and were surveyed as to…

Purpose: This study aims to selects a teacher training program located in China's rural area and focus on its preservice teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education in China and their expectations of teacher training programs. Design/methodology/approach: The selected teacher training program is in School of Education of a comprehensive…

The field of special education is in flux, with high shortages and attrition and increasing requirements around quality teachers and teaching contexts. In this study, we explore how preservice teachers develop identities as special education-certified teachers within this context. Data include focus groups, admissions essays, and class assignments…

Dr. Sharon Maroney's career has focused on children and youth with significant behavior and emotional challenges. Her career has spanned experiences from sibling, special education teacher, and university professor. She has had the good fortune to study with some the most well-known names in the field. Dr. Maroney shared her reflections with…

Online teacher education is experiencing significant growth worldwide. One of the major challenges accompanying this growth is that many teacher educators find themselves underprepared and under pressure to design online teacher education courses that reflect their beliefs about what constitutes high-quality teacher preparation practice. Further,…

Institutions of higher education are increasingly relying on distance technologies to prepare teacher candidates. In early childhood special education (ECSE), a field that focuses on working with young children ages 0-8 with delays and disabilities and their families, many of these distance technologies are being used to improve teacher candidate…

This quantitative dissertation examined the differences in special education teacher preparation programs and their association with novice teachers' self-efficacy in the areas of classroom management, student engagement, and instructional strategies while teaching students with moderate to severe disabilities. Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy's…

There is a need for both special education teachers and Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) who are trained to work in rural school settings with students with disabilities and problem behaviors. The specific challenges presented by rural communities, such as diminished access to resources and fewer community partners, can make it difficult…