This study explores the desired future images of an inclusive school. In its policy documents, Finland has been committed to goals of inclusive education for decades; however, there are still challenges in its implementation. By utilising futures workshops, our research explores the factors envisioned by special education teacher students…

Despite a growing national focus on computer science (CS) education, students with disabilities are often excluded from or not able to access high quality CS experiences and coursework. One reason for this is a lack of teachers who support students with disabilities and also hold CS knowledge and skills. Integrating CS into preservice teacher…

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…

High-quality teacher preparation is a critical building block of an effective and stable teacher workforce. In California, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) currently oversees teacher preparation programs (TPPs) at more than 100 institutions, and these programs graduate more than 10,000 teacher candidates per year. Over the past…

Highly qualified and well-prepared transition professionals are arguably the most important piece to improve postsecondary outcomes for youth with diverse needs. A dearth of dynamic field placements for preservice teachers to connect coursework to practice has been identified as a gap in teacher training. This need could be potentially filled by…

The purpose of this study was to explore preservice special education teachers' experiences within an instructional material development project for students with disabilities during a semester-long technology integration course. Data were collected from 61 preservice special education teachers through an open-ended questionnaire, instructional…

The literature has emphasized the positive impact of mobile technologies with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) apps for enhancing the functional communication skills of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Although various AAC apps are available, the system design of such apps presents assorted challenges, particularly…

This study examined the change in the attitudes of 70 Israeli Arab pre-service teachers for special education and their professional development resulting from combining three teaching methods (personal diaries, case studies and theoretical models) in a one-semester course. This mixed-methods study included close-ended questionnaires, open-ended…

This article provides an overview of two innovative "Grow your Own" (GYO) pathways to teacher preparation. These pathways include authentic partnerships between an institute of higher education (IHE) and school districts, who actively plan and work together to recruit, prepare, and retain special educators. These pathways specifically…

Mentorship has been identified as a protective factor in early career special education teacher retention. These mentorships can be formal or informal during teachers' first years of teaching and can support teachers in various aspects of their careers, such as navigating required paperwork and instructional practices. However, these mentorships…

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…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the effectiveness of remote teacher preparation during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically special education teachers participating at an Intern Credentialing Program in Northern California. In addition to remote teacher preparation, the study explored how intern teachers experienced…

Since assistive technology (AT) may help meet the educational needs of students with disabilities, this study investigates pre-service and in-service special education teachers' perceptions of using AT for students with disabilities. The participants included 97 teaching candidates from one university in an urban US city. A self-assessment survey…

Social-emotional learning (SEL) has received growing attention in recent decades. Although much is known about the benefits of integrating SEL in educational settings, knowledge about teachers' SEL learning is limited, particularly among special-education teachers from diverse backgrounds. The study's goals were: (1) to conceptualise the SEL…

Rural schools face unique challenges recruiting teachers. Rural school administrators report difficulties finding qualified applicants. Unique challenges rural special education teachers face, e.g., working with a more diverse group of students including those with significant disabilities, heighten the difficulties rural administrators experience…