This paper describes a survey of teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) in Nebraska. Questions addressed their preparation to teach writing, writing practices, and beliefs about writing instruction. Twenty-four of 60 TVIs in Nebraska responded to the survey, and 19 answered all questions. Teachers were split on their preparation to…

Solutions for the special education teacher shortage typically focus on the retention of inservice teachers. A different approach starts earlier, focusing on preservice teachers who are developing their skillsets and determining their field of interest. Using Social Cognitive Career Theory as a framework, we examined preservice teachers' special…

This investigation examined relationships among special education teachers' working conditions (e.g., classroom characteristics, administrative support), personal characteristics (e.g., experience, certification status, self-efficacy), instructional quality, and students with disabilities' reading achievement and behavioral outcomes. Data from the…

We examined the effectiveness of the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model of writing instruction with a self-determination training component for middle school-age students with emotional and behavioral disorders. We randomly assigned students to experimental or comparison treatments during which special education teachers provided the…

Variables related to special education teacher attrition were examined by qualitative interviews with 14 current and 10 former special education teachers. Analysis indicated that stayers were more committed to teaching students with disabilities, had a higher sense of efficacy, felt more prepared by their preservice and initial teaching…