The Individualized Education Program (IEP) remains a pivotal document for ensuring educational equity for students with disabilities in public education (Bateman, 2017). This qualitative interview study investigated how an IEP team supporting a student with extensive support needs navigated the decision-making process during annual IEP…

This mixed-methods phenomenological study examined elements that impact Individualized Education Program (IEP) team members in supporting placement for students with disabilities (SWD) in inclusive early childhood education programs. Best practices in education and federal law stipulate that schools educate SWD in settings as close to general…

Students' academic success and wellbeing are interconnected, yet university classrooms rarely promote mental health. To bridge the divide between academic and social-emotional learning, I introduced a classroom intervention titled the Care Bear Connection, during which students were required to post a message in Slack offering support to their…

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once stated, "'Faith' is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase." (Waterford, 2020). This type of blind faith has been a vocal proponent in the triumphs of minorities since the beginning of time (Liviatan, 2011). It is this same faith that William James speaks of when he says,…

The coteaching classroom has grown with the influx of special needs students in general education classrooms. New state and federal laws mandated the need for collaboration when instructing special education students, and middle school teachers in a Northern New Jersey school district are experiencing challenges with the implementation of…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires professionals on Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams to provide family members of children with disabilities every opportunity to participate in IEP meetings. Despite this requirement, findings from qualitative and survey research suggest that many parents have reported they…

Reform-based mathematics instruction emphasizes that mathematics is learned through reasoning and sense-making rather than strict memorization and is taught through facilitation rather than telling (NCTM, 1989, 1991, 1995, 2000). Teachers' engagement with student thinking to inform instruction is central to such teaching. Engagement with student…

This is an exploration of the perceptions and perspectives of early childhood leaders and practitioners with regards to preschool learners with autism engaged in inclusive educational settings. At a time when inclusive education is acknowledged as best practice, there is still a concern that many preschool learners with disabilities are receiving…

For decades, researchers have studied teacher efficacy. In the past decade or so, however, collective teacher efficacy has been at the forefront of educational research as an extension of teacher self-efficacy. Educational researchers have been studying this construct to determine its impact on student achievement, teacher quality, and school…