The practice of inclusion as a response to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act means that English teachers teach students who demonstrate a wide range of abilities in the same classroom. This qualitative study explored the developing attitudes toward differentiation of English education teacher candidates participating in a methods…

Many parents feel intimidated when talking with special education professionals. There is much in our society which encourages us to look at professionals and to accept what they say without question. However, that does not mean you should be intimidated. The discussion is about your child and you know your child better than anyone, giving you the…

In this study, the authors represent an exploratory investigation of current preparation of preservice teachers related to response to intervention (RTI) in institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the Office of Special Education Program (OSEP) Regional Resource and Federal Centers (RRFCs) North Central Region and Pennsylvania. In this study,…

This article invites all educators to consider the implementation of the tenets of Invitational Education (IE) as a firm foundation and precursor upon which can be built an Inclusive Education climate and mindset which encourages success for all students. This eighteen month study of two professors from Ohio's Muskingum University shares from…

This qualitative action research study examined teachers' perceptions about co-teaching and its effectiveness as an instructional model for students with disabilities. One-on-one interviews were conducted with eight elementary and secondary teachers from a medium sized school district located in Southwest Ohio that has a students' with…

In today's climate of school accountability, the consequences of failing to meet state and federal requirements are too great to ignore. Schools are under pressure to find ways to make all students successful or face the prospects of increasingly punitive measures. Schools find it especially difficult to be successful with students with…

The purpose of this study was to analyze teachers' perceptions of their ability to instruct students with disabilities. A statewide survey was administered in Ohio to pre-service and in-service teachers regarding their perceptions of their teacher preparation programs and their respective ability to instruct students with special needs. Question…

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in the perceptions of juvenile justice teachers in Georgia, Louisiana, and Ohio. Juvenile justice teachers (n = 542) completed an extensive attrition and retention survey with a 98% response rate. Comparisons were made between states, type of facility (short or long-term), gender, and…

Benchmarks and standards have become an important part of the teachers' instructional focus since the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. As educators they all recognize the importance of having high expectations of their students. Standards help schools articulate these expectations clearly to students, their parents, and the community. Yet, there…

This descriptive study of 325 Ohio special education teachers examined factors influencing their attitudes about parents as educational collaborators. The study found that teachers view parents as more capable and are more open to parent input if they interact more frequently. Also, student age influenced openness, independent of interaction…

A survey of 21 special education administrators in Ohio revealed that they perceived that special education teachers should be involved in multicultural educational training programs with special emphasis on African-American students and their families. Results also revealed that personnel responsible for conducting such in-service programs may…

This paper examines a portion of the findings from the Ohio Higher Education Partnership Project (OHEPP), a federally funded project designed to develop a model for promoting greater levels of participation within institutions of higher education by parents of children with disabilities. From 1997 to 2001, OHEPP recruited, trained and supported…

This final report describes the activities and outcomes of the Ohio Higher Education Partnership Project (OHEPP), a federally funded project designed to develop a model for promoting greater levels of participation within institutions of higher education by parents of children with disabilities. OHEPP has the following three objectives: (1) to…

Rural communities have strengths and weaknesses that affect the development of transitional programs for students with disabilities. These community characteristics were factored into a federally funded, graduate-level training program called Project CREST (Collaboration in Rural Education for Special Teachers), which provided training stipends…

Project RAISE (Rural America Institute for Special Educators) was a preservice teacher training program specifically designed for preparing special educators for the demands of rural settings. The project was conducted by the Department of Special Education at Bowling Green State University (Ohio) and concentrated on training special educators in…