Teaching itself, though noble, is a challenging profession. Such a profession calls upon not only the intellectual capacities of the teacher, but the physical and emotional as well. In short, it is a unique profession. Teaching differently-abled students (special education), is even more challenging. By virtue of their teaching a special group of…

Previous researchers have found that special education teacher shortages are pervasive and exacerbated by federal policies regarding "highly qualified" teacher requirements. The authors examined special education teacher personnel data from 2 federal data sources to determine if these sources offer a reliable and valid means of…

Cyberbullying is a pervasive problem that puts students at risk of successful academic outcomes and the ability to feel safe in school. As most students with disabilities are served in inclusive classrooms, there is a growing concern that students with special needs are at an increased risk of online bullying harassment. Enhancing responsible…

Each year witnesses an increased number of students with disabilities participating in online schools. Unfortunately, most online courses fail to provide adequate learning outcomes for students with special needs. Currently, there is a deficit in the literature relating to efficacious practices for K-8 students with disabilities in online learning…

With nearly a million paraprofessionals working in elementary and secondary schools (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013), ensuring they are well prepared and supported is essential to their and their students' success. Paraprofessionals work closely with classroom teachers to support students from special populations and are typically supervised by…

For a long time, children with special needs were educated along with other regular children in schools. The notion of special education was a western phenomenon and concept in Nigeria. How were children with special needs educated without special education programs? This paper will provide cultural perspectives on issues of disability and caring…

The goal of any educational program is to help students maximize their performance. For many students with disabilities, the environment in which to achieve this outcome is under continuing debate and sometimes diminishes the likelihood of achievement. As a result of a long and sometimes difficult history of treatment, individuals with…

The effects of latency on the accuracy of data recorded by three special education teachers were examined in this study. Teachers recorded data on the target behaviors of three students with varying disabilities. The accuracy of data recorded was assessed during three time periods: immediately after the target behavior occurred, at the end of the…

Torey Hayden's teacher stories are first-person accounts of being a teacher in classrooms for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Hayden's books offer readers a real-world look at the joys and challenges of teaching children whose lives are marked by emotional and behavioral disorders, child abuse and trauma, anger and defeat.…

Since its enactment, the "Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975," Public Law (P.L.) 94-142, requires the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education (secretary) [and predecessor, the commissioner of education at the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare] to transmit to Congress an annual report to inform…

This article provides a description of how a beginning special education teacher in an inclusion classroom used pre-assessment, self-assessment, and on-going assessment to implement the principles of differentiated instruction to become more responsive to her students' needs in a systematic way. This article describes a case study of one beginning…

The shortage of highly qualified special educators is most pronounced in rural schools serving populations characterized by poverty, low achievement, disability, and cultural diversity. The result is often untrained teachers serving students with the greatest education needs. This article describes efforts by a university in rural middle Georgia…

This mixed-method descriptive pilot investigation addressed co-teaching as an inclusive school practice for special education teacher candidates at Sebastian Kolowa Memorial University (SEKOMU) in Tanzania. The investigation results, though preliminary, indicate that course content and instruction in co-teaching had a positive impact on the…

Students who qualify for special education services are at risk for being bullied because of their cognitive, emotional, behavioral, or physical differences. Currently, teachers are not effective enough in reducing bullying; better preservice teacher preparation in this area may help to alleviate the problem. The current study explored the effects…

The current educational climate emphasizes the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education. This results in an increased effort to enhance and maintain an inclusive environment. Consequently, the use of paraeducators for support has increased (Giangreco, Broer, & Edelman, 2002). This is particularly true for physical education…