For this study Bar-On's (1997) definition of emotional intelligence (EI) was used. "Emotional Intelligence" is defined as a set of emotional and social skills that influence the way we perceive and express ourselves, develop and maintain social relationships, cope with challenges, and use emotional information in an effective and…

The field of special education is in flux, with high shortages and attrition and increasing requirements around quality teachers and teaching contexts. In this study, we explore how preservice teachers develop identities as special education-certified teachers within this context. Data include focus groups, admissions essays, and class assignments…

What do special education practitioners want to learn and how do they want to learn it? These questions drove a recent Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Professional Development Needs Assessment Survey that revealed important insights that are already helping CEC tailor its programs to mirror the needs of practitioners across the field of…

As integrated STEM education becomes more commonplace, the number of inclusive STEM classrooms containing students with disabilities will continue to rise. This presents many challenges to both STEM education teachers and Special education teachers. Do STEM education and Special education teachers have the appropriate credentials to effectively…

Although different authors define the SMART acronym differently, an IEP-related interpretation of the acronym is as follows: specific, measurable, action verbs, realistic, and time limited. In addition to these features, well-written IEP goals reflect students' unique strengths and needs. This article discusses how educators can produce specific,…

The purpose of the current study was to examine barriers, if any, reported by special education directors to providing extended school year (ESY) services. Results indicate four barriers to providing ESY services listed in order of importance by special education directors: difficulty in finding qualified personnel to work over the summer,…

Dr. Sharon Maroney's career has focused on children and youth with significant behavior and emotional challenges. Her career has spanned experiences from sibling, special education teacher, and university professor. She has had the good fortune to study with some the most well-known names in the field. Dr. Maroney shared her reflections with…

Response-prompting procedures are a form of systematic direct instruction based on the principles of ABA. Researchers have identified six specific and distinct response-prompting procedures for teaching both academic and functional skills: (1) graduated guidance; (2) most-to-least prompting; (3) system of least prompts; (4) progressive time delay;…

The individualized education program (IEP) is the foundation for the provision of special education services for a child with a disability. While special education teachers learn about IEP writing in their teacher preparation programs, it can still be difficult to translate this knowledge into practice. Therefore, when faced with the task of…

Online teacher education is experiencing significant growth worldwide. One of the major challenges accompanying this growth is that many teacher educators find themselves underprepared and under pressure to design online teacher education courses that reflect their beliefs about what constitutes high-quality teacher preparation practice. Further,…

The describes the nation's progress in (1) providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for children with disabilities under IDEA, Part B, and early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families under IDEA, Part C; (2) ensuring that the rights of these children with disabilities and their parents are…

Institutions of higher education are increasingly relying on distance technologies to prepare teacher candidates. In early childhood special education (ECSE), a field that focuses on working with young children ages 0-8 with delays and disabilities and their families, many of these distance technologies are being used to improve teacher candidate…

This study examined teachers' professional perceptions about substance abuse (SA) education in Jordanian schools serving students with disabilities. Thematic analysis was conducted on interviews obtained from 60 teachers. Teachers indicated that they had low levels of professional preparation for their role as addiction educators; they also…

Students with hearing impairment (HI) face challenges in learning including accessing educational information electronically. This study sought to assess assistive technology tools and existing e-learning user interface for students with HI in Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) institutions in Tanzania. The study is guided by three…

Classroom observations are an integral component of teacher evaluation systems, but little is known about who is best qualified to observe and evaluate special educators, who have a specialized skillset, and whether observation instruments adequately reflect their instructional practices. In this study, 19 special education teachers in California…