Positive climates that encourage professional growth and teacher collaboration can bolster the impact of induction programs and may influence novice special education teachers' decisions to remain in teaching. As you plan induction programs, consider how Professional Learning Communities--the topic of this Brief--may be used to integrate special…

Purpose: Under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; as amended, 2004), speech-language pathology services may be either special education or a related service. Given the absence of guidance documents or research on this issue, the purposes of this clinical exchange are to (a) present and analyze the IDEA definitions related to…

Research has frequently focused on needs, preferences, and practices of families of young children with disabilities. Surprisingly, relatively little seems to be known about how families use technology to gain information about and support their needs, even though Web-based and other information and communication technology applications have…

Although traditionally not an area of service delivered by special educators, the area of religion and spirituality for persons with disabilities is receiving more attention as a quality-of-life outcome. This literature review examined the special education literature to determine the extent to which special educators are exposed to literature…

Although co-teaching has been a topic of interest for more than two decades among professionals advocating inclusive practices (e.g., Bauwens, Hourcade, & Friend, 1989; Garvar & Papania, 1982), the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates for curriculum access, high…

Purpose: This article, written by experts in itinerant early childhood special education, describes and differentiates approaches to itinerant early childhood special education as a primary service delivery option. Consultative itinerant early childhood special education services, in particular, are a means of ensuring that young children with…

What tools are in the toolkit of an excellent special educator, and how can teacher preparation programs provide these tools in the most efficient, effective way possible? This practical, clearly written book is grounded in current research and policy as well as the author's extensive experience as a teacher educator. It identifies what special…

To meet the high-stakes requirements of IDEA's Indicator 13, professionals need proven and practical ways to support successful transitions for young adults with significant disabilities. Now there's a single guidebook to help them meet that critical goal--straight from David Test, one of today's most highly respected authorities on transitions to…

The purpose of this study was to identify the benefits and challenges of co-teaching, as self-reported by high school general education teachers, special education teachers, and administrators and determine if they shared common beliefs regarding supporting students with special needs within the general education curriculum. Participants included…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the Family-Involved Self-Determination Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) on academic engagement and goal attainment of middle school students with disabilities who exhibit problem behavior. Intervention was provided to the experimental group (12 students with their families and special…

In this study 20 beginning special education teachers were asked to describe their experiences in general education settings. To provide data, each teacher completed approximately three electronic reflective journals during a school year and also participated in a phone interview, which was aimed to give in-depth information regarding the…

This study sought to assess teacher candidates' knowledge of special education policies and procedures as mandated by the federal government. It also examines factors associated with accurate knowledge. A sample of 111 teacher candidates, drawn from a Missouri private university, completed a survey. Overall, teacher candidates lacked accurate…

Itinerant special educators can be much more than "tutors" for young children with special needs. They can transform whole classrooms and help inclusion flourish--if they have the clear guidelines and best practices they need to make the most of their critical roles. This is the book that every itinerant early childhood special educator has been…

Effective professional development training is essential to ensuring full technology integration in all classrooms by all teachers on a regular basis. Technology integration can greatly enhance the learning of all students. In particular students with disabilities and special needs benefit a great deal from the use of technology during…

According to the U.S. Department of Education, shortages of special education and/or related services personnel continue to be a significant challenge for all states. In response to this challenge, state education agencies (SEAs) are implementing various strategies to improve recruitment and retention efforts. The purpose of this document is to…