Major findings are presented of a national comparative study with two primary objectives: first, to identify performance of rural special education service delivery systems prior to the 1975 enactment of Public Law (PL) 94-142 and again during the 1979-1980 school year in providing a free, appropriate education for all handicapped children, with…

A synthesis of the literature identifies content enhancements used by general education and special education teachers, who collaborate and co-teach in science and social studies. This paper will provide general and special education teachers at the middle school and secondary level with numerous content enhancements for effectively teaching…

Intended as a reference guide for early childhood special education personnel in North Dakota, this guide addresses required and recommended practices related to the delivery of services to children with disabilities, ages 3 through 5, and their families. The guide was developed by 50 specialists including parents and reflects all segments of the…

This report discusses the outcomes of a review of the Wyoming Department of Education's Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) in meeting the professional development needs of special education. There were two phases of the 1997-1998 CSPD needs assessment process. Phase One consisted of telephone interviews with both regular (n=26)…

Texas Tech University offers online courses in special education for graduate credit or inservice education. This approach addresses the problems of time, distance, resources, and expertise experienced by rural educators. Unenrolled practitioners not interested in returning to school can access chat rooms and threaded discussions to get support…

Reviews research that examines how teacher librarians can provide useful resources and services for teachers of handicapped students and for students themselves. Highlights include the integration of special education students; training needs; sources for special materials; the role of individualized instruction; and communication between teacher…

This study examined the involvement of special education teachers with school-linked services (SLS) programs at their California schools. Telephone interviews were conducted with 25 resource and 8 special day teachers at 33 Healthy Start elementary schools, as well as from focus groups conducted with special education teachers at 2 case-study…

This paper describes an alternative certification program that was developed to address the shortage of certified special education teachers in West Virginia. The goal of the program is to provide students from a noneducational background with opportunities at the master's degree level to become special education teachers in one of three…

Two projects in the teacher education program at Seton Hall University gave assignments involving basic qualitative research methods as applied to a focused goal of interaction between future teachers and their students. The first project focused on life in community residential programs for adults with developmental disabilities, and the second…

This study documents the needs of Alabama's secondary educational programs and services for youth with disabilities. A short history of secondary school programs for youth with disabilities introduces the study. Areas examined are: curriculum and instruction, vocational/occupational opportunities, vocational education, independent living,…

This publication describes the high teacher attrition rate in special education and the importance of teacher retention, and provides teacher retention strategies and activities for educators and administrators. Information for the guide was obtained through discussion groups, interviews, and a written survey. Three sections identify strategies…

Difficulties in recruiting and retaining rural special educators relate directly to deficiencies in teacher preparation programs, which are not providing their budding professionals with appropriate instruction to insure success and survival as rural special educators. In December 1982, a National Consortium of Universities Preparing Rural Special…

A special education teacher and an administrator in each of 17 small rural public school districts in New Mexico were interviewed to identify problems with and strategies for providing special education services in the districts. According to teachers, the most severe problems involved acquiring appropriate equipment and materials, recruiting…

This document contains tabular displays of data pertaining to the number of handicapped pupils served by South Carolina public schools for the 1985-86 academic year. Charts provide information on: (1) public school programs for handicapped children (reported by category of handicapping condition and program model); (2) handicapped children…

The handbook is intended for elementary and secondary school administrators and teachers providing programs for handicapped students in the province of Alberta, Canada. Functions of administrators include the establishment, development, and/or implementation of goals, support services, and evaluation procedures. The parents' role in assessment,…