Research was conducted that initially focused on identifying and synthesizing the large number of previously identified vocational special needs teacher competencies into an educational model. The model contained a matrix that organized all these competencies into twelve domains of four performance phases each. The Competency Matrix was the…

Described in this report are the findings from a Kentucky state-wide study of the perceptions of vocational educators, special educators, and vocational rehabilitation workers concerning vocational programming for the handicapped. Numerous tables depict and compare agency ratings regarding the importance and present status of the following…

Finding and hiring highly qualified candidates in today's education marketplace can be as frustrating and demanding as it is rewarding and satisfying. National projections suggest special education personnel shortages in the coming years may tax the ability of schools to provide services for children with disabilities. While teacher turnover rates…

For some time, leaders in special education have expressed the desire for a national overview of State certification requirements for teachers of exceptional children who, because of their limitations and their particular needs, require special help. This bulletin, prepared as a part of an Office of Education Study, "Qualification and Preparation…

Argues that many disabilities among children are increasingly attributable to environmental variables such as violence, poverty, toxic exposure, and family dysfunction. Notes that special education professionals have had primary responsibility for providing specialized services to disabled children and are uniquely qualified to provide resources,…

The field of special education has been consistently plagued with serious personnel shortages, high rates of teacher attrition, criticisms of inadequate teacher preparation, and questionable student outcomes. The recent focus on increased standards and improved student outcomes adds complexity to this situation. Of paramount concern are the need…

Special education is now an established part of public education in the United States--by law and by custom. However, it is still widely misunderstood and continues to be dogged by controversies related to such things as categorization, grouping, assessment, placement, funding, instruction, and a variety of legal issues. The purpose of this…

This report describes deliberations and recommendations of a Maryland task force to examine issues and develop policy recommendations related to "special instruction" as an early intervention service. It specifically concerns the relationship between special instruction and specialized child care; personnel qualifications; and provision…

This paper reports on the perceptions of rural teachers who completed the Exceptional Family course as part of a specialized rural training program at Southeastern Louisiana University. A requirement for certification or a master's degree in special education, the course aims to provide an understanding of exceptional families using a family…

Designed for high school students interested in careers in special education and related services, this guide outlines the different roles of special education and related services professionals who teach and provide specifically designed instruction and services to children with disabilities. It addresses the different disabilities that students…

This paper reviews all of the 50 state plans required under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in order to identify state initiatives dealing with the recruitment and retention of special education personnel. The beginning of the report explains the requirements under IDEA relevant to recruitment and discusses the…

In response to a problem in recruiting and retaining special education teachers on the Navajo Reservation, the Rural Special Education Project (RSEP) was designed to prepare special education teachers to deliver quality services to Navajo children with handicapping conditions. The RSEP is a partnership between Northern Arizona University and the…

This document brings together professional standards of the special education profession adopted by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). The standards represent the efforts of special educators to govern their own practice, guide agencies that certify or license special educators, and improve programs that prepare special educators. The…

This guide provides statistical information concerning services to handicapped children provided by the public schools of South Carolina in 1986-87. Statewide data are reported on the number of teachers and students by category of handicapping condition and program model (self-contained, resource room, itinerant, and other). In addition, data for…

The purpose of the project reported here was to provide personnel development in vocational education for special needs learners. Considerable progress was made with infusing instruction on special needs learners in vocational education programs in the Joint Oregon State University-Western Oregon State College School of Education. Five courses…