This article shares the results from a quasi-experimental mixed-methods study of a promising transition-focused professional development approach. The 12-week team-based intervention resulted in positive outcomes among intervention group participants' knowledge and capacities. The intervention group exhibited statistically significant changes in…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how experienced special education teachers of moderate to severe classrooms explain their reasons for staying on the job for more than three years and how they describe influences of job controls and social supports on longevity in the Southwestern United States. The framework used to gain…

The expectation that students with specific learning disabilities attain proficiency levels commensurate with their nondisabled peers is well-established in academic standards. This requires knowledge and regulation of cognition. Thus, it is critical that their teachers deliberately use metacognition in reading instruction. The problem addressed…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how special education teachers describe selecting and applying differentiated instructional strategies for students with mild, moderate, to severe disabilities in self-contained classrooms within a school district in Arizona. Jean Piaget's social constructivism theory and Carol Ann…

Little is known about stress perception and perceived coping mechanisms used by special educators. This article presents a study with 211 special educators to determine how they deal with stress. Participants completed a survey reporting stressors and coping skills. Special educators reported stress in their positions. Increased caseloads,…

Professional development is essential in supporting teachers as change agents to foster international educational reform. Arizona State University's Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College acknowledged its role in supporting visiting teachers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in utilizing action research as an opportunity for professional development.…

This qualitative case study explored how secondary special education teachers and transition specialists perceived their collaborative efforts when transitioning students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from secondary to higher education. The theory of transition established the platform for this study. Two of the theoretical principles of…

Inclusive Education for students with special educational needs is a global phenomenon, a major event of momentous proportions affecting directly and indirectly a significant percentage of the world's population. In response to international and national mandates requiring its implementation, educators everywhere are engaged in the daily task of…

Inclusive Education for students with special educational needs is a global phenomenon, a major event of momentous proportions affecting directly and indirectly a significant percentage of the world's population. In response to international and national mandates requiring its implementation, educators everywhere are engaged in the daily task of…

The present study describes teacher (K-12) opinions and practices related to grading and providing modified instruction, assignments, and assessments for students with low-incidence disabilities in inclusive settings. One hundred and thirty nine teachers working in K-12 inclusive schools in Arizona and California completed an on-line survey…

The purpose of this study was to survey special and regular educators as to their knowledge and attitudes about a newly developed drug for seizure control, Diastat. Recently the administration of this drug by school personnel has been mandated as a related service under IDEA. A total of two hundred schools were surveyed in four different areas of…

The federal mandates set forth by the Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) require an increase in inclusive education for students with special education needs in the least restrictive environment. This type of environment can be in a 'co-taught' classroom. Co-teaching is defined as an…

To respond to the demand for increasing the numbers of certified special educators in Arizona, the College of Education at Arizona State University West launched a faculty development program with the help of funding from the ASU College of Extended Education. The goal was to prepare or redesign courses for web-based delivery of courses combined…

A study focused on the relative effect of various stress factors on: (1) regular and special education teachers; (2) teachers in resource and self-contained classrooms; and (3) teachers in programs for learning disabled, emotionally handicapped, and mentally handicapped students. Data were gathered with a questionnaire that was completed by 273…

A study involving 84 special educators in two western states investigated special education knowledge and use of various transition assessment strategies. Although most of the educators indicated they were aware of all types of assessment strategies, they still relied heavily on those that were either standardized or teacher prepared. (Contains…