Resource teachers' and regular teachers' ratings for 32 elementary-level learning-disabled (LD) students were compared to identify teachability characteristics and behaviors. Though the two groups of teachers did not note differences in problem behaviors of the same LD child in different settings, differences in cognitive/motivational and…

The effects of personal and teaching efficacy on teachers' use of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) and on student achievement were studied. Nineteen special education teachers each monitored 2 elementary school students with mild disabilities over 16 weeks in math computation using CBM. Teachers with high personal and teaching efficacy more…

Few differences are found between regular teachers and special education teachers in perceived quality of evaluation and five attributes of teacher evaluation. Results with 619 regular education teachers and 246 special education teachers from randomly selected schools in Iowa indicate that evaluation of special education teachers is relatively…

This article reports perceptions of a first-year teacher of students with learning disabilities. First-year challenges are described, as well as views on assessment, accountability, and inclusion. Recommendations are made for new teachers and steps that teacher educators, school administrators, and experienced teachers can take to ensure the…

For students with intellectual disabilities and their families, planning for the transition from school to adult life can be a complicated process. Successful planning is sometimes made more challenging when post-school options and opportunities are not well known or understood. The purpose of this study is to seek out the perspectives of…

A study investigated the perceptions of 78 special education teachers in Ohio about the implementation of a community-based, functional curriculum for students with severe disabilities. Teachers responded to a survey on their beliefs, perceptions about educational outcomes, levels of state and local support from educational agencies, how parents…

This qualitative study examines the perspectives of 14 teachers of students with severe disabilities whose role changed from special education teacher to integration facilitator. All 14 participants expressed strong beliefs that students with severe disabilities would learn more in an integrated environment. The teachers identified themselves as…

This paper begins by relating the experiences of a beginning special education teacher in a small school in rural Montana. He soon became frustrated as he lacked the skills required for collaborating with other teachers, students, parents, and the community. Small rural schools have difficulty in recruiting and retaining qualified special…

This paper describes the outcomes of a study that investigated the competencies of 49 special educators on a set of 35 skills identified by the Council for Exceptional Children as important for professionals working in the area of special education. The self-reported competencies of special educators were compared with the competencies on the same…

This study looked at the critical elements of peer leadership exhibited by special and general educators in a school where the 21 teachers had the opportunity to develop a common language and knowledge base, to understand one another's beliefs about the children they teach, and to set common goals for their work. Analysis of peer leadership skills…

From September 1989 to August 1992, 151 intern-teachers participated in an alternative credential program to recruit, train, and support special education teachers in rural northeast California. Directed by California State University, Chico, in collaboration with school districts in its service area, the 2-year program was designed to alleviate…

Regular and special education teachers were compared to determine the extent of stress and burnout within these groups, environmental factors that were involved, and teachers' and administrators' views on feasible ways to reduce stress. A sample of regular and special education teachers in Utah (n=606) responded to 3 survey instruments: (1) the…

A study was undertaken to determine whether vocational and special educators differed from employers on the entry-level employment skills and characteristics that are needed to be gainfully employed in the competitive labor force in the Lewiston-Auburn area in Maine. A questionnaire was mailed to a sample of 110 secondary-level vocational and…

Two behavioral interventions (social reinforcement and token economy) and two cognitive-behavioral interventions (self-monitoring of work completed and academic self-instructional training) were rated by 203 special education teachers for acceptability at both mild and severe levels of academic and behavioral problems. Hypothetical case studies…

A study examined communication between special educators and the regular classroom teachers to whom they mainstream students. Respondents to a survey questionnaire included 34 special education teachers employed by a special education cooperative, 25 special educators employed by individual school districts, and 84 regular classroom teachers. The…