Traditional Professional Development (PD) models neglect to prepare educators for the new and innumerable challenges that accompany post-COVID-19 classrooms. The problem addressed was that since returning to the classroom post-COVID-19, in-service and experienced secondary special education teachers are demonstrating dysregulated responses to…

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies benefit learners with complex communication needs (CCN) by allowing them to participate, interact and learn. AAC is realised in the South African Education policy; however, research indicates that many teachers still have limited AAC knowledge. With this study we aimed to describe the…

This article describes the qualitative phase of a larger intervention study, where pupils with learning disabilities (nine dyslexic pupils) were engaged in a pedagogically blended 'Reread-Adapt and Answer-Comprehend' (RAAC) and Theatre Art activities to enhance Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTs) in reading comprehension. Data from pupils' answers…

Teachers' expectations influence students' outcomes. Studies demonstrate that teachers lower their performance expectations of students with learning problems when these students are labelled with a 'Learning Disability' (LD) diagnosis. Our study aims to investigate whether these effects can be replicated in N = 429 special and regular education…

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…

Students identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit from the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in all educational settings, including general education classrooms. Research indicates that EBPs are not consistently implemented across educational placements, nor are they always implemented with fidelity. One contextual…

With the increase of special schools in UK and around the world, this study seeked to explore in-depth the reality of practitioners working with children with SEND in specialist settings throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilising semi-structured interviews with 11 special school teachers and leaders, this study found that professionals working in…

The current educational settings for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Saudi Arabia consist of special institutions for students with intellectual disabilities and special classrooms within public schools. The Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia is interested in full inclusion for students with ASD because of the social,…

The aim of this study is to explore the teachers' perceptions of integrating assistive technology into the curriculum for students with learning disabilities in Saudi Arabia. It is known that teaching students with learning disabilities had been one of the significant difficulties in the past and nowadays. Therefore, integrating assistive…

Changes in education laws have left special education teachers to determine how to provide equitable access to the general education curriculum for their students with significant disabilities. Legislation has established the need for equitable access yet has provided little guidance as to how this is to be achieved. It has been stated that…

The transition to virtual learning resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic drastically altered the work of many teachers. Despite the expansion of remote instruction, more research is needed to demonstrate what works for classroom management during virtual learning. We report the findings from an online survey related to online classroom management.…

Background: This study outlines how a modified Delphi procedure was used with special educational needs teachers to select skills and behaviours for inclusion in the Assessment of Barriers to Learning in Education-Autism (ABLE-Autism). The ABLE-Autism is a new teacher assessment to show progress in barriers to learning for pupils on the autism…

Despite extensive research on teacher self-efficacy, little has focused on certified itinerant teachers who work with students ages infancy through 22 identified as deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). During a U.S. shutdown and global pandemic, the researcher explored factors that influence itinerant teachers' sense of teacher self-efficacy and…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the preparation of special education teachers to manage conflict in IEP meetings. For the purposes of this study, conflict is defined where an advocate and/or lawyer were present at an IEP meeting. Twenty special educators were interviewed who have been in conflict-laden IEP…

The success of the inclusion of students with disabilities substantially depends on the collaboration of various social agents, including non-disabled peers, who play a substantial role in the lives of students with disabilities. Peers, as social agent, are responsible for the creation of a favourable social environment, in which one of the key…