As paraprofessionals gain more instructional responsibilities for individual students, feasible training strategies must be established to promote effective delivery of instruction. This train-the-trainer study was designed to teach paraprofessionals how to implement an evidence-based instructional practice under the direction of the classroom…

University-school partnerships can be a powerful mechanism for educator professional learning, but they have varying degrees of success. In South Carolina's School District 5 of Lexington and Richland Counties, superintendent Christina Melton wanted to make sure her district's partnership with the University of South Carolina would strategically…

A lack of information, research, and teacher training exists on the effective implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) or other state standards for struggling learners. The pace and standardization of the curriculum are often at odds with the unique learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds. Researchers in one large urban…

While the student population in public education is becoming more diverse, the representation of teachers of color remains low. With over half the student population in the United States considered as non-white, and only 20% of teachers identifying as teachers of color, it is imperative to examine the ways in which education professionals are…

Dr. Sharon Maroney's career has focused on children and youth with significant behavior and emotional challenges. Her career has spanned experiences from sibling, special education teacher, and university professor. She has had the good fortune to study with some the most well-known names in the field. Dr. Maroney shared her reflections with…

Even as schools have increasingly adopted multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) as their service delivery model, the role of special educators within MTSS has yet to be clearly defined. Scant research considers how well-prepared teachers feel for their roles in this model. The purpose of this study was to better understand the extent of Florida…

Various studies have shown that teachers are subject to an increased stress level and the associated physical and psychological consequences. In this article, the possibilities of coping of stressful situations in everyday school life are systematized. In addition, the knowledge and usage of available programs and trainings for coping with stress…

Special education teacher educators face multiple systemic, institutional, and social barriers in preparing teacher candidates to provide students with significant disabilities access to the general curriculum. This qualitative interview study explores how special education teacher educators are working to navigate these barriers while employing…

This study examined teachers' professional perceptions about substance abuse (SA) education in Jordanian schools serving students with disabilities. Thematic analysis was conducted on interviews obtained from 60 teachers. Teachers indicated that they had low levels of professional preparation for their role as addiction educators; they also…

Online classes in teacher education are becoming more common in higher education in the United States as universities realize that the same outcomes can be achieved without requiring preservice and in-service teachers to enter a physical classroom. This provides savings to both the student and university and fosters broader access to higher…

Employment is an important factor in meeting fundamental needs of life (e.g., food, shelter, and clothing) and can increase opportunities for socialization with peers (Pickens & Dymond, 2015). Despite the benefits of employment, individuals with disabilities are less likely to engage in employment after graduating from high school, as compared…

Educational legislation mandates that all students, including those with disabilities, be provided a free and appropriate public education (IDEA, 2004). Students with low-incidence disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorders and cognitive disabilities, may have challenging needs that often warrant additional support (i.e. a paraprofessional)…

Intersectional competence captures educators' awareness of how sociocultural markers of difference simultaneously intersect within the P-12 school context. This article presents findings from a larger mixed-methods sequential exploratory study that established, in part, the theoretical and qualitative basis for validating the Intersectional…

This investigation examines knowledge of autism, training in autism, and communication among professionals, general educators, and caregivers. The development of educational services for students with disabilities in Vietnam has been historically influenced by a number of financial, political and societal factors. The current status of services…

This article reports findings from an initial investigation of the impact multiple individual and contextual factors have on secondary special educators' reading instructional practices. Data from 577 special educators from 221 school districts in a large Midwestern state were collected via an online and paper survey and analyzed using…