Epilepsy is one of the most common diseases to affect the human nervous system, affecting approximately 0.5% of school-age children (Leppik, 2001; Kaleyias et al., 2005). Epilepsy has the potential to profoundly impact a child's adjustment to school. A large body of literature documents that children with epilepsy are at an increased risk for…

The roles and responsibilities of special educators and pupil personnel staff in mainstreaming handicapped students are considered. Communication with regular educators, building administrators, and ancillary personnel is stressed as special educators are advised to mainstream themselves. (CL)

Questionaires were completed by 536 special education teachers about their training in, and experience with, pharmacotherapy. Results showed that almost all the teachers had directed experience with mentally retarded students receiving psychotropic and antiepileptic medication; few had received any formal training in drug therapy. (Author)

Forty-two teacher consultants in Michigan completed a survey revealing role confusion and variability in provision of direct and indirect serivces. Consulting was not the primary duty reported by most of the teacher consultants. (CL)

The current UK agenda for modernization of schools places great emphasis on the reconsideration of the roles and boundaries of teaching and support staff. Internationally there is a significant move towards the inclusion of all children within a mainstream setting as an undeniable right. This carries great implications for staff in mainstream…

Adolescents with learning disabilities are not educated in a vacuum. Successful programming for these students involves many school professionals working together to integrate their programs for the benefit of students with learning disabilities. Collaborative teaming probably can best be described as an attitude rather than a certain way of…

This study investigated (a) variables that predict amount of time students with severe disabilities spend in leisure and physical activity education and (b) teacher beliefs about provision of these services. Participants included 35 secondary special education teachers and 170 students with severe disabilities. Findings suggest that special…

Issues facing special educators working in a correctional setting are examined. The need for long-range planning is considered, and the use of the individualized education program to address specific as well as broad issues is advocated. A major need, for increased institutional priority (with both administrative and funding priority for…

The article examines the roles of special educators in providing a variety of support services in mainstream settings including as support facilitator, specialist, professional peer collaborator, as part of a mainstream/teacher assistance team, and in cooperative teaching. (DB)

This qualitative study examines the perspectives of special education/resource teachers in Winnipeg on current transition services to prepare high school students with disabilities for adulthood. The data were collected by individual in-depth interviews with 6 teachers responsible for coordinating transition services. The main themes emerging from…

There has been an increasing focus on evidence-based practices in special education with efforts underway to authoritatively identify those practices that are evidence based. However, the identification of evidence-based practices is only the beginning of the process of implementing evidence-based special education. The professional wisdom of…

The study examined the relationship of role conflict and role ambiguity to teacher burnout among 443 urban special education teachers. Role conflict and ambiguity explained a significant amount of variance in feelings of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. While perceived burnout among teachers was moderate, the level varied significantly…

In designing consultation programs for special education teachers, three factors must be considered: (1) characteristics of consultation; (2) practitioner needs of consultation information; and (3) specific consultation skills to include in the training sequence. (Author/CL)

A review of literature on topics of teacher consultant roles, cross-categorical services, approval criteria, and caseloads suggests the position of teacher consultant as it is being implemented may be untenable. There is a critical lack of role definition at state and local levels and a dearth of professional preparation in consultation skills.…