This study compared the instructional decision-making of expert and novice special educators in familiar instructional settings, investigating whether they differed in how they allocated attention to different instructional themes in the classroom. Participants were 38 expert special educators and special education student teachers. Student…

Presented in question-and-answer format is a conversation with M. Semmel concerning the Center for Innovation in Teaching the Handicapped (CITH) at Indiana University. (SBH)

This article discusses forces driving mathematics reform: shifting theoretical paradigms, disappointing levels of mathematics performance of students in the United States, and the impact of rapidly changing technologies. Concerns about this reform from the special education community are discussed, and synthesized special education research…

A teacher of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students with deafness in a residential school shares methods and activities found to be effective. The methods stress the importance of expectations for learners, ways that design of the learning environment can encourage student ownership, risk taking, and responsibility. (Author/DB)

Rural school principals and teachers of gifted students from 40 school districts rated gifted teacher competency items. Results showed remarkable congruence between groups on the eight "most essential" teacher competencies, with greatest agreement on items describing direct instructional competencies but significant differences on items…

This study investigated on-going program evaluation techniques designed to assess 22 special education preservice students' perceptions of the efficacy of a direct instruction course. Based on formative and summative evaluations, the study revealed a high level of satisfaction with direct instruction components that increased after field-based…

This paper reviews the process-product literature on effective teaching and suggests a conceptual framework focusing on teacher behaviors associated with development of higher-order thinking and problem-solving abilities. These behaviors involve, among others, embedding instruction in meaningful and purposive activities and promoting classroom…

Using classroom-based instruction and on-the-job monitoring and feedback, seven teachers were trained to systematically observe the data collection and teaching performances of their assistants as well as to provide contingent feedback. The supervisory training for teachers was accompanied by improvement in data collection among seven of eight…

This paper describes an inservice training project for teachers of deaf children in Liaoning Province (China) by Gallaudet University (District of Columbia) faculty. The paper discusses challenges faced by the project, inservice program preparation, and implementation of the training experience. Suggestions include early assessment of participant…

The aim of the current research was to examine pre-service, general and special education teachers' attitudes to and knowledge of metalinguistics (awareness of language structure) in the process of learning to read. Effective teachers of reading, writing, and spelling need to understand the relationship between speech and print because these basic…

Determining the most appropriate intervention to address student problem behavior may be a difficult dilemma encountered by school psychologists during consultation activities with special education teachers. IDEA (1997) promotes the least restrictive environment and the least intrusive interventions that can be effective. The intrusiveness of…

Speaking out without raising a hand, interrupting conversations, refusing to complete work or to follow directions, becoming aggressive toward peers or teachers with the slightest provocation, and generally having poor peer relations are only some of the myriad of problematic behaviors presented in classrooms at any given time. The historical…

This paper explores the use of a peer coaching model, the Collaborative Learning Process (CLP), to increase the application of content from inservice teacher training. Educators (N=40) of students with moderate to severe disabilities were trained in the use of CLP to encourage application of the newly trained skill of facilitating skill…

The supplement describes instructional alternatives for a curriculum module addressing stress reduction for rural teachers of special education. Designed to help teach the personal survival and development skills that special education teachers need to live and work in rural communities, the module helps teachers understand stress and its…

The resource paper for regular and special teachers of learning disabled students on cooperative initiatives between regular and special education is presented in a question and answer format. The following questions are discussed: How can I recognize children with learning disabilities in my classroom? If I suspect a student to have a learning…