This feature article examines changes needed in special education personnel preparation (such as increasing the supply of qualified personnel). Strategies for meeting these needs are discussed, including methods of using best practices and innovative training methods. An Outcomes-Based Teacher Education model (with proposed knowledge and skill…

Describes a Kentucky program designed to train special-education personnel in moderate/severe-disabilities and early-childhood special education. The model used satellite, compressed video, and on-site delivery systems; support services from the university, state, and federal governments, and various methods of team teaching. Program effectiveness…

A survey of 166 regular and special-education teachers concerning allowable accommodations on statewide assessment tests found only 21% reported that they used allowed accommodations. Teachers' knowledge of allowable accommodations was low and suggests some students are unnecessarily exempted from participation. Results support preservice and…

Examines the educational policies and recent legislation concerning special education students in countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The OECD consists mostly of Western industrialized nations and Japan. Includes an overview of programs and resources, as well as several tables of statistical…

Details delivery of Individual Education Program objectives to K-3 students with low-incidence disabilities. Presents data on which teachers were present in the classroom and who delivered the teaching opportunities, frequency of IEP instruction, and instructional context of the lesson. Discusses the low level of IEP-related instruction in terms…

This study focused on increasing the awareness of educational leaders about the relationship between students with communication disorders and violence. A review of selected research on adolescent females with language problems residing in a correctional facility served to support a survey study and extend discussions about the need for…

In teacher education settings, the extent of collaboration is far less evident than in K-12 education. There is some evidence that suggests, however, that this may be changing. Teaming among higher education faculty has been identified as one way to provide teachers with greater exposure to diverse fields of knowledge and practice, as well as to…

In an effort to support the public schools' initiatives to develop effective schools for all students, particularly those who are work bound, the College of Education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University instituted a graduate program aimed at preparing collaborative instructional leaders. The major goal of the program was to…

This newsletter theme issue presents highlights from the "Seventeenth Annual Report to Congress" on the implementation, impact, and effectiveness of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It presents 19 tables and 1 figure reproduced from the annual report. The issue covers: (1) funding for IDEA Part B and Chapter 1 of…

This report discusses the outcomes of a work forum of representatives of 10 national organizations concerned with the serious shortage of qualified special education and related services professionals. The forum convened to consider the need for a national personnel agenda. The first section of the resulting report describes the shortage of…

This document reports on the purpose, design, implementation, and outcomes of a policy forum entitled "Training Educators To Work with Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired." Participants included representatives of universities, public schools, schools for the blind, organizations that work with this population, state departments of…

This study compared the knowledge and skill levels of urban and rural special education teachers across 13 emotional and behavior disordered (EBD) competency areas. Fifty-eight graduate students enrolled in special education courses at California State University at Fresno completed the Emotionally and Behaviorally Disordered Teacher Competencies…

A staff development program in two western states helps professionals in rural school systems provide comprehensive transition services to students with disabilities. The program was designed to be relevant to rural constituents and to overcome the lack of understanding of local needs by university personnel. A vision statement relating to desired…

This summary report presents an integration of findings on teachers' perceptions of their working conditions, based on survey and interview data from special educators in six large urban school districts. Emphasis is on perceptions of problems related to job design, the highly interrelated set of structures, systems, and processes intended to…

This paper reports findings from three studies on attrition of special education teachers, with particular focus on teachers' responses concerning their own preservice preparation in both general and special education and evaluations of their levels of preparation to perform various components of their jobs. Major findings were: (1) the four skill…