These two newsletter issues address topics in special education teacher preparation. The feature article of the first issue, "Data Sources for Analyzing the Teacher Preparation Pipeline" (Albert A. Paschall), discusses three informational tools used in monitoring and analyzing the special education personnel preparation pipeline. The data from the…

This study evaluated the implementation of inclusion concepts and the attitudes of secondary teachers toward inclusion in one Midwest school district. Nineteen general and special education teachers were surveyed with a specially developed questionnaire. Follow-up interviews and class observations were also conducted. Data analysis indicated that…

A survey about inclusion of children with disabilities in early-childhood settings was responded to by 172 parents, practicing professionals in early-childhood programs, university-based trainers, and preservice students. Professional competence and importance of skills were rated for five domains: (1) working with families, (2) performance-based…

Asserts that vocational education for special education students is necessary for their self-esteem, independence, and integration into society. Maintains that current training is woefully inadequate since it emphasizes manual labor skills. Advocates the use of Individual Training Plans (ITP) to coordinate vocational, social, and cognitive aspects…

This article explores the experiences of six First-year teachers working in the broad, cross-categorical field of early childhood special education. A multicase approach provided insight into the complexity of teachers' roles and work with young children with special needs in a range of settings, with children of various ages and developmental…

This project analyzed results of 16 focus group interviews with 144 special and regular education teachers concerning inclusive education of students with disabilities, including their concerns, obstacles they had encountered, effective strategies, inservice training they found helpful, suggestions for addressing inclusion in teacher preparation…

This monograph describes results of focus group interviews with 53 regular and special education teachers in Tennessee concerning their experience with inclusion of students with disabilities in regular education classrooms. An introduction notes the trend toward inclusion of students with disabilities in regular programs while providing needed…

This teaching module instructs preservice teachers about accelerating the progress of rural gifted students. Acceleration consists of various provisions that allow early completion of school, including grade-skipping, cross-grade placement, early entry, dual attendance, special class placement, and radical acceleration. In rural areas, the…

External, employment, and personal factors which influence teacher decisions to stay, leave, or transfer from teaching assignments are discussed, with emphasis on special education teachers. Factors attributed to teacher attrition in urban and rural environments also are briefly reviewed, along with attrition of related services professionals.…

This paper presents implications of the path analysis procedures used to interpret data from a study of urban special education teachers' perceptions of working conditions. The analysis looked at a broad range of factors that could affect teacher plans to leave the field. An overall finding emerging from the analysis was that the same fundamental…

These guidelines are intended to provide a resource to use in assessing, planning, providing, evaluating, and improving the quality of programs for California pupils with severe orthopedic impairments. The first three chapters present characteristic elements of a well-designed program in the areas of: (1) identification and assessment, (2) the…

Data on students participating in transitional bilingual education programs (TBEs) in Massachusetts, in the 50 local education authorities (LEAs) with such programs, are reported and analyzed. Information presented, in graphic and narrative form, includes the following: an overview of the status of TBE programs in the state, including patterns of…

This text presents 26 case studies which examine special education provisions for children in the world today. The reports focus on the current state of special education in selected nations and major issues and controversies in the field of special education within those nations. Each case study addresses the following themes: (1) prevalence of…

A study of services to students with mild intellectual disability was conducted in two educational regions of New South Wales--Hunter and Metropolitan East. The scope of the study included students who were educated for some or all of the time in segregated support classes or in special schools or who were receiving assistance through the Early…

This two-page flyer briefly describes Maine's Support Network for Rural Special Educators, which provides content-related information and support to special education teachers and related service personnel. Initiated in 1986 to combat the high turnover rate of special education staff in Maine's rural schools, the program stresses the role of…