This paper presents the results of a two-year initiative to change the social arrangements and interactions of special education students and teachers assigned to a predominantly Mexican-American, low-income seventh grade campus of 520 students. The project investigated how to improve the learning environments of students at risk of being placed…

This report summarizes a strategy evaluation study of the Personnel Preparation Program (a division in the federal Office of Special Education Programs). The Personnel Preparation Program is intended to increase the numbers of qualified special educators through grants to institutions of higher education and state education agencies. This study…

The paper summarizes the first year (1983-84) of a 3-year rural education project entailing collaboration between the College of Saint Rose (Albany, New York) and rural chief school officers (CSOs) to improve service to handicapped students. Project objectives are listed: to improve education of mainstreamed handicapped students by helping CSOs…

A 3-year cooperative program between the College of Saint Rose (Albany, New York) and surrounding rural school districts has two main goals: to help rural Chief School Officers (CSOs) design staff development activities to meet educational needs of mainstreamed handicapped students and to improve the college's preservice teacher education program…

Models used for evaluating teacher education programs are described, particularly the learner referencing educational evaluation model. This model involves ten stages: (1) acquisition of possible teacher training program standards; (2) verification of those standards; (3) generation of specific learner objectives; (4) processing of learner…

This report from the Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education (SPeNSE) provides a profile of the characteristics, qualifications, work experiences, and career plans of teachers with fewer than 3 years of experience. Findings indicate: (1) beginning teachers were more likely to work in suburban systems (50 percent); (2) the majority do not…

Written for educators who work with special children and teens, this second edition of a best-selling classic offers a practical guide to every facet of the special education teacher's job, from teaching in a self-contained classroom or resource room to serving on a multidisciplinary team. This easy-to-follow format, takes you step by step through…

Inclusion facilitators are educators who do more than teach children with disabilities--they advocate for change in schools and communities, sparking a passion for inclusion in teachers, administrators, and families and giving them the practical guidance they need to make it work. This is an essential new role in today's schools, and this guide…

This proceedings contains 64 papers on rural special education. Papers present promising practices in rural special education, discussions of theory and research, research findings, program descriptions, and topics of current concern. The papers are organized in order of presentation, and are categorized in a topical index under the following…

The manual provides a framework for two days of training in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instructional methods for monolingual special education teachers at the upper elementary level in New York City (New York) schools. The materials help teachers without ESL certification provide mandated ESL services to Limited-English-Proficient (LEP)…

Discusses a graduate program designed by university and school system personnel who envisioned cooperative preparation of practicing teachers from varied disciplines for inclusion. Key program components are described, including examples of teacher projects, benefits for the school system and university, and changes in teachers' practices…

This article chronicles one special educator's process of implementing adaptive instructional strategies in her middle school language arts classroom. Paige Michalski crafted adaptations for her students with disabilities in the curricular area of digital storytelling (Banaszewski, 2002; Dunn, 2000). Digital storytelling involves telling stories…

This study examined factors that predict a general education teacher's efficacy beliefs for instructing students with learning and behavior problems and whether a teacher's perceived efficacy has a stronger direct effect on reported success than other variables. One hundred twenty-eight second grade teachers completed a survey instrument designed…

Programming options for emotionally disturbed (ED)/behavior disturbed (BD) students in rural public schools include self-contained special classrooms, resource rooms, consultant teachers, management assistants, and regular teachers in the mainstream. All options are intended specifically for ED/BD students and have proven effective in school…

The long-range goal of Louisiana's teacher professional accountability programs is to enhance student learning by providing opportunities for teachers to strengthen skill areas and by identifying those aspects of teaching performance that may need improvement. "Strategies for Effective Teaching in the 21st Century" is intended to be used…