This qualitative study examined instructional assistants' (IAs) and teachers' perceptions of culturally responsive and quality instructional practices for young children, especially those from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds and those who might have disabilities from low socioeconomic families, in Head Start classrooms. In…

This case study research investigated the effects of increased school time on the literacy achievement of at-risk kindergarten students. It varied from most increased school time kindergarten research because of the utilization of the para-educator delivery model within a small class size setting of 10 students. The study measured literacy…

Much has been written on the roles and responsibilities of paraeducators in inclusive classrooms related to instruction, behavioral support, and their supervision by general and special educators. Paraeducators are defined as school support staff who work under the direction of a certified teacher and assist students with instruction,…

This paper reports research that evaluated the efficacy of training for education assistants and its impact upon changing practices in a group of private international schools in Hong Kong, China. Two cohorts of education assistants received training through an education institute. The focus was on supporting and fostering inclusive practices in…

This study focuses on the development of paraeducators as a resource for student learning. More specifically, the study involved a post hoc analysis of an action research project aimed at improving the instructional skill of paraeducators in the content area of reading. The conceptual framework for the study was grounded in the literature of…

A presupposition of inclusive education is that all children have the right to attend the school of their neighbourhood. The implication of this is that schools begin to be organised in ways to provide equal opportunities for teaching and learning of all children. However, to achieve this, it is implied that schools need more teachers or at least…

The person most critical to the success of teachers is the building principal. The person most critical to student learning is the teacher. Too often, though, principals and teachers lack the time, resources, and sometimes the skills and abilities to focus on student learning. Principals and teachers in school with limited financial and human…

There were 282 special education teachers enrolled in an alternative certification program in education at a university in southern California who were surveyed over the course of two years to determine the extent of their training in working with paraprofessionals and the professional development they received on how to successfully work with the…

The field of special education has emerged as an area of significant research over the last decade. One area that has been targeted for study within the body of research relates to the high rates of attrition of staff. With the advent of the federal legislation requiring school districts to locate and employ highly qualified teachers, the need to…

Background: Individuals with severe disability exiting school are likely to be enrolled in day activity and sheltered workshops at least as often as in supported employment. Such facilities are often staffed by paraprofessionals who may not have the skills to engage clients in meaningful activities. This article describes a 3-phase staff training…

Over the last 15 years, the Latino population has expanded at a rapid pace in the United States. This national trend has been mirrored in Indiana. As a result, school districts within the state have developed structures and supports for the growing number of Latino students arriving in their schools. This study highlights some programs developed…

This manuscript examines how teacher candidates enacted their extensive inclusive classroom preparation within simulated interactions. Diffusing a common medical education pedagogy to teacher education, the researchers situated inclusively-trained teacher candidates in front of standardized paraprofessionals. Data from these simulated interactions…

The purpose of this preliminary study was to identify predictors of emotional exhaustion among special education paraeducators. A sample of 100 paraeducators in public and specialized alternative setting schools was used to determine whether self-reported levels of emotional exhaustion and other job-related factors were reported. Using…

The examination of educator's views regarding single-gender education was the basis of this study. The significance of the intended study is to show the educator's view of single-gender education as it relates to student academic achievement and behavioral incidents. A quantitative study was conducted utilizing a sample population of regular and…

The development of literacy skills is a crucial skill that all students are entitled to develop (Browder, Gibbs, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Courtade, Mraz, Flowers, in press). Currently limited research has been conducted on the acquisition of early literacy skills for students with significant disabilities (Browder, Mims, Spooner, Ahlgrim-Delzell, & Lee,…