This study explored pre-service teachers' attitudes toward including students with ASD in general education. Ten participants from a mid-size teacher preparation program at a northeastern university participated in a focus group inquiry. The exploratory questions used during the focus group were derived from The Attitude Toward Inclusive Education…

This study aimed to examine and compare the teaching efficacy of paraprofessionals in the four desired domains identified in prior research about teaching special education: academic instruction, behavioral management, assessment, and professional ethics; and to identify what demographic or background factors predicted paraprofessional efficacy in…

With the onset of COVID-19, school districts were forced to rapidly engage in planning and development of resources for remote instruction during spring of the 2020 school year, and many special education professionals reported difficulties meeting student needs. In order to portrait the initial challenges and concerns related to remote…

The purpose of this study was to gather the perspectives of community partners regarding the work experiences for youth with disabilities to provide an understanding of (a) the community's role and (b) how connections in rural communities were formed. This study provided a deeper understanding of the processes that influence the phenomenon of…

Educational professionals (e.g., special educators, general educators, administrators, related service providers) play an important role in promoting engagement with parents during the development of individualized education programs (IEPs). For this study, we conducted semi-structured interviews to evaluate parents' (n = 16) perceptions of…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act emphasizes that students and parents are equal partners in the individualized education program (IEP) process, including planning for transition to postsecondary education, employment, and community living. This is especially important for English learners (ELs) with disabilities, yet little is known…

Section 504 has recently been gaining more traction among parents, educators, and government officials as more Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ineligible students become eligible for Section 504. To alleviate Section 504 being a special education responsibility and ramp up the lack of 504 professional development efforts for…

Parents of school-aged children experienced an increased responsibility in their child's education when the COVID-19 pandemic shut schools in March 2020. The sudden school closure was very difficult for students with autism, who need predictability and routine in their daily life. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of parents…

Pedagogical knowledge has been identified as an essential factor for impacting the learning, behavioral, and social emotional outcomes for children with disabilities, particularly students with emotional disturbances (ED). There are many professionals in and out of the school environment who work with children with ED. Oftentimes, these…

Discussion boards are a common component of asynchronous online courses. While many teacher preparation courses utilize traditional text-based discussion boards, university faculty are increasingly designing innovative approaches to asynchronous online discussions. There is significant research regarding the effectiveness of varied discussion…

Parent-to-Parent individualized mentoring is an understudied strategy that has potential for supporting parents of children with disabilities as they learn to navigate the special educational planning process. Preliminary findings from a formative evaluation of individualized, intensive parent-to-parent mentoring services are shared. Data were…

This study is on data-gathering software for special teachers in local education agencies Grades K-14. Increasing pressure for the use of accountability to follow the effectiveness of meeting educational standards has caused schools to reassess methods of using data and the core technologies surrounding its collection. The amount of data…

Research suggests that oculomotor dysfunctions, such as convergence insufficiency, impact children's ability to read and write. Studies have identified convergence insufficiencies in near 6.8% of school-aged children. Oculomotor dysfunctions, such as convergence insufficiency, have responded favorably to oculomotor rehabilitation once identified.…

Native American students appear to be overrepresented in the special education population of PreK-12 schools. In 2021, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that a higher percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native children were served by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) than children in any other…

The purpose of this survey was to explore the uniformity of current life skill programs by identifying how individuals are provided instruction in the daily living skills needed to complete routine life functions, through categorizing common curriculum themes and standard program formats. Methods: Special education professionals (N=100) working…