Rural regions struggle to retain early intervention (EI), special education (SE), and early childhood education (ECE) supports for children with developmental delay and/or disability, yet there is little guidance to prepare pre-service students for rural practice. This exploratory scoping review of rural EI/SE/ECE practice in the United States and…

Special education teachers in rural settings face unique challenges related to providing transition services to secondary students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (IDD). Geographically isolated school districts tend to have limited collaborative partnership opportunities and access to quality professional development to…

This investigation used the 7 P's Service Marketing Mix (i.e., product, price, place, promotion, people, physical evidence, and processes) to review development and recruitment strategies of special education alternative teacher preparation programs. Articles published between 1997 and 2018 were reviewed to identify alternative teacher preparation…

Virtual reality is an emerging technology that has resulted in rapid expansion in the development of virtual immersive environments for use as educational simulations in schools, colleges and universities. This article presents an overview of virtual reality, describes a number of applications currently being used by special educators for…

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show varying levels of impairment in social skills situations. Interventions have been developed utilizing virtual environments (VEs) to teach and improve social skills. This article presents a systematic literature review of peer-reviewed journal articles focusing on social interventions in VEs…

This systematic review of the literature provides a synthesis of research on the use of technology to support sign language. Background research on the use of sign language with students who are deaf/hard of hearing and students with low incidence disabilities, such as autism, intellectual disability, or communication disorders is provided. The…

The purpose of this review was to examine the literature on parent training for parents of children with autism. Families with a child diagnosed with autism often face a discrepancy between their need for services and the availability of services either because they live in geographically distant areas or because they are on a long wait list for…

This review of literature highlights the empirical work to date in the area of K-12 distance education and online learning. While research indicates that distance and online learning can be equally effective as compared to more traditional learning environments for many students, there is little empirical evidence to suggest that previously…

Summarizes research concerning culture and cultural change and reviews Anglo-American treatment of Native Americans. Demonstrates influences of cultural perceptions upon special education services and suggests a method for studying cultural perceptions to better serve the needs of Native American special education students, their families, and…

Because of their cultural experiences, gifted Asian and Pacific-American children may demonstrate high ability and task commitment but need support for creativity--the third characteristic of productive, gifted individuals. Instructional approaches that reduce external evaluation, encourage risk taking, and provide opportunities for divergent…

Focuses on characteristics of rural Black families and the importance of their role in the education of handicapped children. Urges schools and teachers to understand the cultural strengths of rural Black children and use these cultural advantages to optimize the learning environment. (JHZ)

Addresses the need for appropriate curricula for Limited English Proficient (LEP) exceptional Chinese children. Discusses immigration history, demographics, legal issues, culture, language, and learning style to provide a context for understanding student needs. (JHZ)

Describes rural/urban differences encountered by practicum students/recent graduates working in early childhood special education. Identifies differences in four areas: prevalence and identification of handicapping and risk conditions, type of educational placement, relevance of community dynamics, and relevance of family attitudes. Suggests…

Reviews the development of home schooling and compulsory education, explores how special education law is interpreted within the framework of home-based education, summarizes state laws that affect home schooling and special education services in rural Minnesota and North Dakota, and summarizes litigation involving home-schooling and special needs…

Overviews the development of special education in several sub-Saharan African countries; describes the current status of special education programs in terms of financing and quality of educational services; and offers suggestions for improving special education services through curriculum development, teacher training, appropriate facilities and…