In the 2010 issue of "Teacher Education and Special Education (TESE)," Sindelar and colleagues examined the current status of research on special education teachers and outlined future work necessary to improve the special education teacher workforce. In this article, the authors focus explicitly on Sindelar and colleagues' charge to…

Special education teachers (SETs) are expected to use effective practices to improve outcomes for students with disabilities, yet even those who are well-prepared may not be effective in teaching these students, as problematic working conditions may limit their opportunities to teach effectively and their longevity in the profession. To complicate…

This article was developed from an earlier invitation to discuss what it was like to teach at a comprehensive arts and science college with a large teacher education program while also trying to conduct and publish applied research. Were there any particular tricks to getting things done that could be handed down to younger professionals working…

Abstracts published during 1981-85 for special education doctoral dissertations (N=1581) were analyzed to examine the characteristics of the authors, subjects, methods, and outcomes of student research. Among the findings are identities of schools emerging as leaders for advanced special education programs and the lack of research on young…

The research review of practices for limiting or avoiding referrals of students for special education services identified promising practices, including curricular and ecological adaptations that strengthen the mainstream, teacher development and administrative strategies, and early intervention strategies. Research, training, and policy…

In a survey on variables affecting research and publication productivity, 100 special education researchers were divided into three groups: low producers, intermediate producers, and high producers. Significant results were obtained for teaching load research participation during graduate training sources of research support, availability of…

The article reviews the status and need for research on teacher education. Among the problems noted in current research are the lack of proactive studies and under utilization of existing research. The need for changing negative attitudes about research in education is emphasized. (CL)

This article reviews and synthesizes recent research on higher education faculty shortages in the special education field, and outlines areas of needed research. Issues discussed include high attrition rates, faculty diversity, and insufficient and misplaced incentives. Strengths and weaknesses of available research are discussed. (Author/PB)

Analyzes the important challenges that researchers face in the creation and use of a knowledge base for restructuring teacher education in the field of special education. Promising avenues for research to meet these challenges are delineated and the critical roles of multiparadigmatic teacher communities are highlighted. (Author/CR)

This article reviews the literature on preparing teachers to work with and supervise paraeducators in classrooms serving students at risk or with disabilities. Although considerable agreement was found on the content of such preparation, the review found that the number of researchers and developers in this area is currently small. (DB)

This article presents a description of the educational system of the Czecho-Slovak Federal Republic, with an emphasis on the educational impact of the November 1989 revolution. Examples and guidelines for international collaborative research and teaching programs concerned with special education and other areas are offered. (DB)

This paper describes the historical events that have influenced the evolution of field-based experiences in preparing special education teachers, describes the state of general practice, identifies the unresolved issues and promising trends, and outlines a future research agenda for analyzing preservice special education field-based experiences.…

This paper reviews 12 studies of special education teacher attrition, concluding that research-based models for improving the retention of special education teachers do not exist. Guidelines for a research agenda to identify variables that influence the attrition of special education teachers are offered. (DB)

Reviews issues related to changing the attitudes, beliefs, and dispositions of preservice special educators. Practices in teacher education are reviewed in the areas of reflective thinking and teaching, coursework, information interaction with faculty, and field experiences and supervision. Recommendations for teacher-education practice and…

This article presents outcomes of a 15-month project to integrate portfolios in one undergraduate special education preparation program. The process of defining portfolios, how they will be used, evaluation of portfolios, and the benefits of portfolio use are discussed, along with recommendations for future research on the efficacy of portfolios.…