bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparing Hearing Impaired Teachers of Hearing Children
Authors: Martin David S.
Published: November 2009

Gallaudet College has begun a new undergraduate program to prepare hearing impaired education majors to qualify for full certification to work with hearing children. The first group of majors recently completed an 8-week, full-time student teaching practicum in public schools; a combined attitude and opinion survey was administered before and after the experience to student teachers, cooperating teachers, principals, parents, and children to assess this experience. Survey data and observations demonstrated highly positive outcomes in both cognitive and affective areas, including several unexpected benefits for children. Recommendations were made for the organization and adaptation of preservice programs to prepare all handicapped pre-professionals for certification in regular education.
Making a Teacher Study Group Work
Authors: Sugai George
Published: November 2009

This paper describes the characteristics of a successfully operating study group for practicing special education teachers. The purposes of this group include professional exchange and problem solving and the maintenance and generalization of professional teacher practices. The discussion includes relevant historical influences that have shaped the group's beginning, the procedural characteristics that have allowed the group to function effectively, and some social validation data collected from group members.
Audioconferencing
Authors: Deavers Adkinson Patricia
Published: November 2009

Rising costs, shrinking budgets, and the influx of new information create problems that limit the design and implementation of effective inservice training programs. Audioconferencing, a system that provides interactive communication between three or more separate locations through telephone lines, is one promising solution. Recent literature, interviews with managers of large educational audioconferencing networks, and active participation in audioconferences indicate that carefully planned networks that contain equipment appropriate to the size and frequency of conferences provide a time-saving and cost-effective means of keeping educators informed of the rapid changes in their field.
An Empirical Analysis of the Regular Classroom Teacher's Role in Implementing IEPs
Authors: Nevin Ann , McCann Scott , Semmel Melvin I.
Published: November 2009

The training implications of a study of the regular class teacher's role in implementing individual education programs (IEPs) are discussed. The analytic scheme of the study was based on role theory and was conducted in three phases (a student records review, a teacher survey, and a follow-up interview). Statistical independence of ratings was examined according to six mututally exclusive categories (program type, geography/ population, grade level, skill level, experience, and training). Although a majority of records and interviews indicated that regular class teachers were implementing a variety of modifications of their regular programs to implement IEPS, only a minority of the modifications were actually written into the records, raising several policy issues related to serving special education students. The regular class teachers in this study were struggling to cope with increased demands related to serving special education students, had substantial discretion as to how they actually worked with students and specialists, and relied heavily on informal rather than formal processes to implement IEPs. As such, the teacher can be viewed as a policy maker, fulfilling the demands of federal and state legislation within the constraints of limited expertise, lack of time, and increased work loads.
Burnout Among Special Education Teachers
Authors: Kay Zabel Mary , Zabel Robert H.
Published: November 2009

Relationships between three personal characteristics of special education teachers-amount of teaching experience, amount of training, and age—and job-related burnout are examined in this article. Data drawn from a survey of 601 teachers of exceptional children indicate that more experienced, more highly trained, and older teachers tend to experience less emotional exhaustion, less depersonalization toward their students, and greater feelings of personal accomplishment in their jobs than their less experienced, less trained, younger colleagues.
Student Versus Teacher Selection of Instructional Activities
Authors: Wesson Caren
Published: November 2009

This study explored the effects of student selection versus teacher selection of instructional activities and the reasons given by teachers and students for their selections. Forty-two resource room students in grades 3 through 6 served as subjects. The progress of these students was monitored by means of a technically adequate, curriculum-based, repeated measurement data collection and evaluation system. The system was constructed to notify teachers when a change in instruction was needed for each student. One-third of the students selected their own instructional changes from an experimenter-generated set of activities. For the other two-thirds, the teachers selected activities from this same set. The dependent data were the number of structured and unstructured activities selected by teachers and students and the reasons cited for these selections. Teachers selected significantly more highly structured activities than students and cited more skill-related reasons for their selections. The discussion includes implications for practice and teacher training.
Preparation for Leadership in Personnel Preparation
Authors: Prehm Herbert J.
Published: November 2009

Public concern about the quality of teacher education has stimulated considerable interest in the quality of programs that prepare doctoral level teacher educators. Programs for the preparation of doctoral level leadership personnel in teacher education are experiencing problems with students, programs, and faculty. Student problems include a reduction in the numbers of students applying for admission and an inadequate level of entering knowledge of the behavioral and social sciences and special education. Program problems relate to the focus and content of the program, procedures for monitoring student progress, and the lack of validated guidelines for quality practice. Faculty problems relate to the age of Institution of Higher Education faculty and to job satisfaction. Solutions to these problems involve strengthening undergraduate and master's level teacher preparation programs; focusing the mission, curriculum, and location of doctoral programs preparing leadership personnel for teacher education; faculty renewal; and establishing validated standards for practice.
Training Researchers in Special Education
Authors: Rousscau Marilyn , Shores Richard E. , Hasselbring Ted S. , Cunningham Joseph J.
Published: November 2009

Knowledge in special education will advance to the extent that our doctoral programs prepare special education professionals as highly skilled researchers in clearly defined areas of specialization. Five training goals for research trainees are proposed: (a) participation in at least three research studies prior to the dissertation; (b) development of a 5-year research plan in the area of specialization; (c) development of the ability to present research to professional audiences; (d) development of critical analysis skills for reading professional journal articles. Three specialization areas in need of further research are discussed. The authors suggest that research training programs should be evaluated by the extent to which trainees meet the training goals and by the impact program graduates have on the field of special education.
A Consumer's Report to Special Education Doctoral Programs
Authors: Rose Terry L. , Cuilinan Doug , Heller Harold W.
Published: November 2009

The marketplace for new graduates of doctoral training programs in special education has changed from one in which demand exceeded supply to a more balanced one in which supply meets or may exceed demand. The resulting competition for faculty positions has resulted in higher expectations of these applicants by special education departments, a major "consumer" of the "products" of doctoral training programs. Results of recent searches for new faculty members indicate that those who have accomplished professionally valued objectives during their doctoral training have a distinct advantage over those who have completed only a "traditional" doctoral program. Implications for doctoral training and future investigations are discussed from a "consumer's" point of view.
Relationships Between Selected Personal Characteristics of Special Education Teacher Educators and Their Job Satisfaction
Authors: Zabel Robert H. , Smith Marilyn L. , White Warren J.
Published: November 2009

Special education teacher educators are currently faced with the challenge of meeting the manpower requirements of a rapidly growing and changing field. They are doing this in the context of diminishing resources both within the field and within higher education. To examine present job conditions and relationships between professional satisfaction of special education teacher educators and personal and job-related characteristics, a nationwide survey was conducted in the spring and summer of 1982. More than 600 persons completed a questionnaire soliciting information about those conditions and ratings of their satisfaction with various aspects of their work. Factor analysis indicated five discrete job satisfaction factors. Analysis of variance procedures yielded statistically significant differences on these factors according to age, marital status, sex, academic rank, tenure status, salary, and number of years in higher education and in present position. A number of interpretations of these results are discussed.
Research as Practice
Authors: Bardon Jack I. , Vacc Nicholas A. , Vallecorsa Ada L.
Published: November 2009

In order to prepare special educators to work effectively in a changing field, training programs must address more than the typical competencies associated with teacher preparation in special education. It is important that special educators learn to be professionals who can correct, evaluate, and teach themselves. Moreover, they must learn to routinely apply research principles in their daily activities. This paper describes an approach to training that is sensitive to these concerns and shows how these competencies can be addressed in a training program.
Issues in Teacher Education for Secondary Special Education
Authors: Clark Gary M.
Published: November 2009

Teacher education programs for secondary-level special education personnel have been slow to develop over the years, as have comprehensive secondary programs in the schools. This paper presents a review of issues, including elementary vs. secondary education, differentiation of secondary roles, concerns for quantity and quality, specialized categorical programming, and interdisciplinary training. Recommendations are made for each of the issue areas.
A Simulation Activity to Promote Flexibility and Adaptability in Secondary Education Students
Authors: Swanson Elizabeth F. , Furlong Mary S.
Published: November 2009

This study involved the instruction of preservice secondary education students in decision-making skills to help them improve their instructional planning for handicapped learners.

The first of two treatments was a discussion of adaptive techniques and the introduction of a case study activity requiring that students adapt their lesson plans to accommodate a particular handicapped child. The second treatment was a reaction by the course instructor to each student's adapted lesson plan which stated that the proposed modification did not work. Students were then asked to write a second adaptation. The instrument developed for this study yielded adaptation scores for the first treatment effect and flexibility scores for the second treatment effect.

Results using a one-way repeated ANOVA found that the treatments promoted both adaptability and flexibility in instructional planning. This finding appeared to hold true whether or not subjects had taught before, had been exposed to handicapped children, or had had previous coursework in special education.
Variables Affecting Productivity in Special Education Researchers
Authors: Center David B. , Obringer Stephen J.
Published: November 2009

This study presents the results of a survey of special education researchers on variables that might affect research and publication productivity. The subjects were divided into three groups: low producers, intermediate producers, and high producers. The data were analyzed using the Kruskall-Wallis one-way analysis of ranks and the chi-square test. Statistically significant results were obtained for five variables: teaching load, participation in research during graduate training, sources of support for research, availability of graduate assistants, and attitude toward research. The results are discussed and suggestions offered on how colleges of education might increase the productivity of their faculties.
The Relationship of Years of Experience and Special Educators' Concerns Regarding Cooperation with Vocational Education
Authors: Sitlington Patricia L. , Goh Sharon R.
Published: November 2009

This pilot study investigated the stage of secondary special education teachers' concerns about cooperation with vocational education and the relationship between years of teaching experience and the level of those concerns. A random sample of 207 secondary special education teachers was surveyed using the Stages of Concerns Questionnaire (SoCQ); 67 responses were analyzed. Subjects were blocked into three experience groups (1-5, 6-8, 9 + years). All three experience grouops exhibited either no concern or interest in cooperating with vocational education or concern about the effect of this cooperation on themselves rather than on the learner or other professionals. Multiple regression analysis indicated a statistically significant relationship (p ( .01) between the total concern score and years of teaching. The least experienced teachers were the most open to such cooperation, followed closely by the most experienced teachers. Teachers in the middle groups were the least interested in cooperating with vocational edcuation. It was concluded that inservice and preservice efforts need to be aimed at special educators as well as vocational educators if effective cooperation between these two fields is to be achieved. Because of the small sample size, this should be viewed as an initial, pilot investigation.
The Effects of a Comprehensive Feedback Component on the Preparation of Preservice Educators
Authors: Roliar Ahmos , McNeil Pierce Mary , Van Houten Ron , Molcho Malca , Ylevitch Leah
Published: November 2009

This study was designed to examine the effects of a comprehensive feedback package on the preparation of preservice teachers. Twenty-four preservice teachers participated in an intensive training program that emphasized verbal feedback skills. Pre- and posttraining data were compared. After the training, the preservice teachers were placed in mainstreamed classrooms to determine the extent to which they were able to apply the feedback skills acquired in training. Data on verbal feedback provided by inservice and preservice teachers were collected in the classroom settings and, to investigate the effect of teacher verbal feedback on student responding, measures of student academic behavior were collected. The results indicate that the comprehensive package on feedback skills can be effective in preparing preservice teachers.
Coping with Student Aggression
Authors: Ruhl Kathy L. , Hughes Charles A.
Published: November 2009

Teachers working in settings serving emotionally handicapped (EH) students are frequently confronted with incidents of student aggression. Little is known about the teachers' confidence in their ability to cope with these incidents or the nature and extent of their previous training to deal with interpersonal violence. Survey questionnaires sent to 311 teachers serving EH students requested demographic, factual, and attitudinal information about teachers coping with classroom aggression. The response rate was 57% (178). Results indicate a significant(p < .05) relationship between level of confidence and previous training in methods of coping with aggression. While there was almost unanimous agreement upon the need for such training as part of teacher preparation, the majority of the trained teachers had received relevant training through inservice workshops rather than university coursework, and 68% desired additional training. The need for competence in this area, action by preservice personnel, and components of such training are addressed.
Inservice!
Authors: Gallagher Patricia A.
Published: November 2009

Inservice education on mainstreaming for regular classroom teachers has been delivered in diverse formats by a variety of personnel. One form of inservice training is incumbent upon teachers in Kansas, who have a state mandate to complete a special education course for renewal of certification. This article describes one instructor's delivery of a graduate-level course on exceptional learners in regular classrooms as well as the positive effects enjoyed by participating school personnel, many of whom entered this inservice training with negative attitudes.
Competencies for Teachers of the Severely and Profoundly Handicapped
Authors: Whitten Thomas M. , Westling David L.
Published: November 2009

The purpose of this review was to identify competency statements specified in the professional literature for teachers of severely and profoundly handicapped students. Computer searches and hand searches of the literature of the past 10 years were undertaken. As a result, 59 competency statements were found. These competencies fell into nine categories: general knowledge, planning, assessment, curriculum, behavior management, instruction, physical/ medical, other personnel, and parents. An overwhelming majority of the statements were found to be based on opinion or opinion with limited substantiation. Implications for further work in this area are discussed.
Project RETOOL
Authors: McClellan Elizabeth , Wheatley Wayne
Published: November 2009

Project RETOOL is a federally funded project that offers training in the collaborative consultation model to post-doctorate leadership personnel. Collaborative consultation is an interactive program model that enables people with diverse expertise to generate creative solutions to mutually defined problems. Specifically, collaborative consultation promotes team ownership of the education of handicapped learners in the mainstream (Idol-Maestas, Nevin, & Paolucci-Whitcomb, 1984).

Project RETOOL consultants share knowledge, skills, and experience with faculty teams from institutions of higher education. In their respective geographic regions, these interdisciplinary teams then act as consultants to other faculty teams interested in providing instruction in collaborative consultation. In addition, the teams develop and expand the consultation skills of their own preservice graduate and undergraduate students. Finally, team members act as consultants to graduate and undergraduate students as they in turn develop programs to accelerate the academic and social progress of handicapped students.
Using Microcomputers as an Integral Part of Teacher Preparation in Special Education
Authors: Rieth Herbert J. , Polsgrove Lewis , Frick Theodore , Goh Sharon , Eckert Robert
Published: November 2009

Computers are being used increasingly to educate handicapped children, yet despite their instructional potential they are being used relatively infrequently to train preservice teachers. Recently faculty and staff at Indiana University have developed a Special Teacher Education and Evaluation Laboratory (STEEL) to use technology as an integral part of the undergraduate and graduate training program in special aducation to enhance the quality of instruction, keep up-to-date records of student progress, record and analyze student teaching behavior, and develop computer applications coursework. Detailed descriptions of the STEEL's goals, objectives, and applications are provided, and the preliminary plan of evaluation is presented.
Written Feedback Strategies Used by Special Education Teachers
Authors: Cohen Sandra B. , Perkins Victoria L. , Newmark Sherril
Published: November 2009

This study investigated corrective and noncorrective feedback strategies used by special educators responding to students' academic work-sheets. Ninety-nine graduate students in special education curriculum courses provided written feedback to completed arithmetic, spelling, and written expression assignments. Two levels of task difficulty were used for the arithmetic and written expression tasks. Frequency distributions and chi-square analyses indicated a significant difference on the arithmetic task, with teachers offering a greater proportion of corrective strategies on the more difficult assignment (long division). An analysis of feedback strategies used by special educators across tasks showed two prominent strategies, one corrective and one noncorrective in nature. The need for teachers to use corrective strategies that go beyond frequency measures is discussed. Implications for personnel preparation include suggestions for translating research evidence into instructional practices.
Regular and Special Educators
Authors: Gans Karen D.
Published: November 2009

Communication breakdowns between regular and special educators integrating students with handicaps into the regular education classroom have been associated with differences in professional orientation. The extent of these differences has not been well defined. In this study, 128 regular education teachers and 133 special educators from 21 school districts responded to a questionnaire addressing man agement, professional, and educational con cerns relating to handicap integration (i.e., mainstreaming). The two groups of teachers were similar in their attitudes. Regular educators were more negative in their attitudes, but the differences rarely reached significance. Group differences became more apparent when attitudes concerning specific handicapping conditions were addressed. A factor analysis revealed that the components of mutual factors were frequently dissimilar. Where the defining variables were the same, the direction and intensity of the group attitudes frequently differed. The implications of these findings for special education consultants working with regular education teachers are discussed.
Certification and Training Programs for Bilingual Special Education
Authors: Salend Spencer J. , Fradd Sandra
Published: November 2009

The 50 states and the District of Columbia were surveyed concerning their certification and training programs for bilingual special education. Results indicated that a single state had established a certification program for bilingual special educators, and institutions of higher education in only 16 states offered training for bilingual special educators. Implications fordevising and implementing certification and training programs are discussed.
National Trends for Certification and Training of Special Education Teachers
Authors: Chapey Geraldine D. , Pyszkowski Irene S. , Trimarco Teresa A.
Published: November 2009

Historically the United States has lacked consensus regarding teacher certification and teacher training in special education. A labyrinth of titles, labels, and guidelines causes confusion. A national study to determine individual state policy regarding current special education teacher certification and personnel preparation is described. Recommendations for the direction of future change were also solicited from the questionnaire respondents. Suggestions of the researchers concerning the leadership role to be assumed by individual states are outlined.
Retrenchment's Impact on Service for Young Handicapped Children
Authors: Wertlieb Donald , Horvitz Ellen , Donnellan Kathleen
Published: November 2009

This paper reports a pilot survey of administrators' and professionals' perceptions of the impact of recent economic constraints and retrenchment on the nature and quality of special education services for young, severely handicapped children. The survey assessed changes relative to staff issues, educational environment, individualized programs, interagency activity, services to families, and training. Important decreases in staff morale, availability of therapeutic services, funds for replacement and purchase of materials, and level of service to families were noted. To a lesser extent, respondents reported an increase in the number of skills taught and increased involvement with outside agencies, especially for family and therapeutic services. Comparison of teacher and administrator responses showed major overlap but some important discrepancies. The findings are discussed in terms of short-term and long-term implications for early childhood special education and teacher training.
Microcomputer Use in Special Education Personnel Preparation Programs
Authors: Blackhurst A. Edward , MacArthur Charles A.
Published: November 2009

A national survey of special education personnel preparation programs was conducted to determine microcomputer use. Almost all respondents reported that instruction in the use of microcomputers in special education was important for special education teachers. Most programs made some coursework on microcomputers available to special education majors, mainly in the form of electives. The majority of programs had access to microcomputer labs, with Apple computers being the predominant brand. Faculty used microcomputers primarily to support their teaching and research efforts. Although the lack of trained faculty was cited as a barrier to increased microcomputer use, it was viewed as one that could be overcome without great difficulty. Faculty placed priority for their own training on specific applications of microcomputers in special education programs. Barriers identified as being difficult to overcome centered around the lack of fiscal resources and difficulty in adding microcomputer instruction to already overcrowded curricula.
Recruitment of Blacks into Special Education through an Interuniversity Linkage
Authors: Sindelar Paul T. , Schloss Patrick J. , Asbury William W. , Thomas Judith A.W.
Published: November 2009

This article describes a cooperative program of special education teacher preparation between Lincoln University and the Pennsylvania State University. The program represents an effort to recruit black students into an established master of education program and to prepare them for careers in special education. The need addressed by the program is the underrepresentation of blacks in the field and the problem of overcoming the "opportunity cost" of continued professional study. The program operates in the following manner. Students who are juniors in education or liberal arts programs at Lincoln University and who are interested in careers in special education are invited to appty for admission. Those who satisfy the admissions requirements and are admitted will receive support during their senior years at Lincoln as they complete their undergraduate majors. They are subsequently supported during their M.Ed. programs at Penn State, initially with traineeships and later with graduate assistantships. Program evaluation is discussed, along with the potential benefits of increasing minority representation in the field.
Training Classroom Management Skills via a Microcomputer-Based Simulation
Authors: Strang Harold R. , Murphy Donna M. , Kauffman James M. , Badt Katherine S. , Loper Booker
Published: November 2009

Previous investigations at the Curry School of Education have shown microcomputer-based simulation of classroom interactions to increase participants' use of appropriate instructional techniques with computer-generated pupils. This paper describes the basic operational components of the simulation and introduces recently developed classroom management training options. Undergraduate education students exposed to two brief sessions of the classroom management simulation demonstrated significant mean reductions in the percentage of inappropriate attempts to control disruptive behavior, a characteristic of many handicapped pupils. Participants who received a printed record of their initial performance showed a significantly greater average decrease in inappropriate management techniques during the second session than did those who received no such performance feedback.
Life Values, Regular Educators, and Special Educators
Authors: Derk Gans Karen
Published: November 2009

Attempts to strengthen regular-special educator interactions are often based upon suspected experiential rather than personal differences. Rokeach's Value Survey (1973) was used to investigate possible differences in the life-values of teacher groups. The value systems of regular and special educators in the present study depicted a single population of individuals composed of two subgroups. The prioritization of individual values within the value system hierarchy was similar for both groups of teachers. However, 10 terminal values and 8 instrumental values received sufficiently different responses to permit the prediction of teacher group with 71% accuracy.
Bilingual Special Education Personnel Preparation
Authors: Valero-Figueira Eda
Published: November 2009

There are few teacher training programs in bilingual special education in the nation. This article describes the program at George Mason University, The Northern University of the State of Virginia. It is an integrated program in which bilingual special education teachers are trained alongside their regular and special education counterparts. This integration produces two kinds of professionals: (a) special education teachers who are conversant with the issues of bilingual special education and thus somewhat better able to adapt their teaching skills to the needs of their bilingual exceptional pupils, and (b) bilingual special education teachers with specific skills in working with culturally and linguistically different exceptional children. The skills of the second group include skills in dealing with first- and second-language difficulties and with the possible negative interactions between cultural differences and handicapping conditions.
Factors That Influence Skill Acquisition of Practicum Students During a Field-Based Experience
Authors: Johnson Lawrence J.
Published: November 2009

Although field-based experiences are generally considered one of the most important aspects of teacher education programs, there has been little systematic research regarding the ways in which these experiences affect practicum students. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influences of individuals and events on practicum students' acquisition of selected teaching skills during a field-based experience. Eight students and their cooperating teachers participated as subjects. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Quantitative data were generated from the competence ratings of practicum students completed by the students themselves and their cooperating teachers. These ratings, which focused on teaching skills related to the ability to plan and deliver effective instruction, manage classroom social behavior problems, and assess academic and social behavior problems, indicated that both practicum students and their cooperating teachers perceived that the students had increased their skill in each area by the end of the field-based experience. In addition, qualitative data were generated from a series of semistructured interviews conducted with the students and their cooperating teachers. From these data, 8 roles or individuals and 12 categories of significant events were identified as having influenced practicum students during the field-based experience.
Use of Staff Development by Teachers and Aides with Emotionally Disturbed and Behavior Disordered Students
Authors: Wood Mary M. , Combs Carolyn , Walters Lynda H.
Published: November 2009

Staff development instruction to 45 teachers and aides with ED/BD students in 13 schools resulted in significantly improved classroom performance of participants in schools with adequate to exemplary administrative support. In schools with inadequate administrative support no participant attained the criterion performance level. Area of prior educational preparation and entry-level performance were related to outcome performance scores. Variables not related significantly to performance outcomes were prior teaching experience in special or general education, highest degree, instructional hours of lecturelworkshop, and instructional hours of individual classroom observation and feedback.
Perceptions of Special Education Teacher Trainee Competence
Authors: Blanton Linda P. , Fimian Michael J.
Published: November 2009

Teacher trainee performance ratings were collected from 151 special education junior and senior teacher trainees, 9 university supervisors, and 44 cooperating teachers from 23 schools. Factor analysis revealed that three identical factors that "explain" teacher trainee competence exist for each of the three samples; that there was little variability in the patterns of the three factors; and that the factors could be interpreted as Instructional Management, Cognitive Strategies Instruction, and Career/Vocational Educa tion. Based on internal consistency reliability analyses, all 27 items remaining after the factor analyses were retained in their respective factors. All reliabilities exceeded .80 and were thus considered adequate for inclusion in an instrument called the Competency Rating Scale. It was apparent that all factors were significantly related, that university supervisors' ratings were related more closely to those of the trainees than to those of the supervising teachers, and that trainees' ratings were related more closely to those of the university supervisors than to those of their cooperating teachers.
Publication Frequencies of Departments Conferring the PhD in Special Education
Authors: Schloss Patrick J. , Sindelar Paul T.
Published: November 2009

The purposes of this study were to provide estimates of current research productivity of faculties in doctorate-granting special education programs and to compare them to previously reported reputational rankings. To these ends, the publication frequencies in 29 professional journals of 81 faculties were tallied over a 5-year period. The mean program and per capita publication frequencies over the 5-year period were 17.06 and 1.60; only 6 program faculties surpass a one publica tion per faculty member per year criterion. The 10 most productive faculties on total and per capita publication frequencies were presented along with three leaders in each of eight specializations. Both total and per capita frequencies correlated weakly but positively with reputational rankings, suggesting that current reputation is only modestly related to current productivity. Furthermore, the low mean program and per capita publication frequencies suggest that high productivity is the exception and not the rule among faculties in doctoral-granting programs.
A Follow-Up Study of Regular Education Students Trained in Mainstreaming Competencies
Authors: Leyser Yona , Bursuck William
Published: November 2009

A follow-up telephone survey of regular education students who had taken a course on mainstreaming handicapped students was conducted. The purpose of the survey was to determine the perceptions of graduates regarding the usefulness and effectiveness of the course and to solicit their suggestions for changes in the course. The results of the survey are reported and the implications for the preservice training of regular educators in mainstreaming competencies discussed.
What the Research Says About Limiting or Avoiding Referrals to Special Education
Authors: Nevin Ann , Thousand Jacqueline
Published: November 2009

The authors reviewed the research and practices related to systems that limit or avoid the referral of students for special education services. The major theme is that as mainstream education broadens its ability to tolerate individual differences, fewer students will need to be referred for services delivered outside the system. The review examines curricular and ecological adaptations of general education systems to ensure effective adaptation for special education students, teacher development strategies and administration strategies such as case management and consulting-teacher systems, and early intervention programs. The article concludes with recommended new directions for research, training, and policy.
The "New Breed" Educator: A Rationale and Program for Combining Elementary and Special Education Teacher Preparation
Authors: Feden Preston D. , Clabaugh Gary K.
Published: November 2009

The article begins with a brief history of how teachers were trained and children were grouped in American education, and describes how elementary and special education teacher-training programs emerged as two distinctly separate processes. The authors contend that a relatively recent knowledge base has emerged that permits all teachers to understand and meet the educational needs of individual children in the context of their developmental levels and stages, using both general and specific information. This new breed of developmentally oriented general educator is described, and the need for such teachers is addressed. It is suggested that elementary and special education teacher training programs be combined into a single program using developmental theory as the unifying theme. A program currently being implemented at La Salle University is described.
Inservice Training to Support the Education of Learners with Severe Handicaps in Their Local Public Schools
Authors: Thousand Jacqueline , Nevin-Parta Ann , Fox Wayne L.
Published: November 2009

In five Vermont school districts an inservice training model was field-tested to demonstrate that learners with severe handicaps could be effectively educated in their local public schools. The model featured intensive training, modeling, coaching, and feedback to support local school personnel in forming effective collaborative teams and acquiring the necessary competiencies to implement "best educational practices" for learners with severe handicaps. Training content, processes, and issues that relate to the effectiveness and implementation of the model are discussed. Problem-solving strategies implemented by local planning teams are also reported. Evaluation of 65 programs for students with severe handicaps indicated that all students have returned to and continue to attend their local schools. All students spend from 20% to 100% of their school week with nonhandicapped peers in regular education activities. Regular and special education teachers, parents, and administrators have indicated high levels of satisfaction with the students' pertormance in the local school and at home.
Special Educator Predictions of Regular Class Teacher Attitudes Concerning Mainstreaming
Authors: Diebold Martin H. , Trentham Landa L.
Published: November 2009

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether special educator predictions of regular class teacher attitudes toward mainstreaming were significantly different from actual attitudes expressed by regular educators. To that end, a group of special educators was asked to predict regular educator colleague responses to a questionnaire designed to elicit attitudes about several aspects of the mainstreaming concept and process. Resulting data were submitted to factor and discriminative analysis. Results indicated that nearly half of the special educator group was unable to predict regular educator responses. Special educator prediction consistently underestimated the positiveness of regular education colleagues concerning several aspects of the mainstreaming process. Implications for further research and for carrying out consultation services effectively are presented.
Emerging Issues in Special Education Tort Liability
Authors: McAfiee James K.
Published: November 2009

There is a widespread perception that awards in tort liability cases have reached crisis proportions. Educators are not immune to tort actions, and special educators face some unique difficulties in avoiding tort damages. Special education teacher trainers have a responsibility to inform pre- and inservice educators of the legal risks involved in the profession so that they may minimize their fiability. Critical issues in tort liability that confront educators are analyzed. Implications of current legal practice are discussed for each issue, along with suggestions for teacher educators who wish to introduce students to legal issues.
The Supervision Throughput Model
Authors: O'Shea Lawrence J.
Published: November 2009

The supervision of interns is a complex and multifaceted process. Several factor have been identified as hindrances to providing effective supervision. In an attempt to confront these factors, a model for intern supervision, the Supervision Throughput Model, was developed to improve the internship program at the University of Florida. The model is described in terms of two key facets of supervision: (1) effective interpersonal communication skills and (2) the procedures for conducting conferences. Also described are the means used to implement the model and the problems that persist.
The Supply and Demand of Special Education Faculty Members
Authors: Deutsch Smith Deborah , Lovett David
Published: November 2009

Faculty must be available to prepare sufficient numbers of new special educators. The supply of special education, doctoral-level faculty members who can prepare personnel to serve the nation's handicapped may, however, be insufficient to meet future needs. Surveys completed by special education department chairpersons and their faculties indicate that a considerable number of retirements will occur in the near future. The resulting openings, added to potential new positions created because of high demand for special education coursework, could result in many faculty vacancies, affecting in turn the preparation of personnel needed to provide quality services to the nation's handicapped children and youth and their families. The data collected in this pilot project justify efforts to amass a comprehensive data base on special education faculties and the personnel they train. In particular, data about special education doctoral level personnel, their numbers, and what roles they fill must be collected to determine whether the supply will meet future demands.
Content of Special Education Teacher Preparation
Authors: Abl A. , Young Clifford C. , Hendrickson Jo M.
Published: November 2009

This article represents an effort to examine the content of special education teacher-training programs in relationship to the changing role and function of special educators. This investigation involved a national survey of special education undergraduate and graduate programs on the relative amount of emphasis placed on (a) preschool, primary, adolescent, and adult populations and (b) 11 content areas. While the data reveal no significant differences with regard to the four pupil populations, rankings for the 11 content areas were significantly different across university educational levels (i.e,, undergraduate and graduate programs). Implications for training special education personnel are discussed.
Microcomputing Competencies for Special Education Professors
Authors: Blackhurst A. Edward , MacArthur Charles A. , McClellan Byrom Elizabeth
Published: November 2009

A list of 43 microcomputing competencies associated with the functions that special education professors typically perform was generated through a task analysis. Approximately 60% of a national sample of 250 special education faculty who use microcomputers responded to a questionnaire designed to assess the value of the competency statements. Competencies associated with the function of providing instruction about microcomputer applications in special education were viewed as being most important, followed by those associated with using the microcomputer as an aid to instruction in courses and as an aid to personal productivity. With a few exceptions, competencies related to the use of microcomputers to meet service responsibilities, computer programming and related skills, and selection and operation of microcomputer equipment were seen as less useful. Word processing was rated as the single most useful competency and computer programming as the least useful.
Training of Leadership Personnel in Early Intervention
Authors: Siders Jane Z. , Riall Ann , Bennett Teresa C. , Judd Debra
Published: November 2009

This article describes a model transdisciplinary graduate leadership preparation program that trains personnel to serve young children with potential or manifest handicapping conditions. The program is competency-based and provides coursework and a variety of field experiences to prepare graduate students from nine university departments to fulfill leadership roles in service delivery, teaching, and research.
A Quantitative Analysis of Doctoral Dissertation Research in Special Education
Authors: Brady Michael P. , Williams Robert E. , Bailey Kim
Published: November 2009

This paper presents an analysis of 5 years of doctoral dissertations in special education. A total of 1581 dissertations were analyzed to examine the authors, subjects, methods, and outcomes of doctoral student research. Reactions to the findings are presented, and implications for further research are discussed.
Teacher Language Styles in Early Childhood Education
Authors: Lynch Evelyn C. , Widley Robyn R. , Johnson Jacqueline R.
Published: November 2009

Variables related to the successful entry and maintenance of young children with handicaps into normalized educational environments are of concern to program planners and curriculum developers. Teacher language was observed in both traditional early childhood and in early childhood special education environments. Six categories of teacher verbalizations were coded during group instruction. The data suggest that professional early educators do not significantly vary their language with regard to setting or type(s) of children. Teacher verbalizations dominated the instructional climate in each of the observed settings. Implications for teacher preparation programs are discussed.
Homework
Authors: Heller Harold W. , Spooner Fred , Anderson Dana , Mims Aquilla
Published: November 2009

Although homework appears to be an effective part of public school education in America for students with and without handicaps, there is little information available on the implementation of homework practices for handicapped students. In this study, survey responses from 1270 teachers and administrators in four southeastern states, processed through factor analysis, indicate that there were four major factors associated with homework (Value, Obstacles and Implementation, Frequency, and Feedback). Analysis of variance of the four factors against demographic variables (independent variables) revealed other significant differences. Results are discussed in light of the practical implications of homework for public-school students with handicaps.
A Preservice Mainstream Curriculum Infusion Model
Authors: Aksamit Donna L. , Alcorn Dewaine A.
Published: November 2009

This study investigated the perceptions of student teachers completing a preservice teacher education program that has relied on the curriculum infusion model to prepare regular classroom teachers for mainstreaming. Participants rated the extent to which mainstream curriculum had been covered in their courses, their own current knowledge of the curriculum, and their confidence in teaching handicapped students. Contact with handicapped learners during student teaching was also reported and responses to an open-ended question were solicited. Results indicate that participants perceived both the coverage of mainstream curriculum and their own knowledge as less than adequate. Contact with handicapped learners was also less than anticipated. Implications are discussed and recommendations are made for programs that rely on curriculum infusion to prepare regular classroom teachers for mainstreaming.