Training Rural Special Educators Online to Teach Social Skills

Abstract The rural special educator can expect to face challenging student behaviors. Students' problem behaviors are a major roadblock to student learning. Social skills training (SST) has shown promise in reducing difficult behaviors. However, attempts to prepare teachers to use SST have had mixed results. SST requires time-intensive instruction and supervision. The article describes an online training package that can surmount these barriers. These components include asynchronous lectures, virtual office hours, video supervision, access to instructional videos, and ongoing assessment of learner progress. The program shows great promise for ongoing rural teacher preparation and in-service training. The rural special educator can expect to face a variety of challenging student behaviors (Patton, Jolivette & Ramsey, 2006). Difficult behaviors at even mild to moderate levels can impede the effectiveness of both students and teachers (Sprague & Golly, 2005). Common problem behaviors may include anger (e.g., verbal outbursts, slamming a book to the floor, tearing up instructional materials), sadness (e.g., crying and putting one's head on the desk) and fear (e.g., avoidance behaviors such as refusal to work, wandering about the classroom and frequent requests to visit the health office or restroom). Such behaviors are not confined to students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (EBD). They can be displayed regardless of the identified disability. For example, Maag and Behrens (1989) found that the likelihood of having depressive symptoms increases among students with EBD, Learning Disabilities (LD) and mental retardation. Students vary in their ability to respond to daily conflicts and disappointments; when the feelings occur, students need help to manage them. These behaviors, while challenging, are at a level that may be prevented or greatly reduced by appropriate teacher training and intervention (Sprague & Golly, 2005). The Unrealized Potential of Social Skills Training Maag and Swearer (2005) noted that for many years educators have been providers of various forms of Social Skills Training (SST). While the literature that addresses ways to offer SST is vast, attempts to improve student behaviors through SST have not yielded encouraging results (Maag, 2006). The problem appears to be more the result of poor implementation rather than the effectiveness of many SST programs. Some of the oftcited reasons for not implementing SST in schools are the costs in time and funding to train teachers, the conflict with other curricular demands, and lack of administrative support (Gerber & Solan, 2005). Equally discouraging is the fact that SST outcome studies are largely bypassing the schools in favor of a more restrictive off-campus or clinic model of service. Effectiveness studies seem to be defaulting to children's counseling clinics, rather than intervening in the students' schools where skills can be generalized (Gerber & Solari, 2005). Indeed, SST can be difficult work that requires adequate training, supervision, and feedback to the special education teacher. The challenge is to help teachers learn, practice, and fine-tune the skills in a mode that fits the real world of the teacher. The difficulty in receiving adequate training and supervision is particularly heightened for rural special educators (Larwood, 2005). Driving distances, road conditions, and weather must be considered. Rural districts often have fewer students than their urban counterparts. This limits the economy of scale and further cramps limited training budgets. These rural challenges translate into fewer opportunities for face-toface training and lessened access to ongoing supervision and consultation. This article addresses behaviors at the mild to moderate level of severity. Highly dangerous or disruptive behaviors are not the focus of this discussion and will need the partnership of mental health and school behavior intervention staff. …