This professional practice dissertation examined the application of Program Transition Points implemented in a K-12 Special Education Initial Licensure Program to ensure effective teacher preparation and successful program completion. Feedback from educational stakeholders, data results from program and internship evaluation outcomes, and the…

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the experiences and literacy development of elementary students receiving Tier 2 reading intervention services. Specifically, this qualitative case study explored the questions of: (a) In what ways are third- and fourth-grade students who are receiving Tier 2 reading intervention experiencing their…

Special education in the United States has been historically problematic for several reasons, and limited research has been conducted to examine the close connection between teachers' experiences in the classroom (both general and special education teachers) and principals' leadership. Teacher perceptions have a great impact on the learning of…

As caseloads for special education teachers continue to rise and as more students with disabilities enter the regular education setting (U.S. Department of Education, 2016), the need for co-teaching, in which a special education teacher and regular education teacher work together in one classroom to meet all students' needs, is significant.…

Alternate route certification programs for special education teachers have gained prevalence for several decades as states attempt to address national shortages of teachers who are adequately prepared to meet the needs of students with exceptionalities. This article presents an exploratory case study of the Washington Education Association (WEA)…

Five experienced special educators were interviewed to learn about their experiences working in a school district with a fully developed MTSS. The interviews revealed these special educators were highly supportive of tiered supports because they provide strategic and intensive interventions for students who are behind. Nonetheless, these educators…

Curriculum-based measures (CBMs) such as Word Identification Fluency promote student achievement, but because they are timed and administered frequently, they are prone to variation in student response styles. To study the impact of WIF response styles, we created and examined the validity of a novel response style measure and examined the degree…

The aim of this grounded theory study was to understand parents' emotions and coping strategies regarding their child's initial placement in an Israeli special education kindergarten. Proper placement is essential to effectively support children with developmental disabilities (DD), yet parents tend to approach assessment procedures with dread.…

Autistic children present with unique challenges that may be associated with challenges during the kindergarten transition process. While teachers endorse transition to kindergarten practices as important, implementation of effective transition practices is inconsistent. One possible reason is limited training during pre-service education;…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore transformational leadership practices in principals through the eyes of special education teachers, and their effect on teacher commitment. The conceptual framework of this study was based on Bass' (1985) transformational leadership model guided by Kouzes and Posner's (1987) five exemplary…

This article illustrates how two teachers, a general educator and a special educator, used an interactive process in planning an interdisciplinary science unit for an inclusive Kindergarten classroom and how they addressed Universal Design for Learning (UDL) components. This planning process included capitalizing on each teacher's knowledge and…

The prevalence of disability diagnoses among young children has risen significantly over recent decades. This growth has prompted inquiries into the identification processes, notably focusing on teachers who are the primary sources of referrals. While some studies have examined child age as a relevant predictor of disability referral, minimal…

Since the inception of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), school districts throughout the United States have found themselves on the losing end in the battle to keep special education teachers (SETs) in the classroom. The SET shortage cripples schools' ability to provide individuals with exceptionalities (IWEs) with a free and…

Due to shifts in society's attitudes toward special education and changes in U.S. federal policies, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and No Child Left Behind, more students with disabilities (SWDs) are beginning kindergarten in general education classrooms. As a result, schools and districts across the United States have…

In our study conducted in 2022, we investigated the mental well-being and burnout levels among Hungarian special education teachers, with a sample size of N: 134. Our aim was to identify the psychological resources that positively influence coping with challenges. We employed various measurement tools including the Maslach Burnout Inventory…