With nearly a million paraprofessionals working in elementary and secondary schools (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013), ensuring they are well prepared and supported is essential to their and their students' success. Paraprofessionals work closely with classroom teachers to support students from special populations and are typically supervised by…

This study had two purposes. The first was to explore how practicing teachers of learners with severe disabilities applied in their teaching the information provided in distance learning courses. A second purpose was to explore the relationship between the application of course content and the areas of course content in which teachers perceived…

This article describes three different ways of using paraeducators during adapted physical education. (1.) Having paraeducators read a portion of the lesson plan that describes the desired support towards lesson objectives. Paraeducators then assist all students when needed. (2.) Assigning specific modifications for paraeducators through the IEP…

The Project ACCESS (Adapting Curriculum Content for Exceptional Secondary Students) resource guide is designed to help regular classroom teachers provide successful experiences to mildly handicapped mainstreamed students through the adaptation of the curriculum. The concerns-based approach, which was used successfully by Project ACCESS, focuses on…

This study describes responsibilities and training needs of paraeducators in physical education. Paraeducators (n = 138) employed in 34 midwestern schools received a 27-item questionnaire. Of the 138 paraeducators contacted, 76 responded, resulting in a 55.1% response rate. Only 16% of the total respondents (n = 76) reported receiving specific…

The uses of microcomputers in special education are explored in terms of administration (data collection and analysis); assessment (approaches to linking assessment with instruction); instruction (planning, supplementing, and presenting instruction); related services (communication aids); and staff development (access to innovative practices and…

This instructor's manual is designed to help in implementing a course for caregivers on individual planning for individuals with disabilities. Content notes and implementation notes for each section are provided, as are sheets for overhead projection, worksheets, and handouts. The course is organized into 19 sections to be administered in 8 hours…

This paper attempts to identify critical variables for designing training programs in early childhood special education. A literature review is presented on training and the adult learner. Important characteristics of training are identified, such as the course design, sequence, content, and adult learning strategies used. Other significant…

This article discusses weaknesses in standard approaches to consultancy that have developed out of conflicts between special and regular educators, including a narrow focus on problem solving and an implication of superiority on the part of special educators. Cooperative professional development teams consisting of both special and regular…

This kit for training paraeducators working with students who have disabilities includes a facilitator's manual, a paraeducator workbook, and six videotapes, one for each unit of instruction, and an instructor training videotape. The materials are to be used with small groups during training sessions totaling 14-20 hours. The facilitator's manual…

This paper considers issues involved in obtaining and using funds for limited English proficient (LEP) handicapped students, and reviews two major projects designed specifically for this population. Second language training programs have been offered to help assessment personnel develop further language skills and enhanced cultural appreciation.…

This article develops two perspectives on the Regular Education Initiative, the first drawing on two decades of research and practice to document and discuss understandings about school improvement. The second draws on the current movement to restructure schools. A reformist partnership between classroom teachers and special education is proposed.…

This study extended the limited research on the utility of tactile prompts and examined the effects of a treatment package on implementation of a token economy by instructional assistants in a classroom for students with disabilities. During baseline, we measured how accurately the assistants implemented a classroom token economy based on the…

These instructor and participant manuals provide a basic training program curriculum for paraeducators supporting students with disabilities in inclusive educational settings. The course requires approximately 18 hours of instruction and 12 hours of practicum, can be offered in a variety of formats (intensively or over a number of weeks), and does…

A model of classroom-based staff development for teachers at the high school level is described. The program incorporates the consulting teacher model and uses three kinds of inservice training: courses, consultations, and workshops. (JN)