The vast majority of special education teacher preparation programs in the United States incorporate the IRIS Center's "STAR Legacy" modules into their coursework. Given the diversity of module content and ways in which the modules are employed, the purpose of this study was to explore the potential mediating effects of instructional…

Concept maps are commonly used in a variety of educational settings as a learning aid or instructional tool. Additionally, their potential as a research tool has been recognized. This article defines features of concept maps, describes the use of pre- and postconcept maps as a research tool, and offers a protocol for employing concept maps as an…

Instructional content was presented differently in two introductory special education course sections. In a face-to-face (f2f) section, the instructor met with students on regularly scheduled days and times and presented content in person. In the other section, content was presented using enhanced podcasts, consisting of the instructor narrating…

Interactive, multimedia cases with technology supports present new ways of teaching and learning in teacher education. In this mixed-methods, naturalistic study, the authors investigate how and what participants learn from multimedia cases and, in particular, how instructional implementation affects learning outcomes from multimedia cases.…

There has been a proliferation of college courses and programs offered via distance education and particularly via the Internet (online). Although there is evidence that distance education using video conferencing or off-campus classes is effective, there is insufficient research addressing the online classes. Much of the existing research has…

Service-learning continues to be utilized in teacher education programs. A salient feature of this form of pedagogy is the use of reflection. Many instructors and students struggle with the reflection process. Particularly, instructors are challenged to assess students' reflection entries. This article describes a guided reflection rubric that was…

In this article, the authors examine pre-service special education teacher reaction to and experience in a collaboratively taught higher education course. Forty-three full-time postbaccalaureate students participate in a course designed to examine critical issues in special education, taught by two faculty members, one specializing in mild and…

Web-based instruction, including both online courses and online degree programs, offer flexibility to students and instructors and are now typical in higher education programs. Researchers compared WBI to traditional instruction for teaching undergraduate students about students with disabilities. Forty-four students participated in this study.…

Based on a review of the literature and the authors' experience, this article addresses issues in three aspects of the planning and delivery of online content: (1) online support services; (2) technology assistance; and (3) course content. Recommendations are given for administrators and instructors involved in the delivery of online coursework in…

The article describes activities of the curriculum and instruction team, one of six teams under the Dean's Grant Project at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education, designed to provide undergraduate students in elementary education with exposure to the concept of mainstreaming. (SB)

Regular classroom teachers (N=212) who took a course on mainstreaming felt that learning and physically disabled students were easiest and behaviorally disordered students were hardest to mainstream; and that the course provided a useful knowledge base on mainstreaming and was more useful than inservice training and contact with other…

This article describes a project which created and evaluated a technology-enhanced course to prepare educators for collaboration in serving students with special needs. It offers a rationale, a theoretical overview of the course, and summarizes the topical content and technology components. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation data suggest…

This paper offers insights into how teacher education might better focus on human development from the perspective and interests of people with disabilities. It considers how an initial teacher education program might operationalize the foundational concepts of equity and social justice in core educational studies courses. Development of such a…

This paper describes the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) graduate training program at Kent State University (Ohio). Description of courses and practicum activities for the competency-based program is followed by outcomes data regarding student satisfaction with the curriculum and their capacity for providing family-centered services. Evaluation…

This article describes Project Inclusion, a state-funded project at Southeastern Louisiana University, which provided financial support for general educators to take university courses to develop their knowledge and skills concerning students with disabilities. The courses emphasized collaboration techniques, curricular modifications, and behavior…