There is a growing trend of using paraprofessionals to augment the education of students with disabilities. Paraprofessionals are often the least educated and trained member in a classroom, yet can be asked to provide assistance to students with complex needs. Students with disabilities require the use of practices that are grounded in scientific…

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the use of online and e-learning in Omani general and higher education institutions. Consequently, the pandemic imposed contemporary technological challenges when considering training programs for Omani teachers. This research seeks to record proactive steps, at the Omani and Arab levels, to examine the…

Antecedent interventions are often used preventatively to address engagement, but few studies have evaluated their effectiveness with students at risk for disability. This study evaluated the effectiveness of two commonly recommended antecedent interventions that have limited empirical support for use with students at risk: social stories and…

This study investigated the feasibility and cultural validity of KONTAKT©, a manualised social skills group training, in improving the social functioning of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). KONTAKT© was delivered to 17 adolescents (m[subscript age] = 14.09, SD[subscript age] = 1.43; 70% male) with ASD over sixteen 90 min sessions.…

Although teachers reporting high teaching self-efficacy demonstrate positive teaching behaviors, minimal stress, and superior classroom management techniques, surprisingly few studies have demonstrated a relationship between teacher self-efficacy and student outcomes. This study explored self-efficacy specific to teaching students with autism…

Research-based instruction is necessary to support students' reading development, and professional development (PD) is a critical avenue to ensuring high-quality instructional practices. To date, there has been no comprehensive review focused on the effects of teacher PD on student reading achievement. As such, the purpose of the present…

The aim of this study was to elaborate a scale to measure In-service Teachers' Attitudes about Inclusive Education (ITAIE). The 18-item scale was developed using a sample of 264 in-service teachers. Factor analysis indicated five categories: 1) the psychosocial competences of teachers, (2) the psycho-pedagogical advantages of the inclusive…

The Early Literacy Program focuses on the development of early literacy skills, with additional emphasis on intervention for students at risk of not meeting grade-based reading benchmarks. Districts and charter schools (LEAs) assess, and report to the state, students' reading composites and benchmarks three (3) times a year using the Acadience…

Dual enrollment (DE), in which high school students take college courses and earn both high school and college credit, has great potential to help make the high-school-to-college transition more effective and equitable--and to do so on a large scale. There is strong evidence that DE improves academic outcomes for students, including completing…

The purpose of this review was to quantitatively synthesize studies on functional communication training (FCT) for young children exhibiting challenging behavior when FCT was delivered in early care and education settings. Twenty studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 1992 and 2016 that met established inclusion criteria were reviewed…

Background: Research indicates the value of active support in achieving good outcomes across a number of quality of life domains for people with intellectual disabilities. However, implementation is not easy, and little research has explored why. We aimed to identify some of the factors that impact on implementation of active support in supported…

Teaching classwide behavior expectations and using specific praise (SP) are considered light behavior-management strategies that teachers might find acceptable to implement because they require little time or materials (McNamara, 1984; Oswald, Safran, & Johanson, 2005). Their use also is beneficial to students with mild disabilities who might…

Research shows the number of paraprofessionals who provide support to students with exceptionalities is increasing (Data Accountability Center [DAC], 2010) and that special educators are becoming increasingly responsible for managing, training, and supervising paraprofessionals who support students with exceptionalities (Carlson, Brauen, Klein,…

Background: Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience significant inequalities and tend to be more sedentary and less physically active than the wider population. Walking programmes are an effective way to increase physical activity (PA) but have not been used in studies involving adults with intellectual disabilities. Method: Nineteen…

This qualitative study examined the beliefs and experiences of special education teachers about inclusive education for secondary age students with severe disabilities and co-existing complex health care needs. Participants were 11 middle and high school special education teachers who collectively case managed 18 students. Data were collected via…