In this article, we report on the development of two latent soft skills progress variables using the Berkeley Evaluation and Assessment Research (BEAR) Assessment System (BAS). The Social Evaluative Reasoning in the Workplace (SER-W) instrument uses comic strip scenarios to depict interactions between employees and customers in entry-level…

This paper investigates the student perspective on Maryland's Early Childhood Education/Special Education Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree: the factors that affected their experience, especially with the transfer process, and whether their experiences differed by institution. Viewpoints were gathered through focus groups and individual…

Community colleges are key providers of early childhood teacher and paraprofessional education, and their programs include content knowledge that helps future educators work effectively with young children with and without disabilities in inclusive environments. In this article, we describe the Advancing Community College Efforts in…

For more than 20 years, distance education has provided an option for prospective special education teachers to achieve licensure and a graduate degree. The program began as a two-way interactive television endeavor located at area community college sites. Over time, the program evolved to include online coursework with synchronous class meetings.…

Post-secondary education enrollment and completion disparities exist for Minnesota's Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) and lower-income students. One outcome measure demonstrating the impact of system-fed disparities in K-12 education is a student's level of readiness for college-level courses following high school graduation. Given…

The purpose of this study was to explore reasons why adolescent youth from foster care and in special education, including those who are newly emancipated from the foster care system, have difficulty transitioning into independent living. The study was guided by one research question: What difficulties do students who receive special education…

Language acquisition may come naturally for people without sensorial disabilities. But for deaf children, language acquisition happens differently and comparably delayed than hearing children. This case study made an in-depth inquiry of the communication skills of the Special Education (SPED) students in one of the community colleges in Quezon…

Postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities or neurological and autism spectrum disorders require access to vocational training, continuing education, independent living opportunities, and community participation as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004 (U.S. Department of Education, 2020). According to…

The focus of this paper is on the organisation of inclusive educational provision for pupils with disabilities and special educational needs in mainstream schools. In relation to theoretical context, it outlines the challenges of defining inclusive education, it explores the ideological tensions that characterise the area, including those evident…

Inclusion means that students with disabilities have access to high-quality and effective instruction, as well as specialized services as needed, within least restrictive environments. We believe there are no limits on who can or should participate in and benefit from inclusion and we were interested in perceptions resulting from professional…

"Getting Prepared 2020" examines patterns of developmental education for Minnesota public high school graduates from the classes of 2012 to 2019 who enrolled in Minnesota postsecondary institutions. This report provides insight into the academic readiness of Minnesota public high school graduates. Developmental education adds to the…

"Getting Prepared 2021" examines Minnesota public high school graduates from the classes of 2013-2020 who enrolled in postsecondary education and those enrolled in developmental education. This report provides insight into the academic readiness of Minnesota public high school graduates. Developmental education courses add to the overall…

Given the history of poor postschool outcomes for students with disabilities, researchers repeatedly sought to demonstrate the links between predictor variables and postschool outcomes for students with disabilities. This secondary data analysis used the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 to examine the relationship between postsecondary…

Given that paraeducators are increasingly utilized to deliver special education services, the need for their quality preparation has come to the forefront. The authors address how standards set expectations for appropriately trained paraeducators through the use of specific knowledge and skills, offer a process for revising an existing preparation…

"Moving Beyond False Choices for Early Childhood Educators--A Compendium" is the culmination of an 18-month blog series that engaged diverse viewpoints about disentangling early childhood education's (ECE) long-standing thorny knot which is comprised of three of its most challenging issues: preparation and education, compensation and…