The field of special education's focus on moderate and severe disabilities (MSD) has undergone a number of changes in the past five decades. Some have been philosophical, some based on research, some based on mandated practices through U.S. law, and some based on the development of better technologies. While pioneers in the field first established…

Virtual reality is an emerging technology that has resulted in rapid expansion in the development of virtual immersive environments for use as educational simulations in schools, colleges and universities. This article presents an overview of virtual reality, describes a number of applications currently being used by special educators for…

Federal law mandates that all teachers, including special educators, must be highly qualified by meeting standards for licensure in the academic content areas they teach. This provision has an impact on prospective and practicing teachers, on schools and school systems, and on colleges and universities, especially those in rural areas. 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…

This paper describes the use of webcasting technology in a personnel preparation program for rural special education practitioners. Emerging technologies offer promising solutions to the challenges of providing accessible and appropriate training to rural special educators. Web-based instruction is especially appropriate for on-the-job training of…

This paper describes how the graduate certification and degree program in early intervention and early childhood special education at West Virginia University has incorporated Web components into its existing distance education model, enabling Americans living abroad to enroll in and complete the program. Courses, practicum experiences, program…

Alternative certification programs allow individuals with college degrees in other fields to enter teaching without enrolling in traditional campus-based teacher education programs. These programs are designed to reduce the time and expense of obtaining teaching credentials through a streamlined curriculum coupled with intensive on-the-job…

This article discusses a pilot project at the Department of Special Education at West Virginia University of peer teachers' supervision of practicing, uncertified teachers in on-the-job experiences, describes components of training sessions to develop supervising teachers' skills in observing performance, providing feedback, and evaluating…

Multimedia instructional materials represent an important resource for teacher education programs in special education. They enable prospective special educators to observe and study important aspects of professional practice without the time and expense of actual field experiences. Multimedia materials can be a form of anchored instruction or…

The use of distance education for rural personnel preparation in special education and disability services was examined in the literature on 32 programs. The programs tended to have a narrow focus on graduate education in low-incidence disabilities; needed external support due to high costs; and had demonstrated sustainability. Emerging trends are…

This paper provides guidelines for using video presentations in teacher education programs in special education. The simplest use of video is to provide students with illustrations of basic concepts, demonstrations of specific skills, or examples of model programs and practices. Video can also deliver contextually rich case studies to stimulate…

This article examines trends in technology in special educational and in teacher education; addresses the positive and negative effect of technologies on service delivery and on personnel preparation; and explores how educators' attitudes and reactions and toward emerging technologies will determine the future of teacher education in special…

The rapid growth of special education programs has exceeded the capability of teacher training programs in West Virginia to fill new positions in schools serving children with learning or behavior disorders. The focus of the Mainstream Practicum Project is to train regular educators who are currently working as untrained, uncredentialed personnel…

Rural schools experience major problems in every aspect of personnel preparation in special education. Review examines what has been done and the problems faced by rural schools in the areas of traditional and nontraditional preservice programs, individual and program qualification mechanisms, personnel recruitment and retention, and retraining…