The primary purpose of this current study was to identify knowledge of special education and mental health professionals in anxiety-related problems of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in four Different Categories: Separation Anxiety (SA), Uncertainty (U), Performance Anxiety (PA), and anxiety Arousal (AA). Three hundred eighteen…

Effective instruction for students with intellectual disability (ID) requires thoughtful planning and careful selection of instructional materials. One of the most popular websites for educators is TPT (formerly called Teachers Pay Teachers), an online marketplace that allows users to buy or sell instructional materials. The purpose of this…

Paraeducators need appropriate supervision and supports from teachers to be effective in their roles contributing to the inclusion and instruction of students with disabilities. However, previous research has demonstrated that teachers are unprepared for their supervisory role and report a lack of meaningful coursework and other learning…

The present study aims to validate the Flourishing Scale (FS) in a convenience sample of 233 special education teachers. The FS's psychometric properties were investigated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA had a one-factor solution that explained 49.9% of the variance, a Cronbach's alpha internal…

Students identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit from the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in all educational settings, including general education classrooms. Research indicates that EBPs are not consistently implemented across educational placements, nor are they always implemented with fidelity. One contextual…

This pilot study examined the self-reported knowledge and implementation of recommended practices for supporting students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders (EBDs) in general education classrooms. Participants were general educators who had either limited experience in co-teaching with a special educator or general educators with more…

We explored the involvement of students with extensive support needs (ESN) in School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS). We interviewed 15 administrators and special and general educators from elementary schools implementing SWPBIS during the 2019-2020 school year and analyzed responses using qualitative content analysis.…

Special education teachers play a key role in educational assessment practices, including frequently administering norm-referenced tests of academic achievement. This study examined the course on norm-referenced assessment provided in special education training programs. Data regarding course: (1) structure; (2) assignments; (3) test…

Emotional exhaustion is prevalent among special education teachers (Brunsting et al. 2022). Previous research showed that disruptive student behavior is positively associated with teachers' emotional exhaustion (e.g., Kollerová et al. 2023). However, the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. The present study investigated teachers'…

Since March 2020, many school districts across the country have employed remote learning procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, schools continued to provide special education services, yet little is known about how services were adapted for remote or hybrid learning during the height of the pandemic in the United…

Teacher-directed violence has been acknowledged as a major issue in research over the past decade. Teacher-directed violence is the over-arching term used to describe teachers' experiences with physical violence and aggression (i.e., harassment, intimidation, verbal threats). This study is the first to quantitatively compare general education and…

The high attrition and turnover rates of qualified special education teachers (SETs) is a significant concern exacerbated by COVID-19. Unfortunately, there are limited studies available on research-based interventions to decrease burnout. The purpose of this study was to describe our processes and results for adaptations and modifications of…

School-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) is a multi-tiered system of supports that promotes a safe and equitable school environment by supporting the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of all students, including those with extensive support needs (ESN). Research suggests not all students with ESN access and…

This study investigated special education teachers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through qualitative, semi-structured interviews, 15 educators shared detailed reports of how efforts to reach students strained their mental health. They felt stressed due to frequently changing expectations and pressure to comply with federal special…

Drawing on Bandura's social learning and social cognitive theory, we empirically investigate contextual factors that may influence perceived benefits of coteaching for teachers. Special and general education coteachers have reported that necessary contextual factors for them to be effective include: sufficient coplanning time, relationship…