The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of special education teachers to reveal the factors that lead to special education teacher retention. Special education continues to be a critical shortage area in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and there is a lack of current literature that considers…

This qualitative study adds to the growing body of research on teacher residency programs through exploration of a small university's graduate teacher residency program for urban special education teachers. The author investigated the program over a four-year period to determine if it was meeting its espoused goals and to understand how the…

Teachers constitute a vulnerable professional group in terms of the impact of work-related stress on depression. The present study examined flourishing and occupational depression in general education teachers (GETs) and special education teachers (SETs). A sample of 448 Italian teachers (69.6% of SETs), mostly women (85.5%), aged 26-67 (M =…

The purpose of this study, grounded in rightful presence and disability studies in education, was to examine contextual factors and teacher candidates' agentic moves when transforming schools towards inclusive education, particularly for students with complex support needs. A critical phenomenological design was used focusing on 11 teacher…

This study explored strategies and practices that seek to increase the retention of provisional special education teachers (PSETs). Urban school divisions have challenges with hiring and/or retaining high-quality special education teachers (SETs). The cyclical practice of hiring and losing PSETs creates an equity imbalance as marginalized school…

The issue of teacher shortages has long been a concern in schools across the nation. Currently, the majority of states have reported persistent shortages, with special education experiencing the most severe gaps. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of school climate on teacher retention in special education schools. Special…

Is there a shortage of special education teachers in America's public schools? If so, why? And how can policymakers fix it? The first question sounds like an easy one. Yes, there is a shortage of special education teachers. In 2023-24, more than half of districts and 80 percent of states reported such a shortage. If you doubt the self-reported…

Many special education teacher preparation programs overlook behavior-based instruction, leaving teachers ill-prepared for students with challenging behaviors. This qualitative study interviewed special education teachers to explore their experiences acquiring behavioral knowledge and managing challenging behaviors. Results highlighted the…

The ongoing teacher shortage has created major concern across the nation. While much research has sought to understand sources of teacher dissatisfaction, less attention has been paid to how general education (GE) and special education (SE) teachers differentially experience workplace challenges. To construct a more detailed and domain specific…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of special educators in the pivot from in-person to virtual learning during COVID-19. A national sample of 46 participants participated in the study. Individual recorded interviews were conducted with each participant by the primary researcher. Two…

Over 7 million students in the United States of America meet special education eligibilities and are serviced in public schools. Life skills teachers teach a specialized group of students with intellectual disabilities. Each of these students has their own Individual Education Plan (IEP). It is a legal requirement for each IEP to be implemented…

There has been a shortage of teachers in the field of special education for over 4 decades. Recently, this shortage is reaching a critical stage causing schools and districts to be unable to meet the federal and state mandates to provide a Free and Appropriate Education to all students ages 3-21 in the Least Restrictive Environment. This shortage…

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of interdependent and independent group contingencies on pre-service teachers' performance on class quizzes that reflected their knowledge of evidence-based practices for students with extensive support needs. In the interdependent condition, the course instructor awarded extra credit…

Students with disabilities such as visual impairment (VI) face challenges in accessing education, mainly owing to their inability to participate in learning activities in the classroom. While experts in special education have discussed the deployment of assistive technology (AT) to support the learning of students with VI, research on its impact…

Teachers are expected to have sufficient knowledge and skills on assistive technologies in order to use assistive technologies, which are defined as various technological tools and methods that facilitate the lives of individuals with special needs, in the field of education. Considering that this is related to undergraduate education programme in…