Teachers working in a special education self-contained classroom were required to implement evidence-based practices and interventions, rarely researched in a school setting, with fidelity to meet the needs of students with intellectual disabilities. Evidence-based practices and interventions for students with intellectual disabilities were…

This research study involved the use of participatory action research to examine perspectives of a group of special education teachers regarding the feasibility of implementing inquiry-based teaching strategies with students who have disabilities in the social studies classroom. The study occurred at a therapeutic day school catering to students…

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have complex and unique needs that can impact their success. Evidence-based practices (EBPs) have been identified that are effective with this population, yet educators may not be adequately prepared to implement such EBPs. Special education administrators are frequently responsible for developing and…

Purpose: The goal of this study was to identify promising implementation strategies that may increase teachers' and speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) adoption of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) during routine classroom activities. Method: A grounded theory approach was used to collect and code online, semi-structured interviews…

Naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI) strategies appear to be well-suited for implementation by preschool teachers of young children ages 3 through 5, yet research exploring NDBI implementation within this specific context is extremely limited. We applied an implementation science framework to examine reported knowledge,…

Co-teaching is a widely used service delivery model for special education with significant variability in implementation. In this exploratory study, we examine a three-element model for instruction in co-teaching that is meant to reduce this variability and evaluate its implementation by three secondary co-teaching teams. Changes in teacher…

Few studies exist studying the implementation of a mindfulness program among high school students with disabilities. This study examined outcomes from the implementation of a 6-week "Learning to BREATHE" program, which is a mindfulness-based program for adolescents. This study explores behavioral problems, self-efficacy, self-regulation,…

Teachers are the primary conduit through which positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) are implemented. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate alternatively certified special education teachers' implementation of PBIS. All participants were in their first or second year as teachers in classrooms for pre-kindergarten…

"Augmentative and alternative communication" (AAC) refers to a wide variety of communication devices, systems, tools, and strategies that support or replace spoken language. Augmentative and alternative communication users represent a range of ages, abilities, and communication needs. Support for AAC often begins in the public school…

Schools are the primary setting in which autistic youth receive intervention, yet fidelity to implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for autism in schools varies. Fidelity is an important metric to determine whether educators are delivering EBPs as designed, and there are many different factors that predict fidelity to EBP…

Disproportionality in education is defined as the overrepresentation of specific racial or ethnic groups requiring special education (NJDOE New Jersey Department of Education [OSEP], 2018). Minority students who may be inappropriately identified as having disabilities may be harmed by being stigmatized with labels, experiencing lower expectations,…

Children with special education needs possess unique learning characteristics which may inhibit their effective learning in mainstream, general education classes. Special education practices are therefore designed to address the educational needs of students with disabilities through various strategies including thorough assessments of students'…

This qualitative descriptive study explored how middle school general education teachers describe their role, the support they received, and the ways they implemented RTI strategies to support students with disabilities in the inclusive classroom setting in the Northwestern region of Georgia. The Response to Intervention conceptual framework was…

The problem explored in the study was that elementary and middle school special education teachers in the southeastern United States were not using positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) strategies with their students with disabilities (SWDs), even though the framework had been implemented at their schools. Perceptions of elementary…

Following the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, questions concerning the joint education of students with and without special educational needs remain to be answered. Currently, there is a need for knowledge about the necessary conditions for a successful implementation of inclusive education. Thus, the aim of…