Examining Longitudinal Patterns of Special Education Service Receipt

It is important to understand how longitudinal patterns of special education placement differ from cross-sectional incidence estimates in order to improve measurement precision and better target assistance to students with disabilities. This study used latent class growth analysis in a national-level data set to classify four trajectories of special education service receipt from kindergarten to eighth grade (Never, Persistent, Delayed, and Discontinued) and to predict which kindergarteners follow these trajectories of service receipt ( N = 3,970). This study is among the first to identify which kindergarteners with disabilities may experience persistent special education services, which may exit special education, and what patterns of sociodemographic, achievement, and behavior covariates distinguish these groups. Results both align with prior work and offer a fresh perspective for researchers and policymakers as to how placement changes across schooling and for whom.

Effective Co-Teaching Practices Within the Inclusive Classroom

Co-teaching can be defined with a multitude of formats in a variety of educational settings. Its underlying concept is that at least two professionals collaborate during their instruction and strengthen their delivery, resulting in improved student outcomes. Partnerships that can be deemed as co-teaching could include pairing various combinations of university instructors, teachers of English-language learners, special education service providers, and student teachers but the following review of co-teaching targets the special education service model. In the preschool through high school setting, the continuing trend toward greater inclusion of students with disabilities means that all teachers are faced with teaching their content to increasingly diverse students. A popular service used to accomplish inclusive practices from preschool to high school is co-teaching. Co-teaching is a service by which students with disabilities and their teachers collaborate together for the purpose of providing students with and without disabilities access to the general education curriculum with specially designed instruction. Co-teaching usually occurs for a designated portion of the instructional day. By carefully planning together, co-teaching pairs provide more intense instruction to the entire class based on the general education content and the learning goals for students with disabilities. While instructing together, both teachers often form smaller instructional groups for more individualized lessons. The co-teachers use their assessment data to inform future instruction within the inclusive classroom. By implementing the effective co-teaching practices of shared planning, instructing, and assessing, teachers become equal partners for the benefit of all students.

Participation of Children between Three and Five Years Old at Home and in the Community Setting

The main goal of the present study was to document the participation of preschool children at home and in the community setting, describing the differences between eligible children with support of Special Education Service and/or of the Early Intervention System and noneligible children, in three main dimensions: child functioning, child participation and perceived environmental barriers. Data about child functioning was collected through preschool teachers and about participation and barriers through parents. Sociodemographic data was also collected. Forty preschool teachers and 116 children (and their parents) participated in this study. Forty-two children were eligible and had support from Special Education Service and/or of the Early Intervention System. The results showed that eligible children have lower levels of functionality, participate less frequently and are less involved in the activities at home and in the community setting and that their parents perceive more environmental barriers in both settings. The results were analysed considering the Biopsychosocial Model.

The Characteristics Among Maltreatment, Special Education Service Delivery, and Personnel Preparation

Children are experiencing abuse and neglect at alarming rates, and reported cases of maltreatment are increasing every year. Furthermore, children are 4 times more likely to receive special education services if they have experienced abuse and neglect. Multiple calls for action to better support children with special needs who have experienced maltreatment have been developed; however, we must understand what the research says related to the preparation of special education providers to carry out these recommendations. In this literature review, we focused on three areas related to maltreatment: (a) reported and assessed knowledge base of school-based professionals, (b) attitudes and training beliefs of school-based professionals, and (c) access to training opportunities. The findings suggest practitioners feel unprepared, there are limited and insufficient opportunities for preparation, and researchers need to consider different methodology when studying this topic. Practice and research implications are discussed.

Special Education Service Delivery Models Around the Globe

This chapter examines various service delivery models being used around the world. It discusses models of inclusion in which all students are placed into the public school educational arena and the regular education teachers provide the services to the student with special needs while the special education teacher is used as a consultant. It continues with a discussion about other types of service delivery models, such as separate schools or even institutions away from family, friends, and society. It concludes with a discussion about the future trends within the field of special education service delivery models and what can be done to improve them.

Special Education Service Delivery Models Around the Globe

This chapter examines various service delivery models being used around the world. It discusses models of inclusion, in which all students are placed into the public school educational arena and the regular education teachers provide the services to the student with special needs while the special education teacher is used as a consultant. It continues with a discussion about other types of service delivery models, such as separate schools or even institutions away from family, friends, and society. It concludes with a discussion about the future trends within the field of special education service delivery models and what can be done to improve them.