IST 605: Elementary Special Education Placements

Coladarci, T., & Breton, W. A. (1997). Teacher efficacy, supervision, and the special education resource-room teacher. The Journal of Educational Research, 90(4), 230–239. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27542097

This study discusses the Teacher efficacy scale for special education teachers in a resource room. The study finds that a teacher’s efficacy or ability to produce desired results is directly related to their instructional supervision. In other words, the amount of guidance, idea sharing, feedback, and incorporation of newly trained strategies directly relates to their ability to successfully teach their students with special needs. This also contributed to their job satisfaction and perceived utility of supervision when concurrently more research needs to be completed in order to clarify this position. This study relates more in-depth information about the attitudes and behaviors of resource room teachers and clarifies the nature of the job in this context. It details the needs of support and supervision that is required when first starting your career and continuing as a resource room teacher.

Broderick, A., Mehta-Parekh, H., & Reid, D. K. (2005). Differentiating instruction for disabled students in inclusive classrooms. Theory into practice, 44(3), 194–202. https://doi-org.libproxy.albany.edu/10.1207/s15430421tip4403_3

This article discusses the differentiation of instruction for students with disabilities in a variety of settings. Differentiated instruction is a new approach to special education where the special education teacher changes the process and products within the classroom by adapting instructional strategies, materials, and assessment methods to meet the needs of students with disabilities in order for them to access the general education curriculum. Using strategy helps students with disabilities receive instruction at their level that aligns to the state standards while acknowledging their unique strengths, abilities, interests and diverse needs. This article is crucial for special education because differentiated instruction is a big part of consultant teacher services, inclusion classes, and co-teaching experiences. This article will help you understand the different roles you will play as a special education teacher, and how you will have to accommodate and modify other teachers' lessons, assessments, and structures in order to support your students.

Gurgur, H., & Uzuner, Y. (2010). A phenomenological analysis of the views on co-teaching applications in the inclusion classroom. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 10(1), 311-331. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/phenomenological-analysis-views-on-co-teaching/docview/742879296/se-2

This resource is a study about co-teaching in Turkey, where a researcher got opinions about the strategies for instruction and planning for an integrated co-taught classroom team with the general education and a special education teacher. This case study analyzes two students with special needs in their 35 student classroom. The problems that occurred during the co-plannings meetings have relevant quotations about the difficulties of structured planning for the general education teacher. This demonstrates the need for explicit teacher responsibilities and expectations in a co-teaching method and a proper understanding of the students’ needs to better support the students, adjust teachers’ expectations and prevent the teachers from burning out. This research gives an honest opinion about a co-teaching team and analyzes their interactions, and its effects on the students. I think this article comprehensively shows general and special education teachers' perceptions of the teaching model and how their attitudes and opinions can influence the success of this program. The results mentioned the disharmony between some or all of the parties negatively affects the abilities of the teachers to support students appropriately. I think this article is important to look at when deciding which placement is right for you based on your attitudes and outlook, as well as personality and ability to collaborate with others in an integrated co-taught class or an inclusion class as a special education teacher.

McKay, G. S. (2018). Case by case: An exploration of upper elementary co-teaching experiences in general education learning spaces (Publication No. AAI10785751) [Doctoral Dissertation, Northeastern University] Available from APA PsycInfo®. https://search.library.albany.edu/permalink/01SUNY_ALB/itk8ks/cdi_proquest_journals_2046247160

This qualitative case study focuses on different co-teaching models for upper elementary students from grades 3 to 5 in a public school setting. It touches upon teachers' experiences and attitudes towards collaboration, shared leadership, and flexibility, which is required for a successful team teaching. This research also discusses the impacts of school culture, professional growth, least restrictive environment, and student successes that contribute to the effectiveness and appreciation of co- teaching. The authors noted that during their semi structured interviews focused on the teachers’ reflections about shared leadership and how beneficial their work has been academically and socially for special education students mostly determined by their flexibility, positive outlook, and being equally accountable for student outcomes. I think this case study is a positive view of how co-teaching really works and how it can help teachers flourish and help students and staff build positive school culture and foster growth. This is important if you want to consider a special education teacher that team- teaches with a general education teacher in an elementary school.

Cipriano, C., Barnes, T. N., Bertoli, M. C., Flynn, L. M., Rivers, S. E., & University, Y. (2016). There’s no “I” in team: building a framework for teacher-paraeducator interactions in self-contained special education classrooms. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 51(2), 4–19. https://search.library.albany.edu/permalink/01SUNY_ALB/itk8ks/cdi_eric_primary_EJ1117458

This article looks at the importance of collaboration in a special education, self-contained classroom between teachers and power educators. The authors emphasize the need for mutual respect, communication between these roles, clear roles and appropriate delegation, which positively affect student learning, classroom management, and professional satisfaction. It addresses the challenges which special education teachers, and paraeducators encounter within the classroom which include lack of role clarity, emotional barriers to collaboration, and power dynamics. This resource creates a framework to improve these interactions which enhance the classroom outcomes and work on solidarity, delegation of staff, and respect. This framework was developed based on observations and interviews with educators. This resource is critical for anyone thinking of working in a self-contained classroom. These students with severe needs will require additional professional and paraeducator support. Collaboration with staff is key to support your students and the classroom as a whole. I think pre-service teachers should consider this research to better understand their passions and interests, and how they align with the needs of this type of classroom and the students with it.

Logan, K. R., & Keefe, E. B. (1997). A comparison of instructional context, teacher behavior, and engaged behavior for students with severe disabilities in general education and self-contained elementary classrooms. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 22, 16–27. https://search.library.albany.edu/permalink/01SUNY_ALB/itk8ks/cdi_crossref_primary_10_1177_154079699702200102

This observational study compares teacher behavior and student engagement for 15 students in self-contained settings and 15 students with severe disabilities in a general education classroom. The research notes differences in instructional delivery and teacher attention in the different settings, however the students' engagement appeared to be very similar. This study suggests that students with disabilities may fit appropriately in a general education classroom with sufficient support and comparable instructional opportunities compared to a self-contained classroom. When reading these studies we must note that not all students with the same disability can be treated or taught the same, however this study makes a good case as to how teachers behave in both self-contained and general education settings towards students with disabilities.

McGlynn, K., & Kelly, J. (2019). Adaptations, modifications, and accommodations. Science Scope (Washington, D.C.), 43(3), 36–41 https://search.library.albany.edu/permalink/01SUNY_ALB/itk8ks/cdi_proquest_journals_2298723835

This article by McGlynn and Kelly discusses the differences between adaptations, modifications and accommodations in special education according to a student with disability’s IEP or 504 plan. They outline various practical strategies to create accessible learning environments, adapt assessments, and modify instruction so students can demonstrate their knowledge effectively regardless of learning barriers. The article warns not to over-accommodate and points out the necessity of documenting the process to align with the student’s IEp or 504 plan. It is very important for special education teachers regardless of what setting they work in to understand the differences between adaptations, modification and accommodations to assist in crafting IEPs, providing adequate documentation for this process and designing classrooms and instruction to appropriately remove specific barriers for students with disabilities for them to be independent enough to access the general education curriculum. Furthermore, the layout of the practical applications, especially in science, helps to understand the nature of these practices.