Teacher effectiveness in regular education classrooms has been widely examined and discussed. However, there is little research on teacher effectiveness in special education settings. This study focused on specific teacher behaviors associated with the academic achievement of mildly handicapped students. Two groups of teacher trainees found to be differentially effective in accomplishing student performance outcomes were contrasted on specific direct instruction variables. The results suggested that teacher trainees who maintained a high presentation rate with many correct pupil responses per minute were more successful in effecting pupil achievement than teachers with a slower presentation and correct rate. Implications for research and instructional practice are discussed.
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