Special Education Teacher Preparation: A Synthesis of Four Research Studies

Abstract

Four national studies of personnel preparation in special education were conducted from 1982 to 1986 by the Institute for the Study of Exceptional Children and Youth, University of Maryland. The studies included two surveys of individual states' manpower needs, a mail survey of preservice special education majors, and interviews with faculty in selected states concerning teacher training and teacher training programs. A synthesis of the findings from the studies yielded a variety of information on teacher training programs and their students, as well as information on the significant trends and influences on these programs. These trends and influences are discussed, as well as their implications for future special education program planning and development.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Darling-Hammond

(1984). Beyond the commission reports: The coming crisis in teaching. Santa Monica, CA. The Rand Corporation.

Feistritzer

C. E.

(1985, August). Commentary by publisher. Teacher Education Reports, p. 7.

Geiger

(1983). 1983 National directory of special education teacher preparation programs. Reston, VA: The Council for Exceptional Children.

Grosenick

, & Huntze

(1983). More questions than answers: Review and analysis of programs for behaviorally disordered children and youth. Columbia, MO: National Needs Analysis Project, University of Missouri.

Joyce

B. R.

Morra

, & Kuuskraa

V. A.

(1975). National survey of the preservice preparation of teachers: Questionnaire for students, 1975. Washington, DC: National Center for Educational Statistics.

Lilly

M. S.

(1987). Lack of focus on special education in literature on educational reform. Exceptional Children, 53, 325–326.

McLaughlin

M. J.

Smith-Davis

, & Burke

P. J.

(1986). Personnel to educate the handicapped in America: A status report. College Park, MD: Institute for the Study of Exceptional Children and Youth.

Noel

M. M.

Valdivieso

C. H.

, & Fuller

B. C.

(1985). Determinants of teacher training preparation: A study of departments of special education. College Park, MD: Institute for Study of Exceptional Chldrn and Youth.

Pugach

(1987). The national education reports and special education: Implications for teacher preparation. Exceptional Children, 53. 308–314.

10.

Pugach

& Sapon-Shevin

(1987). New agendas for special education policy: What the national reports haven't said. Exceptional Children, 53, 295–299.

11.

Smith-Davis

Burke

P. J.

, & Noel

M. M.

(1984). Personnel to educate the handicapped in America: Supply and demand from a programmatic viewpoint. College Park, MD: Institute for the Study of Exceptional Children and Youth.

12.

U.S. Department of Education. (1987). To assure a free appropriate public education of all handicapped children: Ninth annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Education of the Handicapped Act. Washington, DC: Author.