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There is limited research documenting current efforts to support preservice teachers to use the universal design for learning (UDL) framework in authentic teaching experiences. To increase knowledge on the effects of preparing preservice teachers to incorporate the UDL framework, researchers examined the effects a UDL professional development seminar that was delivered during the student teaching phase had on eight teacher candidates during their K–12 placement. Using a concurrent triangulation mixed-method design, researchers examined lesson plans, video footage of teaching, teacher candidate reflections on their teaching sample, and university supervisor measures of the same sample before and after the UDL seminar. Findings are shared as well as recommendations for future practice.

Limited research has focused on the unique needs of military families and their preschool-age children and even less work focused on military families whose preschool children have special needs or disabilities. Researchers implemented a multicase qualitative research design conducted at two sites to gain the perspectives across all service ranks. The study included two groups of participants from each site including (a) early educators working for the school district associated with each military base, and (b) families who had been deployed within the past 5 years and had a child with a disability, or who was at risk for developing a disability, younger than the age of 8 years. Researchers used a semi-structured question protocol to align with the study’s overarching purpose, theory, extant research on military families, and the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) recommended practices for serving children with special needs and their families. Based on the data gathered, researchers describe professional development needs related to developing transportable detailed Individualized Family Service Plans and Individualized Education Programs, using family-centered approaches, and creating a collaborative partnership between school leadership and military command.

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