Instructional Supervision in Special Education: Strategies for Rural Programs

Technology-mediated distance education models have had a major impact on preservice and inservice preparation of special education and related services personnel over the last several decades. The increasing availability of Internet access and the multimedia capabilities of the World Wide Web have combined to spur the growth of online programs as a medium for both initial certification and continuing activities. This study reports the development, implementation, and evaluation of four courses designed as professional development activities for practicing personnel working in early intervention, early childhood special education, elementary and secondary special education, and adult disability services in rural areas of West Virginia and the surrounding Appalachian region. The article explains the process used to create learning materials and technology formats for presentation of content and interaction with learners, outlines the steps in developing and implementing the courses, and presents the results of evaluation activities conducted to assess learning outcomes and participant perceptions of the online learning experience. The findings of this study suggest that Web-based instruction is a viable mode for delivering staff development. Participants demonstrated the acquisition of new knowledge and skills, expressed satisfaction with most aspects of online teaching and learning, and reported specific applications of the information in their own classroom and intervention program settings.

Section: Staff Development Needs In Special Education and Disability mentioning

confidence: 99%

Updating Knowledge and Skills of Practitioners in Rural Areas: A Web-based Model

Ludlow

Foshay

Brannan³

et al. 2002

“…Coaching has been found to be an effective strategy to translate research into classroom practice (Gersten, Morvant, and Brengelman (1995) and trained local educators can develop the skills to provide supervisory support for special educators who work in rural areas (Billingsley & Jones;1993;Turner, Ludlow, & Wienke, 1987). The coach-of-coaches model developed through our program addressed the geographic and fiscal barriers of providing support and supervision to teachers-in-training in sparsely populated regions.…”

Section: Coach-of-coaches Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Best Practices Model for Preparation of Rural Special Education Teachers

Cegelka

Alvarado

2000

This district-university partnership program is meeting the personnel needs of a 17-district region in the California desert where over 40% of their special education teachers had been employed without appropriate credentials. The program was designed to respond to the geographic and population (68% Hispanic) demographics of the region. Utilizing an alternative credential option (the Internship Credential), courses, extensive practica support, assistance and supervision, and continuing professional development opportunities were provided for teachers in this rural desert region. Preliminary results indicate that 70 teachers completed their Specialist Credential, and the retention rate of these professionals has been approximately 85%. It has been indicated, too, that coaches who provide extensive mentoring of Intern teachers during their two years of working toward full certification have favorable views of the program.

Rethinking Professional Development in Rural Communities for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Mueller

Brewer

2013

In this manuscript the authors propose a professional development model for teachers of students with autism spectrum disorder who are served in rural communities. The components of this four-tiered model include: (a) education through ongoing workshops, (b) coaching, (c) parent information meetings, and (d) ongoing data collection. After implementing the model for 1 year in three school districts, the researchers conducted qualitative interviews with educators to explore their perceptions and experiences with the training model. Data analysis indicated coaching was one of the most beneficial aspects of this model. Teacher perceptions of the successes and challenges with the model are presented, along with implications for meeting the needs of students with autism spectrum disorder through professional development in rural communities.