Educational professionals agree that traditional preservice preparation has been inadequate in preparing educators to teach culturally and/or linguistically diverse students. Reasons for this lack of preparation are generally identified as an insufficient number of diverse teacher candidates and poor infusion of culturally competent practices across programs. Most universities and colleges have responded to these needs, but neglect the need to improve faculty members’ own cultural competence. We present the journey taken by one traditional special education teacher preparation program to increase the number of diverse candidates enrolled, infuse cultural diversity competence across the program, and improve faculty members’ sensitivity and appropriate responses toward cultural differences.

Increasing numbers of students in U.S. schools are at greater risk of school failure because of social, economic, and family stress factors. Teachers can use literature as bibliotherapy for both children and adolescents to create a safe distance, allowing them to deal with sensitive issues related to these problems, as well as to teach social skills that can then help prevent school failure. In this article, the authors present a 10-step process for implementing bibliotherapy in the classroom and provide a sample of juvenile books that could be used in bibliotherapy.

In the general education classroom students with learning disabilities (LD) often need academic accommodations to be successful. These accommodations are typically selected and implemented by their general education teachers, not by the students themselves. High school students with LD were taught to recognize when an accommodation was needed, select the appropriate accommodation, request the accommodation and then implement the accommodation in the general education classroom. To evaluate the effectiveness of the instruction, four students were observed in the general classroom. Results indicated that after receiving instruction students were successful in advocating for themselves in requesting accommodations. Their teachers strongly agreed that students should learn how to advocate for themselves and that the students benefited from the training. The students indicated that they were more successful in their general education classes when they requested accommodations.

Researchers suggest that video-based interventions can provide increased opportunity for students with disabilities to acquire important academic and functional skills; however, little research exists regarding video-based interventions on the academic skills of students with autism and intellectual disability. We used a multiple-baseline-across-participants design to investigate the effects of video self-modeling (VSM) on the mathematics skill acquisition of adolescents with autism. Four adolescent male students viewed videos of themselves on an iPad solving mathematical problems to estimate the amount of money used to pay for a given item and the amount to receive in change. Findings support a functional relationship between VSM and performance on math skills for each participant. Subsequently, the VSM was systematically faded during maintenance sessions, with little deterioration of skill. Follow-up data probes were interpreted to conclude that student characteristics may affect retention of skill. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Researchers suggest that video-based interventions can provide increased opportunity for students with disabilities to acquire important academic and functional skills; however, little research exists regarding video-based interventions on the academic skills of students with autism and intellectual disability. We used a multiple-baseline-across-participants design to investigate the effects of video self-modeling (VSM) on the mathematics skill acquisition of adolescents with autism. Four adolescent male students viewed videos of themselves on an iPad solving mathematical problems to estimate the amount of money used to pay for a given item and the amount to receive in change. Findings support a functional relationship between VSM and performance on math skills for each participant. Subsequently, the VSM was systematically faded during maintenance sessions, with little deterioration of skill. Follow-up data probes were interpreted to conclude that student characteristics may affect retention of skill. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Chapter 1: Historical and Legal Foundations of Family Involvement in Special Education with B. Y. Ashbaker & T. T. Dyches
Chapter 2: Historical and Current Perspectives of Family Involvement with M. T. Tannock & N. J. Carter
Chapter 3: Family Members’ Roles and Characteristics with M. T. Tannock & N. J. Carter
Chapter 4: Communicating and Collaborating with Families with W. W. Murawski & N. J. Carter
Chapter 5: Overview of Diversity among Families and Professionals
Chapter 6: Cultural Competence and Working with Families from Diverse Backgrounds
Chapter 7: Understanding the Professional Perspective with N. J. Carter
Chapter 8: Creating IEPs with Families and Strategies for Involving Students with N. J. Carter
Chapter 9: Ethical Considerations When Working with Families with J. M. Sileo
Chapter 10: Special Considerations for Birth through High School with T. Rose
Chapter 11: Special Considerations for Post-Secondary with T. Rose
Chapter 12: Family Voices

Bullying, a serious issue in today’s schools, negatively impacts children. This article summarizes research and emphasizes the need for effective tools, such as bibliotherapy, to deter bullying. To assist professionals in selecting books for bibliotherapy, 38 bully-themed children’s K-3 picture books ranked 1- 4 by The Horn Book Guide (HBG) from January 1, 2004 through January 1, 2010 were analyzed. Comparisons were made between the selected books’ portrayals of bullying and aspects of bullying, and bully prevention described in research literature. Information was summarized, including the following details: (a) gender of bully and victim, (b) type of bullying, (c) location of bullying, (d) responses of bystanders and adults, and (e) resolution of bullying problems. Considering this descriptive information, professionals are advised to more selectively recommend books to fit the unique needs of students and encourage desired bullying resolution strategies.

Special education faculty members at Brigham Young University voluntarily participated in a four-year professional development program centered on increasing their cultural responsiveness. The program was particularly needed at the time given the recent increased cultural and linguistic diversity (CLD) in the local schools and the university’s acquisition of a grant to support CLD teacher candidates completing the special education and English as a Second Language (ESL)/bilingual licensure programs. Overall professional development goals included preparing all special education faculty to (a) become educated in the Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence (CREDE) standards, (b) be knowledgeable about current issues in multicultural special education, (c) identify and infuse cultural competencies into courses and fieldwork, (d) be trained is ESL observation techniques, and (e) become familiar with and respond appropriately to the unique needs of CLD teacher candidates. Faculty committed to 16 hours of professional development each year. Activities included guest presentations by faculty internal and external to the university, faculty discussion groups, interviewing the CLD teacher candidates, and observing in ESL classrooms, among other activities. During the fourth year, faculty designed individual professional development plans with self-selected goals and activities. At the end of the fourth year the faculty members were interviewed regarding their perceptions of these experiences. Generally they found them to be very valuable with the teacher candidate interviews having the most impact. Additional future steps include reviewing course syllabi and observing university classrooms to ensure the knowledge gained is being implemented, followed by observing the cultural competence of teacher candidate graduates in K-12 classrooms.

Special education faculty member (n-12) from a large Western university participated in a four-year professional development program centered on increasing their cultural responsiveness. During the fourth year the primary investigator interviewed faculty members regarding their perceptions and the impact of the program. Each interview was audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using the inductive analysis design for qualitative research (Hatch, 2002). Faculty expressed likes and dislikes of the program and provided suggestions for future professional development. Other results that emerged included that time was a barrier, that leaving campus facilitated learning, and that collaboration enhanced learning. Faculty reported that the professional development made them self-reflect, change practice and attitudes, adjust their perceptions of diverse students, and alter professional interactions. Faculty also expressed personal conflicts as a result of these activities.

Inclusion in the context of schooling is a belief that all students should be included in the general education classroom. The inclusion movement has been influenced by legal mandates, as well as social and educational reform. Proponents have based their arguments on legal, moral, educational/social, and political grounds. Opponents express concern about the impact of inclusion on teachers, students, and schooling in general. Empirical studies indicate that students with and without disabilities can benefit from inclusion and that most general educators, special educators, students with and without disabilities, and family members support inclusive practices. Inclusion may be found worldwide.

This article provides current information relevant to school social workers who serve students with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), including how OCD is defined in children and adolescents, the impact of OCD on schooling, issues in identifying students with OCD, and effective interventions. The authors offer suggestions for collaboration among school personnel and families and for linking school with home. Finally, they present recommendations for educating peers of students with OCD.

Stress and burnout contribute significantly to the shortages of school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs). At the request of the Utah State Office of Education, the researchers measured the stress levels of 97 school-based SLPs using the Speech-Language Pathologist Stress Inventory. Results indicated that participants? emotional-fatigue manifestations, instructional limitations, biobehavioral manifestations, lack of professional supports, and total stress were significantly below that of the original national sample. However, of the 48 survey items, participants? responses indicated more stress in three specific areas, namely, case load size, salary, and the use of prescription drugs. Caseload and salary have been identified in other studies as major sources of stress for SLPs. No significant differences in stress were identified with the type of school district (rural and urban), number of years? experience, or number of students served. Efforts to reduce stress levels of SLPs should be aimed at increasing supports, reducing caseloads, and increasing salaries.