David L. Westling

Teachers and Challenging Behavior: Knowledge, Views, and Practices

Seventy teachers (38 special education and 32 general education teachers) completed a questionnaire using Likert-type scales to describe several traits and conditions about themselves and students with challenging behavior. Results indicated that most teachers did not use many effective strategies or receive sufficient support, and viewed challenging behavior as having an adverse effect on them and their students. Still most believed most challenging behavior was learned and could be improved. Although they felt they had learned about how to deal with “most” challenging behavior through experience, most did not perceive their professional preparation to be adequate. Regression analysis demonstrated that inservice and preservice preparation were predictive of confidence and the number of strategies used for addressing challenging behavior.

Rural Special Education Teachers' Plans to Continue or Leave Their Teaching Positions:

A survey of 158 rural special education teachers was conducted to determine the teachers plans for remaining in or leaving their current teaching positions. Only 57% indicated that it was likely that they would return in 5 years. Data were analyzed to determine variables that differed significantly between those likely to stay in their positions. Select variables were entered into a logistic regression analysis to build a predictive model. The results of these analyses, along with teachers written comments, suggested that administrative support and job requirements played important roles in teachers 5-year plans.

Postsecondary Vocational Adjustment of Rural, Mildly Handicapped Students

Few studies have focused on the postsecondary adjustment of mildly handicapped students living in rural areas. This article examines a study of the background of 113 formerly labeled mildly handicapped students to determine what educational variables were predictive of their current occupational status. Data were collected on the demographic and academic backgrounds of the students as well as on current and previous employment status. These variables were reviewed and statistical measures were used to describe and evaluate the relationship between the former students employment status and their education and training. Analysis of the results indicated that former students were employed an average of 50 percent of the time after termination of their secondary education and that former special education students received little specific vocational training. Correlational analyses reflected a positive relationship between years of school completed and employment status. Additionally, a significant relationship between certain academic variables (e.g., mathematics level and reading level) and employment status was indicated. Results are discussed relative to implications for improved training of students served in classes for the mildly handicapped.

The Teacher Support Program A Proposed Resource for the Special Education Profession and an Initial Validation

Several challenges characterize the special education profession. The literature is replete with reports of high levels of stress, burnout, and attrition among special educators; the lack of a sufficient number of fully qualified teachers; and dissatisfaction with the gap that exists between research-based effective practices and the daily classroom practices of teachers. In an attempt to counter these conditions, a model Teacher Support Program was developed in western North Carolina that offered several support services to teachers who participated voluntarily in the program. This article reports the elements of the program, the degree of participation by area teachers, and the impact of the program as reported by participants through interviews and written reports.

Teachers' Beliefs about Maltreatment of Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders.

A national survey of 556 teachers of students with emotional/behavior disorders (E/BD) was conducted to identify special educators beliefs about child maltreatment among the students they taught. The respondents reported that they believed approximately 38% of their students had been abused physically or sexually 41% had been neglected, and 51% had been abused emotionally. The teachers reported that the behavior of their students, student reports, physical signs, and reports from others led them to believe that abuse or neglect had occurred. Furthermore, they reported that their students displayed many personal and behavioral characteristics often identified as indicators of maltreatment. Of the teachers surveyed, 82% related that they had reported maltreatment and that their reports were made most often to school administrators and least often to the abuse and neglect hotline. Implications for the education and treatment of children who have been maltreated and have E/BD are discussed as well as recommendations for research.

Inclusion Promoting Successful through Collaborative Problem-Solving

Inclusion of students with and wittiout disabilities in general public schools and classrooms is becoming more and more c o m m o n throughout the United States . According to the U.S. Department of Edxad uca t ion ( 1 9 9 6 ) , the pe rcen tage o f s tuxad dents with disabilities served in resource rooms has gradually decreased, and the percentage served in general educat ion c lassrooms has increased considerably. During the 1990s , school districts have made a strong effort to provide more inxad clusive education. As a result of this efxad fort, in 1993-94 , states reported serving 4 3 . 4 % of students with disabilities ages 6-21 in general c l a s s room p lacemen t s , 2 9 . 5 % in resource rooms, 2 2 . 7 % in sepxad arate classes, 3 . 1 % in separate schools , 0 . 7 % in residential facilities, and 0 . 6 % in homebound/hospital placements (U.S. Department of Education. 1 9 9 6 ) . Empirxad ical support of such inclusive placements Tim Hobbs David L. Westling

Competencies for Teachers of the Severely and Profoundly Handicapped: A Review

The purpose of this review was to identify competency statements specified in the professional literature for teachers of severely and profoundly handicapped students. Computer searches and hand searches of the literature of the past 10 years were undertaken. As a result, 59 competency statements were found. These competencies fell into nine categories: general knowledge, planning, assessment, curriculum, behavior management, instruction, physical/ medical, other personnel, and parents. An overwhelming majority of the statements were found to be based on opinion or opinion with limited substantiation. Implications for further work in this area are discussed.

Characteristics of Superior and Average Special Education Teachers

A questionnaire regarding current teaching practices and related experiences was sent to a group of designated “superior” special educators and a contrast group of “average” special educators. The questionnaire included the following areas: personal/professional data; professional preparation; classroom teaching activity; classroom management; evaluation; professional interaction; and parental interaction. The results are reported in terms of the items that (a) were answered positively by a majority of the superior educators and (b) resulted in significant differences between the two groups. Discussion is focused on the implications of the findings for teacher training programs.

What Parents of Young Children with Mental Disabilities Want: The Views of One Community.

Based on a review of the literature by Westling (1996), a questionnaire for parents of children with mental disabilities was developed in which parents were asked to rate various aspects of special education and related services with regard to importance, satisfaction, availability, desire, or concern. Parents were questioned in the areas of curriculum, placement, support services, their involvement in their childs education, importance of information, and potential parental concerns. One hundred sixty-three questionnaires were distributed through the public school system of a medium-size school district in the southeastern United States and 53 (33%) were returned through the mail. Results are reported from each section of the questionnaire and the implications of the parents views are discussed. Within the discussion, special attention is given to concerns of parents of children with more severe disabilities.

Generalization Of Community Skills: How Much Training Is Necessary?:

The current emphasis on preparing students with mental handicaps to operate in community settings requires practitioners to implement educational methods that will foster community skill acquisition and generalization. Skill generalization calls for the implementation of methods that are potentially more complex than those required for simple skill acquisition. The present paper focuses on the success of generalization within community training studies and the strategies used to achieve this success. The present review analyzed 27 studies that taught community skills to persons with moderate to severe mental handicaps and tested the generalization of these skills. The analyses included the degree of generalization that occurred and the effect of different strategies used to promote generalization. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for practitioners and the need for additional research.