High School Experiences That Support Post-School Success: What Can We Learn?

Students with disabilities continue to lag behind their peers without disabilities in the area of post-school success. This study qualitatively analyzed individual responses from 6 years of post-school outcomes survey data in one state to identify positive experiences said to help students reach their post-school goals. Respondents reported nine themes as being the most helpful in meeting their goals after high school, including having supportive staff members, taking career development coursework, and developing success attributes such as self-advocacy. A negative experience theme also emerged in the analysis. Implications for educators are discussed related to emphasizing instruction in self-determination and career development. Implications for states are discussed related to the post-school outcomes data collection process.

State of the Research on Artificial Intelligence Based Apps for Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities

We conducted a general Google search and a scoping review of various types of artificial intelligence (AI) based technology – mobile, web-based, software, hardware – used by college and university students to do schoolwork. The main findings indicate that (1) there is no generally agreed upon definition of AI, and (2) there is a huge discrepancy between the popular press articles that are behind the AI hype and the scientific literature. The popular press provides an overview of the AI tools available to students with disabilities and discusses how students can use these tools. The scientific literature is primarily devoted to tool development and has poor methodology. We conclude that the potential of AI for post-secondary students with disabilities is enormous, but that informed research about these tools is scant, with a profound lack of demonstrated scalability. Research needs to address “real-world” uses of AI-based tools by post-secondary students with disabilities.

A Transdisciplinary Approach to Promoting Self-Determination: Collaboration Between Special Education Teachers and Music Therapists

Self-determination consists of essential skills for students with disabilities because it gives individuals the power to make decisions based on their own needs and desires. Self-determination includes areas such as choice-making, goal setting, and self-directed learning. Music therapy is a service that can be used to enhance self-determination for students within the educational setting. Through intentional collaboration, music therapists and special educators can bring together their expertise to promote self-determination in students with disabilities. As members of students’ Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs), both professionals are working towards the common interest of fulfilling individuals’ goals and needs. The authors of this manuscript outline and describe a three-step process for collaboration between music therapists and special educators to promote self-determination among students while also providing a vignette to demonstrate this practice.

ICTs and Speed Learning in Special Education: High-Consciousness Training Strategies for High-Capacity Learners through Metacognition Lens

Education in the 21st century is called upon to prepare students with disabilities to enter a high-consciousness society where people can learn, think and react fast. The current review paper aims at investigating the role of fast learning in special education. We trace the essential indicators of speed learning with a special focus on those factors that are most relevant to learning disabilities. Afterward, we present evidence-based training techniques and strategies that speed up learning. In addition, we examine the role of ICTs as essential training tools in speed learning. Finally, we discuss the role of metacognition in training fast and conscious learners. The results of this review showed that speed learning training techniques improve all those factors that accelerate learning such as spatial attention, visual span, processing speed, speed reaction, executive functions, metacognition and consciousness. Most important, fast learning strategies meliorate control processes and spatial intelligence which is extremely fast and powerful. This study also points to the option of including high-speed training techniques in schools to help children with or without disabilities to become conscious and high-capacity learners.

Evaluation of Disabled STEAM -Students’ Education Learning Outcomes and Creativity under the UN Sustainable Development Goal: Project-Based Learning Oriented STEAM Curriculum with Micro:bit

This research aims to discuss the impact of the STEAM curriculum on students with learning disabilities and their learning outcomes and creativity. Teaching for creative thinking is the strategy to deliver a STEAM-structured curriculum and to reach the SDG4 targets. The content is designed in line with project-based learning (PBL), while the micro:bit and paper cutting are used as materials to support it. Methods and Procedures: The single-case research approach (A-B-M) was applied to study three students with special educational needs in primary school. The entire curriculum takes up to 10 weeks with 12 STEAM lessons with activities. The independent variable was the PBL-oriented STEAM curriculum, and the dependent variables were the learning outcomes and TTCT results of pre-tests and post-tests for creativity. There were immediate learning outcomes and retention effects found on the three participants. This paper addresses that the STEAM curriculum had a positive impact on their creativity, which gives affirmative feedback on the curriculum. Conclusion: This PBL-oriented STEAM curriculum under the SDG4 targets gave students with disabilities creativity competency and positive learning outcomes in these case studies. These teaching materials enable teachers to deliver the STEAM curriculum to students with learning disabilities.

Examining the Role Clarity, Ability, and Training Needs of Paraeducators Supporting Students With Disabilities in Physical Education Settings

Paraeducators are often utilized in physical education environments to assist instructors as well as students with disabilities; however, there is little research on the utilization of these professionals within this setting. This study explored paraeducators’ perceived roles and competencies in physical education from the perspectives of both paraeducators and physical educators. This study was conducted with physical educators and paraeducators serving as participants and completing a content-validated survey on the various roles typically assumed by paraeducators when assisting in physical education classes. Data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and t tests, and differences between physical educators and paraeducators were identified. Results indicated these key findings: (1) There was a significant difference in the perception of role clarity of paraeducators between participant groups, (2) there was a significant difference in the perception of role ability of paraeducators between participant groups, and (3) there was not a significant difference between groups in terms of the training needs of paraeducators specific to physical education. Using the results of this study, physical educators and paraeducators can work together to provide the best learning environment possible within physical education for students with disabilities and within the working environment for both physical educators and paraeducators.

Guidance for the Antiracist Educator: Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies for Disability and Diversity

Racism in the United States has risen to the forefront of public awareness through the national outrage, grief, and terrible injustice and bias that continues to dictate the fates of individuals in our communities of color. Centuries of systemic racism require our organization to publish innovative evidence-based practices for use in a wide variety of educational programs and settings around topics related to racial and cultural practices. This special edition of Teaching Exceptional Children (TEC) emphasizes racially and culturally competent and sustaining practices when working with students with disabilities who also experience another social identity.