Expert Perspectives on the Inclusion of Students With Significant Disabilities in Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a framework intended to benefit all students in a school. However, recent research suggests that students with significant disabilities may not fully participate in SWPBIS. Given the complex reasons for varied involvement in SWPBIS (e.g., student educational placement), the purpose of this study was to investigate expert perspectives on the extent to which students with significant disabilities should be included in SWPBIS. Overall, experts agreed students with significant disabilities should be included in all tiers of SWPBIS, receive instruction in schoolwide rules and expectations, and have the opportunity to participate in schoolwide reward systems. Experts shared differing perspectives on the ways behavior violations of students with significant disabilities should be documented.

A Tiered Approach for Training Paraeducators to Use Evidence-Based Practices for Students With Significant Disabilities

Paraeducators play an important role in the education of students with significant disabilities. They can best contribute to improving student outcomes when they are skilled in using evidence-based practices. Tiered training is a practical and promising solution for how teachers can train teams of paraeducators to use evidence-based practices. Like a Response to Intervention (RTI) model for students, tiered staff training involves providing initial training for groups of paraeducators, monitoring their performance, and then providing follow-up coaching to only the paraeducators who need extra support. In this article, each step of tiered training is described with examples. This step-by-step guide is informed by a series of research studies in which tiered training was tested with more than 60 paraeducators who serve students with significant disabilities in public schools.

Employment first and transition: Utah school-to-work initiative

BACKGROUND: Utah’s School-to-Work Initiative is funded by a Partnerships in Integrated Employment Systems Change grant. Our project focuses on building school-level collaborative teams to support transitioning students with the most significant disabilities. Participating students complete work experiences and paid internships leading to permanent competitive integrated employment prior to exit. OBJECTIVE: By integrating two predictors for post-secondary employment, our framework implements customized employment to demonstrate Employment First for students with the most significant disabilities. METHODS: An advisory board evaluated applications and selected Utah secondary schools representing urban, suburban, and rural areas. We provide professional development on transition during biannual community of practice meetings. Subject matter experts provide technical assistance to collaborative teams on implementing the customized employment. RESULTS: Eight school districts have collaborative teams that serve nine secondary schools. We blend funding from VR, Medicaid Waiver, and WIOA to support students with significant disabilities obtain competitive integrated employment. Students’ outcomes have been challenged by the lack of employment providers for customized employment, the turnover of staff in agencies, and the limited resources for English language learners. CONCLUSIONS: We have successfully blended funding and collaboratively support 82 students with significant disabilities and families navigate the adult agency process.

Faculty Perceptions of Expertise for Inclusive Education for Students With Significant Disabilities

Teacher preparation for inclusive education of students with significant disabilities requires an understanding of the requisite skills and dispositions to be taught during the teacher preparation period. Given the relative scarcity of inclusive placements for this population, as well as limited research-based teacher preparation practices to promote inclusive education, a Delphi study was completed to query expert faculty on the priority skills and activities used in teacher preparation. Consensus emerged through the Delphi study over three rounds of surveys to faculty, centering on essential skills of special education teachers, practices used by faculty to teach and evaluate these skills, and conditions that support and constrain teacher development of these essential skills. Although faculty largely supported research-based practices, new areas emerged, including teacher leadership skills. Implications for research and practice are included.

Navigating Barriers as Special Education Teacher Educators

Special education teacher educators face multiple systemic, institutional, and social barriers in preparing teacher candidates to provide students with significant disabilities access to the general curriculum. This qualitative interview study explores how special education teacher educators are working to navigate these barriers while employing strategies at multiple levels. The 14 special education teacher educators in this study utilized strategies to navigate barriers to access the general curriculum in four distinct ways by (a) building relationships, (b) advocacy, (c) increasing knowledge, and (d) being resilient. The discussion includes recommendations for special education teacher educators regarding how to navigate barriers and support pre- and in-service teachers in providing students with significant disabilities access to the general curriculum.

Increasing Work Skills for Students With Significant Disabilities: A Six-Step Model for Transition Worksite Programs

Students with significant disabilities typically experience poor postschool employment outcomes. However, when provided opportunities to work and engage within their communities, they can gain necessary work-specific and workplace social skills to improve outcomes. This article outlines a six-step model for community-based employment programs designed to support students with significant disabilities. The six steps include (a) interagency collaboration, (b) staff training, (c) scheduling, (d) skill acquisition, (e) data tracking, and (f) student involvement. One teacher’s experience as she worked to create such a program is used as a guide to indicate how the steps can be transferred to other schools.

KEEPING OUR STUDENTS SAFE DURING SCHOOL CRISES

As educators and parents of children with disabilities, we recognize that students with significant disabilities benefit from research-based strategies to support the development of academic and social learning. We regularly use systematic instruction and behavior supports to provide day-to-day instruction, yet this same detailed planning is not always carried through to support these students in preparation for school crises. Whether a student with a significant disability is in a weather-related event such as a tornado or a larger crisis such as a school shooting, she or he likely needs intensive instruction with research-based strategies in order to survive. In this article, we discuss the critical issue of systematically inquiring about the specific needs of students with significant disabilities as they pertain to staying safe in school crises and introduce why and how to write an Individual Emergency and Lockdown Plan (IELP) for these students.

Teacher Educators’ Perspectives: Preparing Preservice Teachers to Provide Access to the General Curriculum

Teacher educators play a critical role in preparing preservice teachers to provide students with significant disabilities access to the general curriculum. This qualitative study investigated 11 teacher educators’ definitions of access and their self-reflections on their practices to prepare preservice teachers to provide students with significant disabilities access to the general curriculum. Teacher educators described their practices, which included shaping preservice teachers’ philosophies and dispositions and preparing them with the knowledge and skills to provide access. Findings from this study could translate into improved outcomes for teacher educators, preservice teachers, and ultimately students with significant disabilities.