eCoaching in Rural Secondary Settings When Teaching Students With Intellectual and Other Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Special education teachers in rural settings face unique challenges related to providing transition services to secondary students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (IDD). Geographically isolated school districts tend to have limited collaborative partnership opportunities and access to quality professional development to offer teachers and paraeducators, including classroom-based coaching. Fortunately, advances in technology have shown eCoaching with Bug-in-Ear (BIE) technology to be a viable method for providing performance feedback (PF) to both teachers and paraeducators in real time without requiring the physical presence of the eCoach. This article examines literature specific to applying eCoaching procedures when teaching transition-age youth with IDD. Correspondingly, three related practice recommendations for using BIE in rural settings are offered. Our recommendations support practical application of eCoaching with BIE technology in rural settings for the purpose of improving transition-focused instruction and optimal student outcomes in secondary students with IDD.