E Zhang, Skylar Bellinger, Leni Swails, Stephanie Punt, Katy Tepper, Eve-Lynn Nelson
{"title":"Connecting Behavioral Health Specialists With Schools: Adapting a Telementoring Series During COVID-19.","authors":"E Zhang, Skylar Bellinger, Leni Swails, Stephanie Punt, Katy Tepper, Eve-Lynn Nelson","doi":"10.1177/87568705231152619","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/87568705231152619","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To address the daunting behavioral and mental health needs of Kansas' rural and underserved communities, Telehealth ROCKS (Rural Outreach for the Children of Kansas) Schools project partnered with school-based health centers, school districts, and special education cooperatives to provide a range of telebehavioral health intervention services and teletraining. This project used the Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) telementoring framework to connect specialty providers with school/community providers for web-based continuing education and case consultation to support students with special education needs. Our team created the Function Friday for Better Behavior ECHO series to address challenging behaviors in schools, based on the concept of functional behavior assessment and function-based treatment. Part of the ECHO series came into being after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article describes how our ECHO series provided an effective mechanism for supporting school and community providers during the pandemic, and participating educators utilized skills as they transitioned from onsite education to the virtual learning environment with students.</p>","PeriodicalId":45133,"journal":{"name":"Rural Special Education Quarterly","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9908514/pdf/10.1177_87568705231152619.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9940000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Riding Fences","authors":"Ginevra Courtade","doi":"10.1177/87568705231168689","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/87568705231168689","url":null,"abstract":"An introduction to journal is presented in which the author discusses articles within the issue on topics including differences in the receipt and delivery of extended school year services in the U.S., ways to sustain work experiences in rural communities and improve for youth with disabilities, and professional development model for secondary mathematics co-teaching.","PeriodicalId":45133,"journal":{"name":"Rural Special Education Quarterly","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2023-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48354970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kaitlin Bundock, Kristen R. Rolf, Anna P. Hornberger, Chamy Halliday
{"title":"Improving Access to General Education via Co-Teaching in Secondary Mathematics Classrooms: An Evaluation of Utah’s Professional Development Initiative","authors":"Kaitlin Bundock, Kristen R. Rolf, Anna P. Hornberger, Chamy Halliday","doi":"10.1177/87568705231167340","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/87568705231167340","url":null,"abstract":"Co-teaching may be a promising strategy to improve inclusive secondary mathematics education in rural schools. Professional development (PD) aids in special and general education teachers’ co-teaching implementation, yet little empirical research examines how to effectively train and support co-teachers. In this study, we describe one U.S. state’s PD model for secondary mathematics co-teaching, evaluate outcomes of the PD on co-teachers’ behaviors and beliefs, and examine the impact of co-teaching on students’ mathematics achievement. We examined data from observations, surveys, and students’ pre/post assessments across nine classes within seven U.S. school districts, including three rural school districts, over 3 years. We report data from a total of 19 teachers and 281 students in sixth through ninth grades. The PD participants implemented effective co-teaching strategies and reported positive viewpoints toward co-teaching. Additionally, students with and without disabilities improved their mathematics scores. We present key findings for rural schools to guide future implementation and research.","PeriodicalId":45133,"journal":{"name":"Rural Special Education Quarterly","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2023-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45471537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Voices of a Rural Community: How to Sustain and Improve Work Experiences for Youth with Disabilities","authors":"Joy Mahiko","doi":"10.1177/87568705231165341","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/87568705231165341","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of how work experiences in rural Hawai’ian communities can be sustained and improved for youth with disabilities. Employing a basic qualitative research design, this study captured the perspectives of rural community members who provided work experiences for youth with disabilities. Data analysis revealed key factors to sustain work experience partnerships between schools and community members: (a) effective communication, (b) competent personnel, and (c) the dispositions of students. The findings also revealed that there were missed opportunities for youth with disabilities during their work experiences because schools did not fully disclose the work needs and goals of students. The community members and their work sites could have been more effective if disability training and support was provided. The findings provide valuable insight into how work experiences can be sustained and improved for rural youth with disabilities.","PeriodicalId":45133,"journal":{"name":"Rural Special Education Quarterly","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2023-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47011196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Reesha M. Adamson, Jessica Nelson, J. Turner, Felicity Post
{"title":"Examining the Rural Context: Supporting Paraeducator Training and Development With Limited Resources","authors":"Reesha M. Adamson, Jessica Nelson, J. Turner, Felicity Post","doi":"10.1177/87568705221150020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/87568705221150020","url":null,"abstract":"Supporting the development and training of paraeducators can be complex; however, that support in rural settings can be especially challenging. The unique structure of rural settings, often with limited personnel and available resources, can create challenges for recruiting and retaining quality candidates within the field of paraeducation. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of rural educators who support paraeducators and their training. Participants were interviewed about how their individual classroom and school district training models support paraeducators. Specific questions were targeted at opportunities for and quality of professional development, performance feedback, and models of support for rural paraeducators in rural areas throughout the Midwest. Overall, seven themes emerged from interviews revolving around the need for initial training to be more specific to setting and student needs, creation of cohesive meeting times with intensive training for the most challenging students, the need for structured meetings, and a clearinghouse of resources and support.","PeriodicalId":45133,"journal":{"name":"Rural Special Education Quarterly","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2023-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48151787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Silvia L. Vilches, Maria J. Pighini, M. Stewart, Verena Rossa-Roccor, Beth S. McDaniel
{"title":"Preparing Early Childhood Educators/Interventionists: Scoping Review Insights Into the Characteristics of Rural Practice","authors":"Silvia L. Vilches, Maria J. Pighini, M. Stewart, Verena Rossa-Roccor, Beth S. McDaniel","doi":"10.1177/87568705221150514","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/87568705221150514","url":null,"abstract":"Rural regions struggle to retain early intervention (EI), special education (SE), and early childhood education (ECE) supports for children with developmental delay and/or disability, yet there is little guidance to prepare pre-service students for rural practice. This exploratory scoping review of rural EI/SE/ECE practice in the United States and Canada, where EI for children birth to 8 years is part of the education and development continuum (as opposed to health), found four characteristics: a broader scope of practice, the importance of being a whole person, doing more outreach to engage families, and negotiating personal/professional boundaries. Retention is enhanced when educators feel effective and appreciated. Regionalized (not national) funding sources may be limiting disciplinary advances, and cultural/racial inclusivity, equity issues, travel, and distance barriers were under-studied. Cross-national variation in EI/SE/ECE terms impeded the search. Future research should highlight the unique multidisciplinary and multijurisdictional nature of rural EI/SE/ECE practice across the developmental span.","PeriodicalId":45133,"journal":{"name":"Rural Special Education Quarterly","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2023-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41494924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kalli B Decker, Alexandra J Feigel, Tricia D Foster, Rachel L Kepl
{"title":"\"Press On, Continue On\": Rural Parents' Experiences of Transitions Within Early Intervention.","authors":"Kalli B Decker, Alexandra J Feigel, Tricia D Foster, Rachel L Kepl","doi":"10.1177/87568705221097080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/87568705221097080","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although all families experience a variety of transitions over time, families of children with exceptionalities tend to encounter more transitions during their children's earliest years. Transitions can be stressful and often include changes as part of early intervention or special education services. It is important to understand these transitions because the support families receive can influence child and family well-being. Therefore, we interviewed parents (<i>N</i> = 28) across a rural state about their experiences of transition over time. Using thematic analysis, three common themes emerged: (a) change is constant, (b) positive relationships support changing needs and priorities, and (c) parents need more support, information, or access to services or providers. Parents reported relationships and collaboration with providers to be important, yet insufficient, in supporting transitions. Rurality added some challenges to parents' experiences with transition. Recommendations include empowering families, providing more access and/or removing barriers to services, and building family efficacy through family-focused services.</p>","PeriodicalId":45133,"journal":{"name":"Rural Special Education Quarterly","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10153472/pdf/nihms-1865052.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9409920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reducing Isolation in an Online Teacher Preparation Program: Reflections From STRIDE Scholars","authors":"Jody Marie Bartz, Karen Applequist, J. Aruguete","doi":"10.1177/87568705221135813","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/87568705221135813","url":null,"abstract":"The significant shortages of special educators across the United States, particularly in our rural communities, can negatively affect the delivery of high-quality services that enable young children and families to flourish (National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services, 2019). We present our Project STRIDE (STrengthening Rural Inclusive Diverse Early Educators) program description along with longitudinal and reflective data collected from a cohort of graduate students working in rural communities in a southwestern U.S. state who were completing their degrees in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE). Twenty STRIDE Scholars demonstrated significant growth in self-ratings from midpoint to end of program. Evaluative data obtained on program components revealed overall program satisfaction. We discuss how characteristics of learners potentially contribute to the self-reflection process and the value of purposeful embedding of self-reflection in distance teacher education programs.","PeriodicalId":45133,"journal":{"name":"Rural Special Education Quarterly","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47663074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jennifer McFarland-Whisman, S. Whisman, D. Lockwood
{"title":"A Preliminary Look at Reasons for Attrition Among Special Educators Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder","authors":"Jennifer McFarland-Whisman, S. Whisman, D. Lockwood","doi":"10.1177/87568705221136115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/87568705221136115","url":null,"abstract":"Research on teacher retention and attrition suggests that it may be particularly difficult to fill special education positions in rural, economically disadvantaged, high-minority, and urban U.S. schools. Although teacher retention and attrition have received considerable attention in the literature, less is known about the reasons special educators teaching students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) leave their positions. Using a series of surveys and follow-up phone interviews, the current study sought to provide preliminary information regarding reasons teachers of students with ASD in West Virginia, a predominantly rural, economically disadvantaged state, may leave their positions and identify the supports that may be most influential in assisting them in staying in their positions. Additional directions for research and ways school districts might better support teachers of students with ASD are discussed.","PeriodicalId":45133,"journal":{"name":"Rural Special Education Quarterly","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2022-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49411744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}