Words and labels used about a person inevitably have an impact, whether intended or unintended. This article discusses the need for intentional and overt, critical reflection and discussion in higher education regarding the language faculty and students use. The authors provide language examples commonly used in courses that could have varied…

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of social work students with disabilities in field education. This qualitative inquiry used semistructured interviews exploring inclusion and accommodations in field education. The 15 participants were graduates of accredited BSW or MSW programs and reported one to five disabilities each.…

A conference titled "Preparing Special Education Teachers in Mild/Moderate Disabilities: Programs, Models, and Exemplary Field Experiences" was organized by College of Education at Kuwait University between April 11-13, 2010. This conference was intended to lead to a better teacher preparation program in the region in the area of mild…

This article describes a program at the University of Hawaii that recruits individuals with training in general education for a special education certification program. Program features include strategies for aligning course and field requirements and the infusion of cultural and linguistic considerations of the school population. (Contains…

Disabled students form a significant but under represented minority in higher education in the UK. Participation appears to be particularly low in disciplines that contain a fieldwork component. Fieldwork has been recognized as a barrier to the participation of disabled students. This paper emphasizes a critical perspective on fieldwork,…

Service-learning continues to be utilized in teacher education programs. A salient feature of this form of pedagogy is the use of reflection. Many instructors and students struggle with the reflection process. Particularly, instructors are challenged to assess students' reflection entries. This article describes a guided reflection rubric that was…

A national survey of special education coursework requirements for preservice regular education teachers was conducted to (1) identify specific course content (2) identify individual institution or state requirements, and (3) to identify types of direct experience with exceptional learners required of prospective teachers. (Author/DB)

Five alternatives to traditional field experiences in special education are described and contrasted, including: infusion of experiences within content courses; traditional experiences offered during the summer session; working practica; roving practica; and specialized field-experiences. It is argued that these alternatives can provide…

Description of the field experiences in the preservice special education program at Pennsylvania State University examines influences on the program; program content, activities, and evaluation; and outcomes. The program was designed to incorporate multiple field experiences in a graduated sequence, expose students to a variety of settings and…

Eight preservice special education teachers participated in a technology-rich field experience with students with disabilities. Preservice teachers felt as a result of their field experience that their knowledge of computers increased, they were better able to evaluate effective software, and that they could use technology to facilitate…

A study involving 127 undergraduates investigated the effectiveness of an innovative preservice training program designed to teach general education teachers how to use applied behavioral analysis to become reflective, responsive, educators. Participants in the field-based Instructional Assistants Program provided direct instruction and most felt…

The Special Education Training Program at South Carolina State University offers training for school administrators on both theory and practice in designing, developing, implementing, and supervising programs for students with special needs in least restrictive environments. Each course requires a 10-hour field experience and students must also…

In response to Utah's establishment of state special education certification standards, the University of Utah has developed a teacher education program with two distinctive features: field experience as half the program, and mastery learning of specific objectives leading to endorsement. (MSE)

Current efforts to reform special education have focused on the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education settings. The success of inclusion is contingent upon preparing general education teachers at the preservice level for inclusive classroom settings. This paper describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of an…

A study of influences on practicum students' (N=8) acquisition of teaching skills for mainstreaming handicapped children revealed that cooperating teachers, university supervisors, course work, field experiences, and practicum assignments exerted the greatest influence on student teachers. (CB)