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[no dialogue].
Hello, my name is Melissa Jones and I am an Associate Professor
in the Department of Special Education.
I am pleased to have this opportunity to discuss
my research interests as well as some of my recent findings,
and the potential impact on the field.
As you will soon discover, my research agenda is broad,
possibly due to the diverse populations we serve
under the umbrella of Special Education.
Or perhaps this may be the case because of
the many facets of the profession.
One of the areas in which I am most interested is the use of
effective teaching and management practices
for children and young adults with
exceptional learning and behavioral needs.
In particular, I have investigated the use of
those practices which are considered evidence-based
or scientifically-validated which, simply put, means that
they have been proven to significantly and positively
impact student learning across settings and studies.
One in-depth study I completed involved mixed methodologies
and multiple measures to examine how Special Educators early
in their teaching careers felt about, were knowledgeable of,
and incorporated research into their daily professional lives.
Findings resulted in the confirmation of a
research-to-practice gap and the fact that many
novice teachers' views regarding the importance of
research do not truly align with their actions in the classroom.
Furthermore, a lack of accesssibility to practices
which are considered validated served
to be a significant deterrent to their use.
Neither the school culture nor self-reported teaching efficacy
seemed to impact the use of evidence-based practices.
However, teacher preparation, professional organization
involvement, and continuing education and professional
development did appear to be linked to the teachers'
use of practices proven to be effective for students
diagnosed with high incidence disabilities.
Another area of interest is the impact our pre-service
candidates in teacher- preparation programs have on
P-12 students in the schools where field experiences occur.
If we cannot assure in-service teachers, administrators,
parents, and the public in general that there are benefits
which result from welcoming those learning to teach, then
it is difficult to justify the rationale for them to do so.
In addition, without "proof" of results, it almost seems
unethical to continue to allow pre-teachers to practice
learning their craft when student learning could
possibly be compromised.
Results from two studies my colleagues and I conducted in
this area, however, support the idea that there is a positive
and significant impact on not only children's learning,
but possibly more importantly the potential
for ongoing impact as pre-service teachers bring
enthusiasm, new ideas and the latest methods into Special
Education settings and classrooms, which over time may
have become less than optimal in terms of effectiveness.
By examining pre-and post test results of IEPs-- Individualized
Education Plans-- triangulated with
responses of cooperating teachers and administrators,
findings definitively support this conclusion.
In Special Education, a continuum of service-delivery
options is mandated by the law.
Historically-- with the inception of Public Law
94-142 in 1975-- children with disabilities received
specialized services in segregated settings.
Recently though, more inclusive ways of providing
special services to indviduals with special needs
have begun to be utilized.
One of those approaches is referred to as co-teaching,
wherein two or more professionals work together
to plan and present instruction as well as
evaluate student learning.
For instance, a general educator and a special educator might
work collaboratively in a math class, which includes children
with and without disabilities.
They designate specific roles and continually employ their
joint expertise to best meet the needs of
all students in the room.
One study I completed which investigated stakeholders' views
of this service delivery approach found that
parents and students, as well as general and Special Educators
viewed co-teaching as effective in terms of increased student
understanding and improvement in classroom behavior.
Time, administrative support factors, and the need for
ongoing professional development were all identified as issues
which prevent co-teaching arrangements from having
even more signficant benefits.
Finally, I have recently begun working on a few additional
projects that I hope to continue investigating
in the upcoming semesters.
For instance, we are seeking to ascertain
some descriptive information regarding local schools'
implementation of the Response to Intervention framework--
more commonly known as RTI-- including faculty,
administrative understanding and application of the model.
Additionally, I continue to be interested in how well
general educators are prepared to serve students
with special needs in inclusive settings.
Preliminary findings have indicated that information,
expertise, and opportunities for conversations and questions
with experts increase teacher confidence and skill.
Furthermore, I hope to more closely study the population of
individuals in post secondary programs, specifically those
planning to enter the teaching field who, themselves,
progressed through their early education
with a Special Education label.
Lastly, I would like to try to better understand and address
how rural schools deal with Special Education programs
and services, as the issues and concerns they face
are often unique and ignored.
Overall, I feel research is a valuable tool and when used
appropriately can result in improved services
for students with disabilities.
As a faculty member, conducting, translating,
and sharing research are important parts of my job
which make it challenging yet very rewarding.
Thank you.
[no dialogue].