Education Commons^™

Career Changers As First-Year High School Teachers, Holly Anderson, Sara Fry, Jack Hourcade

Jack Hourcade

Individuals who change careers to assume teaching roles in secondary schools are more likely to struggle in the classroom than those without such backgrounds. In this investigation, we identified three such career-changing teachers who were beginning their education careers in rural schools, and observed and interviewed them throughout their first year of teaching to understand their unique challenges and to identify the types of supports that they found to be most helpful. Three primary themes emerged: (1) adjustment to the unique culture of a school, (2) the importance of mentoring, and (3) adaptation of previous work experiences to teaching. Recommendations …

Homework Plans: A Tool For Promoting Independence, Patricia Hampshire, Gretchen Butera, Jack Hourcade

Jack Hourcade

With long brown braids and a huge smile, Kelly is a 12-year-old sixth grader attending an intermediate school in a large suburban community. Kelly is currently receiving special education services to address academic and behavioral learning needs. When given extended time and reminded (sometimes repeatedly) to think about what she has to do, Kelly usually completes at least part of her school and homework assignments.

At school, Kelly spends the majority of her day in the general education classroom. Debbie, her general education teacher, works hard to include Kelly in daily classroom activities. Kelly's special education teacher, Tina, works with …

A Review Of Assistive Technology And Writing Skills For Students With Physical And Educational Disabilities, Howard Parette, Jack Hourcade, George Peterson-Karlan

Jack Hourcade

In recent years effective instruction in reading for learners with physicaland educational disabilities has received great attention in the schools.However, instruction in the corollary skill of writing has received considerably less emphasis. This review paper notes that through the use of assistive technology, students with a variety of physical and educationaldisabilities can learn to effectively (a) plan and organize their writing,(b) draft and transcribe their work, and (c) edit and revise their narrativeand expository writing.With teachers increasingly being held accountable for the development ofliteracy skills in all students, including those students with physical and educational disabilities, schools are paying substantial …

A History Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication For Individuals With Severe And Profound Disabilities, Jack Hourcade, Tami Pilotte, Elizabeth West, Parette

Jack Hourcade

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is a prominent component in the development of support services for individuals with disabilities, especially those with severe disabilities. In this article we provide an overview of the historical development of AAC services, tracing their evolution over the past half-century through four specific themes: social change and legislation, assessment, intervention, and family and cultural issues.

Cooperative Teaching: Pictures Of Possibilities, Jeanne Bauwens, Jack Hourcade

Jack Hourcade

Cooperative teaching, in which a general educator and a special services provider (e.g., a special educator, Chapter 1 teacher, speech and language therapist) teach together simultaneously in a general education classroom composed of academically heterogeneous students, has rapidly emerged as an effective way to facilitate the inclusion of students with diverse curricular and instructional needs. In this article we provide an overview of cooperative teaching, note problems experienced by some participants moving into cooperative teaching, and offer practical suggestions for enhancing the effectiveness of cooperative teaching.

Family-Centered Assistive Technology Assessment, Howard Parette, Mary Brotherson, Jack Hourcade, Robert Bradley

Jack Hourcade

Outlines a family-centered, culturally sensitive approach to working with young children with disabilities and their families.

Funding Assistive Technology And Related Health Services In Service Settings, Crystal Kemp, Howard Parette, Jack Hourcade

Jack Hourcade

In 1997, amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act required IEP/IFSP teams in service settings (e.g., child care programs, schools) to consider whether a child requires assistive technology (AT) devices and services in order to receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). AT includes augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems (from simple communication boards and wallets to sophisticated electronic communication devices), mobility aids (from long white canes for students with visual impairments to powered wheelchairs), and computer-based devices such as adapted keyboards, touch windows, and speech recognition systems. However, securing the funding …

Cooperative Teaching: The Renewal Of Teachers, Jack Hourcade, Jeanne Bauwens

Jack Hourcade

Little has affected American education as dramatically as the growing sense that the way education has been structured in the past is less than adequate today and will be even more inadequate in the future. The increasing cultural, linguistic, academic, and behavioral diversity of America’s classrooms is challenging long established approaches to curriculum and instruction. In terms of cultural and linguistic diversity, the state of California may be the best example of what America will look and sound like in the future. As of 1997, students with limited English proficiency composed 25 percent of California’s total school population, up from …

Special Educators And Mathematics Phobia: An Initial Qualitative Investigation, Michael Humphrey, Jack Hourcade

Jack Hourcade

Special educators are uniquely challenged to be content experts in all curricular areas, including mathematics, since students in their case loads may require academic instruction in any area. However, special educators with math phobia may be limited in their ability to provide effective instruction to their students with mathematical deficits and/or needs, and may experience additional challenges in their professional and personal lives. This qualitative study sought to better understand the nature of math phobia in two special educators through extensive interviews, journaling, and observations in math experiences, with a number of primary themes identified. Several potential resolutions for the …