<p> Recruitment and retention of special education teachers is growing concern nationwide. This problem is especially acute amongst teachers of the deaf/hard of hearing in rural areas. Mentoring of novice teachers may be a solution to this problem; however, little research exists regarding the use of mentorship in deaf education. This qualitative case study explored the nature of the mentor/mentee relationship between novice teachers of the deaf and their mentors in rural areas. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with three dyads of mentors and mentees. An open coding inductive qualitative data analysis revealed five themes characterizing the relationship. Results further indicate that these teachers describe the relationship through descriptors that are unique to either the mentor or the mentee, complimentary to each party, and shared between both parties. Implications of these findings for current practice in the field of deaf education are discussed.</p><p>

<p> Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present different needs to special education teachers in school today. Without the proper supports and preparation, 75% of special education teachers will leave the field of special education within the first ten years of teaching, with most of the teachers leaving the field within the first three years (Council for Exceptional Children, 2014). Without appropriate interventions, children with ASD are at risk of falling behind their same-aged peers throughout school or making progress towards IEP goals (Lovaas, 1987; Leaf &amp; McEachin, 1999). This study explores the types of preparation: 1) formal education, 2) experiences with people with ASD, and 3) support from administration or an expert in the field of ASD and how it may impact special education teacher self-efficacy. Through the lens of Bandura&rsquo;s (1977) self-efficacy framework and applying it to special education teachers, a survey design study was employed. The on-line survey, adapted from the ASSET (Ruble, Usher, &amp; McGrew, 2011), teachers were asked to rate their level of confidence to thirty questions specifically related to needs of students with ASD and how they feel they were best prepared for that skill between formal education, experience and support. Fifty-six responses were received but only 36 surveys were used due to completeness. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to find the mean differences on the global self-efficacy scores of special education teachers and the mode of three types of preparation. No statistical significance was found to be a greater predictor of special education teacher self-efficacy. However, some descriptive data provided information on differences between special education teacher high and low self-efficacy, skills that are better prepared by various types of preparation and recommendations on how to apply Bandura&rsquo;s (1977) social learning theory to help support special education self-efficacy during beginning teacher induction.</p><p>

Attempting to drive change through federal policy is a complicated business. On the one hand, legislation that is too prescriptive may result in unintended consequences. On the other hand, federal policy lacking substance or offering too much flexibility may not produce any actual change in behavior. Policies that offer sufficient flexibility to street-level bureaucrats, who have professional expertise and knowledge of their local context, may create the opportunity to implement change in ways that support the underlying goals of federal policymakers. In 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) fundamentally changed the role of the federal government in education. In addition to requiring that states accepting federal funds hold schools and districts accountable for student achievement, NCLB aimed to ensure that all students had access to “highly qualified” teachers. The landmark legislation introduced requirements that all teachers working in core subject areas meet three specific criteria: hold a bachelor’s degree, demonstrate content knowledge, and attain full state certification. Yet, the law offered several compromises intended to minimize burden on states, districts, schools and even some educators while encouraging innovation in teacher preparation. The experience of Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) provides an opportunity to examine how the ambition of the highly qualified policy, coupled with its flexibility, influenced teacher preparation in one of the nation’s largest school systems. While attempting to address the requirements of the policy, GCPS experienced substantial growth of the student population, which added complexity to the process of implementing the policy. In response, the district developed its own district-based teacher preparation program, Teach Gwinnett. Initially, district leaders intended to use the program to recruit recent college graduates and mid-career changers with subject matter knowledge in areas of high demand. However, the program quickly became a strategy for certifying non-highly qualified educators already working in the school system. District leaders embraced the opportunity to retain teachers who lacked required certification but who were already working in the school system. Simultaneously, the district used this program as an opportunity to ensure and reinforce candidates’ assimilation into the district’s distinctive internal culture.

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Le modele d'adoption base sur les preoccupations suscitees par l'innovation (Concerns-Based Adoption Model--CBAM) est une approche operationnelle qui s'appuie sur certains postulats relies a la personne et a son developpement. La premiere question de recherche s'interesse aux changements dans les preoccupations des enseignantes et des enseignants. Il y a eu peu de changement dans les preoccupations. A la deuxieme question, les resultats demontrent que tres peu d'enseignantes et d'enseignants utilisent la telematique en salle de classe. La troisieme question de recherche se rapporte aux opinions des enseignantes et des enseignants face a la telematique. La personnel enseignant croit que la telematique a un role a jouer dans leur enseignement et aussi dans l'apprentissage des eleves. La quatrieme question suggere l'existence de relations entre les preoccupations, les comportements et les opinions due personnel enseignant. L'experience n'a pas demontre de facon precise la relation entre les genres de preoccupations et les niveaux d'utilisation telle que le preconise CBAM. En conclusion, cette experience d'exploitation de la telematique n'a pas obtenu les resultats esperes. Malgre les ressources materielles, financieres et humaines disponibles, la plupart des enseignantes et les enseignants n'ont pas adopte l'innovation dans leurs pratiques pedagogiques. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

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