The current training model for paraeducators traditionally consists of single-day workshops, emails, newsletters, in-service meetings or other similarly isolated and infrequent tips or no training at all. Such practices have caused many paraeducators and teachers to cite a lack of efficient and effective training as one of the major difficulties in their job. The purpose of the study was to establish a causal relationship between the independent variable: the direct instruction of precorrection through modeling and guided practice with bug-in-the-ear feedback and the dependent variable, the performance or nonperformance of positive behavior support strategies in the classroom. The study took place at an urban middle school located in northern Utah. The study's three participants were paraeducators who worked in a self-contained classroom for students with severe disabilities. The intervention consisted of a three-phase lesson for each of the three target skills: (a) a training phase, (b) an independent phase, and (c) a follow up phase. Data indicate a positive functional relation between the intervention and the acquisition and maintenance of the desired skills. On average, participants performed more than 90% of the steps of the desired behaviors across all phases of the intervention and maintained the skills over time in a natural setting after relatively little instruction, no additional time outside of the classroom, and with materials already available at most schools. The success of this training model and its flexible framework further suggest that its use could be expanded in multitudinous ways. As this is the first known study of its kind, there are now numerous avenues of new research possibilities both in the area of paraeducator training, but also teacher training and even training in other work industries. This is an exciting new avenue for research and the improvement of working conditions and the delivery of instruction in schools.

This research study documents the perceptions of Manitoba teachers working with educational assistants as schools comply with the Appropriate Educational Programming Amendment to the Public Schools Act (Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 2005). Eight teachers who work with educational assistants in rural and urban Manitoba were asked about four aspects of this emerging role: (i) What are their experiences working with educational assistants in the classroom (what roles do they perceive educational assistants to perform), (ii) the competencies they think they need for their work, (iii) how they have been prepared for this responsibility, and (iv) how they think teachers should or could be (better) prepared for their work with educational assistants. The study invited four novice teachers (less than two years of teaching experience) and four veteran teachers (more than 10 years of teaching experience) to participate in one-on-one face-to-face interviews. Open-ended questions based in current research prompted the participants to reflect on their own practice. The study reveals some of the perceived issues teachers report as challenges in their changing role to meet new legislative mandates. It examines the need to introduce collaboration with educational assistants during pre-service training and access to professional in-service learning opportunities to facilitate teachers understanding of the role of educational assistants in Manitoba schools. The study also reveals some of the competencies required for managing the activities of educational assistants.

This research study documents the perceptions of Manitoba teachers working with educational assistants as schools comply with the Appropriate Educational Programming Amendment to the Public Schools Act (Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 2005). Eight teachers who work with educational assistants in rural and urban Manitoba were asked about four aspects of this emerging role: (i) What are their experiences working with educational assistants in the classroom (what roles do they perceive educational assistants to perform), (ii) the competencies they think they need for their work, (iii) how they have been prepared for this responsibility, and (iv) how they think teachers should or could be (better) prepared for their work with educational assistants. The study invited four novice teachers (less than two years of teaching experience) and four veteran teachers (more than 10 years of teaching experience) to participate in one-on-one face-to-face interviews. Open-ended questions based in current research prompted the participants to reflect on their own practice. The study reveals some of the perceived issues teachers report as challenges in their changing role to meet new legislative mandates. It examines the need to introduce collaboration with educational assistants during pre-service training and access to professional in-service learning opportunities to facilitate teachers understanding of the role of educational assistants in Manitoba schools. The study also reveals some of the competencies required for managing the activities of educational assistants.

Using the states' paraprofessional requirements, this study explored the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) on the paraprofessionals' ability to assist in instruction as seen through the perceptions of paraprofessional and teacher teams. The literature review discloses data regarding the implementation of NCLB paraprofessional requirements into the accountability plans of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Tables synthesize the assessments used by states to meet NCLB paraprofessional requirements. The Council for Exceptional Children performance-based standards for paraeducators provides the framework for the development of two survey instruments, which measured the perceptions of paraprofessionals and cooperating teachers on the training, knowledge, and skills utilized during instruction. Two survey instruments were developed to gain insight into the perceptions of paraprofessional and supervising teacher teams. The perceptions of the teams were compared to those among the paraprofessionals themselves. There were significant statistical differences between both the teams and the paraprofessionals with two or more years of higher education or those with a high school diploma or equivalency. The differences between the paraprofessionals and the teachers suggested that supervising teachers perceived both groups of paraprofessionals were lacking in training, knowledge, and skills. Paraprofessionals with higher education perceived a similar lack in their own abilities. However, paraprofessionals with high school diplomas perceived their ability as greater than that perceived by the teachers.

For youth between the ages of 10 and 24, suicide is the third leading cause of death. School-aged youth that struggle with suicidal thoughts often express their feelings to peers and some trusted adults. Generally, these trusted adults work in school settings. Potentially, teachers and staff can serve as vital gatekeepers to identify and support students who struggle with suicide ideation. In particular, paraeducators, who are often seen as less of an authority figure, become easier to approach due to the personal relationships created in small groups and one-on-one interactions with students. If trained in suicide prevention, paraeducators, who work closely with students and are part of the local community, could become an important gatekeeper. The current study sought to investigate paraeducators' perceptions of the following questions: (a) Are paraeducators approached by students with suicide ideation? and (b) How are paraeducators currently responding to suicidal students? The final purpose of this survey was to collect information that informed and supported the implementation of training for paraeducators in the area of school-based suicide prevention and intervention. This study's survey was distributed in an urban Utah school district to 854 paraeducators. Of the 854 surveys, 77 surveys were completed by paraeducators (9% participation rate). Of the participating paraeducators, 32% reported being approached by a student who expressed suicidal thoughts. Paraeducators indicated that their most frequent response to suicidal students was to provide counsel (39%), whereas to tell supervising teachers or administrators was listed as their third or fourth response option. Most paraeducators (97%) perceived that their role included reporting a student at-risk for suicide, however most (67%) reported having no suicide training or being unsure of what training was available. This lack of training is problematic due to the number of paraeducators being approached by students expressing thoughts of suicide. Additionally this research supports the need to train school support staff.