Abstract: 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 & 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’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, & 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’s (1977) social learning theory to help support special education self-efficacy during beginning teacher induction.

The purpose of this book is to provide a forum for an interdisciplinary scholarly dialogue with regard to preparing teachers for early childhood special education. In addition, it is aimed at examining and making available relevant and most recent scholarship to practitioners and at addressing critical issues and perspectives around preparing effective educators for the 21 century classroom and the future. This book intends to illuminate a complex and challenging task of preparing effective educators through the lenses of several educational disciplines, including but not limited to, teacher education, general education, special education, early childhood education, and urban education. The information in this work will focus on several educational disciplines that have the most immediate implications for teacher preparation and practice. The overall educational knowledge base will be enhanced due to the educational interdisciplinary approach. This has additional implications for teacher education, special education, educational leadership, curriculum and instruction, educational policy, and urban education, to name a few. The multidimensional nature of the book gives it the freedom to highlight multiple and diverse voices while at the same time providing a forum for different (and sometimes divergent) methodologies, philosophies, and ideologies.

This book is a must-have resource for all special educators and general educators who work with students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The strategies and teaching techniques discussed here are those that have shown great promise in helping students with ASD to succeed. The underlying premise is that students with ASD should be explicitly taught a full range of social, self-help, language, reading, writing and math skills, as are their typically developing classmates. Each chapter provides teachers with practical information about how to approach the tasks of determining what to teach and how to teach, with clearly defined steps for implementation. The approaches described here are based on the view that the classroom must be structured as an environment that reflects high expectations and provides sufficient support from teaching staff and peers. This invaluable volume offers teachers state-of-the-art knowledge on how to help students with ASD succeed.

Thousands of edcuators have turned to You're Going to Love This Kid! for fresh ways to welcome and teach students with autism; and now the book teachers trust is fully revised and more practical than ever. Gathering feedback from teachers across the US during her popular workshops, autism expert Paula Kluth targeted this second edition to the specific needs of today's primary- and secondary-school educators. Still packed with the ready-to-use tips and strategies that teachers are looking for, the new edition gives readers: dozens of NEW reproducible forms, checklists, and planning tools; photos of curricular adaptations, sensory supports and classroom scenes; throughly revised and updated chapters on today's hottest topics; a study guide with challenging discussion questions for each chapter; and new ideas throughout the book based on the latest reasearch on autism, inclusion, literacy, and behaviour. Readers will also get updates on all of the other topics covered in the first edition, including fostering friendships, building communication skills, planning challenging and multidimensional lessons, and adapting the curriculum and the physical environment. And with the new first-person stories from people with autism and their teachers and parents, readers will have a better understanding of students on the spectrum and how to include them successfully.

Educating Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Model for High-Quality Coaching offers a unique coaching model with a practical approach for special education teachers and related service providers who face the challenge of providing effective support to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). By empowering special education and speech-language pathologists to participate as coaches, they can go beyond simple accommodations to actively promote a less restrictive setting, dynamically assess skills, deliver effective instructional and behavioral programming, and effectively build a coaching network to engage students throughout the school day. Provided in this text are vignettes that illustrate the reality of special education. Additionally, approaches for addressing the real-word needs of students with ASD are provided, along with evidence-based support that describes the positive results of the strategies described. This text also introduces coaching methods that will guide teachers and instructional staff to create and maintain a "solutions-focused" coaching community. The first section of the book presents a multi-tiered model for providing coaching at varying levels of support intensity, along with the numerous important considerations involved in implementing effective coaching supports. The second section presents an outline of effective practices in utilizing coaching strategies to support teachers in planning for the instruction of meaningful skills to students with ASD utilizing a team-based, collaborative coaching model. The third section provides numerous practical, evidence-based strategies to be used by coaches and teachers in teaching meaningful skills to students with ASD. The final chapter addresses critical issues involved in building the capacity of districts to evaluate, oversee and support the effective coaching of teachers in providing evidence-based practices to students with ASD. Educating Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder serves as a clinical guide and delivers a practical discussion of high-quality coaching as an emerging best practice for supporting special educators (teachers and paraprofessionals) as well as school-based service providers (speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists). It is a valuable primary text for special education teachers in training, a resource for professional development personnel, and a tool for researchers and graduate students in education and teaching programs. Key features include: Chapter objectivesReal-life vignettesReproducible formsSummary questions

In today's world, the prevalence of autism affecting approximately 1 in 100 children underscores the scarcity of proficient professionals capable of aiding those with autism and other neurodiverse conditions. The absence of cohesive and interdisciplinary training programs exacerbates the hurdles faced by these individuals, impeding their access to high-quality care and assistance. Consequently, the needs of neurodiverse individuals remain insufficiently met, and those with autism confront impediments to realizing their full potential due to a deficiency in specialized expertise and comprehensive support. To counteract this issue, Autism, Neurodiversity, and Equity in Professional Preparation Programs, edited by Shanna Jamanis and Dawn Vogler-Elias, offer a transformative remedy. This publication offers a comprehensive and multifaceted examination of professional preparation initiatives centered on neurodiversity, integrating perspectives from disability studies, neurodiversity, diversity, equity, and inclusion, to furnish a conceptual structure that empowers professionals across diverse fields. The book's interdisciplinary approach aims to equip professionals and students across domains such as education, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, nursing, social work, and creative arts therapy. With its array of chapters encompassing case studies, instructional activities, and program narratives, readers acquire valuable insights and pragmatic tools for effectively supporting neurodiversity. The editors' commitment to embracing diverse viewpoints ensures a nuanced comprehension of neurodiversity support, fostering empathy, and elevating the standard of care. Autism, Neurodiversity, and Equity in Professional Preparation Programs by Shanna Jamanis and Dawn Vogler-Elias provides a much-needed resource to tackle the global challenge of aiding those with autism and neurodiversity. By advancing interdisciplinary knowledge and evidence-based practices, this publication not only tackles the dearth of proficient professionals but also champions a more inclusive and compassionate world. For academics, scholars, and practitioners spanning various disciplines, this book serves as a crucial steppingstone toward establishing more equitable and empowering environments for individuals with autism and neurodiversity.