Search

Veterinary ethics is a coordination of ethical principles that apply morals, values and judgements to the practice of veterinary profession. Veterinary ethics cover its practical application in veterinary practices as well as on its history, philosophy, theology, and sociology. Veterinary ethics combine veterinary professional ethics and the focus of animal ethics. It can be inferred as a critical manifestation on the provision of veterinary services in hold of the profession's responsibilities to animal kind and mankind. Many ethical issues arise in a business unit in veterinary practice. Whenever such issues arise, it may lead to dilemmas, then proper and well-thought out ethical decision is to be made. Ethical decision making process in a business unit in veterinary practice is the use of ethical theories, principles, and rules by veterinary professionals and paraprofessionals in resolving ethical dilemmas in the veterinary practice. In order to resolve ethical dilemmas, being aware of and revelation to ethical theories is essential. Thoughtfulness of animal welfare and ethical issues is an essential component of a good ethical veterinary practice. This article reviews and discusses the ethics and major steps engaged in the ethical decision-making process in a business unit in veterinary practice. Strong commitment to the role, organization's commitment to ethics and staff support could lower the levels of moral stress while facing ethical dilemma in a veterinary practice. Though using the ethical frameworks portrayed may not change the actual decisions finally reached by veterinary professionals, a good knowledge of ethical issues is imperative for client communication, better job satisfaction and preserving a positive public outline for both the individual and the veterinary practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students with complex communication needs require well-designed supports to communicate effectively in school settings. Although paraprofessionals are often charged with supporting these students, they are rarely trained in how to promote communication, and there is limited research on how they might be trained. In this study, we used a multiple baseline across behaviors design to test the efficacy of a teacher-implemented training package to train a paraprofessional to provide opportunities for an elementary student with autism to respond, set up opportunities for her to initiate, and implement a systematic prompting hierarchy. We demonstrated a functional relation between the teacher-implemented training and paraprofessional acquisition of the strategies, and paraprofessional implementation coincided with increased student communication. This study replicates previous findings that paraprofessionals can be trained to implement evidence-based practices to promote use of alternative/augmentative communication, and extends this literature by demonstrating that a classroom teacher can deliver paraprofessional training effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coaching has been shown to improve the use of evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs), but relatively few studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of coaching for adults belonging to minority groups and paraprofessionals in public elementary school settings. In this study, a multiple probe design across participants was used to assess the effectiveness of coaching and the provision of feedback on the use of prompting procedures and associated practices for three adults supporting three young students with autism in a self-contained elementary school setting. Results showed improved use of target practices and increased student engagement. More research is needed regarding the training and coaching of teaching teams and the use of evidence-based coaching and feedback practices to assist paraprofessionals in implementing EBIPs with small groups of students and in a variety of educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient and effective training strategies for paraprofessionals in special education settings face many challenges. Interactive computerized training (ICT)—a self-paced program that incorporates audio narration, video models, interactive activities, and competency checks—is one potential solution. ICT has been successful in training college students and special education teachers to implement discrete trial instruction (DTI), but its effectiveness to train paraprofessionals is unknown. Using a multiple-baseline design, we evaluated the feasibility of ICT, to train six paraprofessionals to implement DTI with an errorless learning procedure. Following ICT, the fidelity of implementation of DTI increased for all participants when implemented with a student in their classroom; however, competency varied. We added additional training components that progressed from low to more intensive feedback delivered remotely in attempt to increase fidelity to 90% or higher implementation. We also evaluated generalization to novel instructional programs and maintenance of instruction in the absence of feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Between 2018 and 2025, a national implementation programme is funding more than 500 new mental health support teams (MHSTs) in England, to work in education settings to deliver evidence-based interventions to children with mild to moderate mental health problems and support emotional wellbeing for all pupils. A new role, education mental health practitioner (EMHP), has been created for the programme. Aims: A national evaluation explored the development, implementation and early progress of 58 MHSTs in the programme's first 25 'Trailblazer' sites. This paper reports the views and experiences of people involved in MHST design, implementation and service delivery at a local, regional and national level. Methods: Data are reported from in-depth interviews with staff in five Trailblazer sites (n = 71), and the programme's regional (n = 52) and national leads (n = 21). Results: Interviewees universally welcomed the creation of MHSTs, but there was a lack of clarity about their purpose, concerns that the standardised CBT interventions being offered were not working well for some children, and challenges retaining EMHPs. Conclusions: This study raises questions about MHSTs' service scope, what role they should play in addressing remaining gaps in mental health provision, and how EMHPs can develop the skills to work effectively with diverse groups.

For the first time in the American legal profession, non-lawyers can openly, independently, ethically, and legally engage in activities recognized by bar associations as the practice of law. In 2012, the Washington Supreme Court passed Admission and Practice Rule 28 (APR 28), establishing the profession's first paraprofessional licensing scheme that allows non-lawyers to give legal advice. The process authorizes qualified non-lawyers to provide legal advice without the supervision of a lawyer. Washington's Supreme Court intends for Limited License Legal Technicians, or "LLLTs" as they are known, to increase access to justice by responding to the unmet civil legal needs of Washington residents, mirroring a broader call in the legal profession for service delivery models that triage the simpler cases from the complex. Doing so, the LLLT model aims to better meet the needs of those who cannot otherwise afford professional legal help. Will the LLLT model increase access to justice? That depends on how we define "justice"--more specifically, justice for whom? LLLTs have prompted anticipation that the model will do its part to close the gap on the unmet civil legal assistance needs of low- and moderate-income populations, a need perhaps best shown by Washington State's Civil Legal Needs studies. Yet to fully understand the model and its potential, we must look more closely at who will benefit from it and, critically, who will not. This Article finds that the LLLT model is not designed to increase access to justice for those from low-income populations. This conclusion is based on first-hand interviews with the architects of the model as well as on original surveys and interviews conducted with the first two cohorts of LLLTs and LLLT Candidates. LLLTs and Candidates expect to keep their pricing schemes high enough to bring in a sustainable revenue stream, intend to work primarily through traditional legal service delivery models at law firms and as solo practitioners, and overall do not report highly salient motivation to target low-income clientele relative to their other motivations for becoming an LLLT. From all of this, we do not have reason to believe that low-income legal consumers will better access justice through the current LLLT model. This Article first sets forth the context for why and how to weigh whether the model will increase access to justice for low-income populations, and then analyzes why, based on LLLTs' and Candidates' responses, we do not have reason to believe that the model will expand access to justice in an appreciable way for low-income consumers. The Article then contemplates the implications of this finding, which Washington and other states may wish to consider as they develop legal paraprofessional licensing schemes like the LLLT model and, ultimately, determine who will gain access to justice through such models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While electronic resources now constitute a major component of most academic library collections, and the Electronic Resources Librarian (ERL) position has become commonplace, the field of Electronic Resources librarianship is still not entirely standardized. Responsibility for the various tasks associated with electronic resources management (ERM) may fall on a single specialized professional or be divided up among positions in the organization; responsibility for a given task may or may not be shared by multiple personnel. This article presents the results of a survey of academic librarians in the United States who work with electronic resource collections, asking them about the range of tasks for which they are responsible, whether these responsibilities are shared, and how this work may be combined with other areas of responsibility. The results indicate that librarians who work in the field of ERM are responsible for a roughly similar workload whether or not they hold the title of ERL, though certain tasks are more likely to be the responsibility of ERLs. ERM responsibilities in general are frequently shared by multiple personnel within academic libraries. At institutions that spend more on electronic resources, certain specialized responsibilities associated with ERLs are much more frequently shared with paraprofessionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors share practical ways to collaborate with paraprofessionals to encourage their professional growth and support their effectiveness as they work directly with students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is one of the best practices observed in libraries as it enables automation and modernisation of library services. Today's environment is digitally driven and library semi-professionals play an important role in providing up-to-date information to the users using modern technologies. The objective of the present study was to assess the perception of semi-professionals with respect to the use of ICT in Manipal Academy of Higher Education Libraries by them. 58 Library Assistant working in the seven constituent institutional libraries of MAHE at Manipal campus were included in the study and data were collected using questionnaire. The findings of the study revealed that EasyLib, the library automation software, and Electronic Public Access Catalogue (EPAC) had most impact on the role of semi-professionals (84.2 %) in providing ICT enabled services to the users. More than thirty percent (31.5 %) of the semi-professionals were of the opinion that ICT has considerably changed their duties and responsibilities. Semi-professionals are also of the opinion that they are now in a position to provide faster, more accurate and up-to-date information services to the users in their libraries. The findings of the present study support a need to implement the appropriate technologies in the libraries as they support the semi-professionals in their library housekeeping activities as well as in providing effective library services to the users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraprofessionals carry out behavior interventions for students with challenging behavior in inclusive classroom settings. Examination of paraprofessional involvement in behavior interventions informs how paraprofessionals may best support intervention implementation. The researchers used a withdrawal design to evaluate the effects of a multiple-component intervention primarily conducted by paraprofessionals in decreasing one sixth-grade student's disruptive behavior. They then used a systematic approach to functional behavior assessment to identify the function of the student's behavior and to design an intervention, which was tested using a single-subject design. Results demonstrated a functional relation between the student's disruptive behavior and intervention. Further, the paraprofessionals and classroom teacher regarded the intervention as favorable, suggesting the intervention was feasible and suitable for the student. Discussion includes implications for practice and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, federal mandates require local education agencies to provide education to students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. As a result, students with disabilities are included in the general education classroom for varying amounts of the school day depending on their educational goals and individual needs. For students with severe disabilities, placement in a general education classroom is often paralleled with the assignment of a paraprofessional. Research suggests paraprofessional support can cause unintended adverse effects. The current study describes the social acceptance of students with severe disabilities who receive paraprofessional support and explores the intersection of social acceptance and paraprofessional support. Findings suggest students with severe disabilities who receive paraprofessional support have average levels of social acceptance and initial evidence that students receiving more frequent paraprofessional support have lower levels of social acceptance. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Video prompting is effective for teaching a variety of skills (e.g., daily living, communication) to students with autism and intellectual disability; yet, little research exists on the efficacy of these strategies on academic skills, in inclusive settings, and with typical intervention agents. Authors collaborated with paraprofessionals to select socially important academic skills (i.e., literacy, social studies, science, and math) aligned with students’ IEPs and content taught in their inclusive classes. Results from the multiple probe across participants and skills design indicated a functional relation between the paraprofessional-delivered video prompting and correct responding to academic tasks for all three elementary students with autism and intellectual disability. Implications for practitioners, study limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have previously shown that video prompting can promote vocational skill acquisition for students with autism, and in a prior study, we demonstrated a model to train a paraprofessional to implement this practice. In this study, we evaluated (a) the degree to which the paraprofessional generalized implementation to new students and situations, and (b) the degree to which his implementation resulted in participants acquiring a vocational skill. The paraprofessional implemented the video prompting procedure with high fidelity without any additional training, and all three participants mastered the photocopying skill and generalized their implementation. These results suggest that focused coaching on video prompting implementation with one student may enable paraprofessionals to effectively generalize implementation when targeting similar skills with other students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with autism spectrum disorder experience delays in the development of nonverbal social communication gestures to request and to share (joint attention) as well as play skills such that intervention is required. Although such tools exist in research settings, community stakeholders also require access to brief, simple, and reliable tools to assess students' skills and set appropriate intervention targets. This study includes a sequence of two trials to examine implementation outcomes including adoption, fidelity, and feasibility of The Short Play and Communication Evaluation by educational professionals who work with preschoolers and toddlers with autism spectrum disorder in low-resource community classrooms. Findings demonstrate that classroom staff can deliver the Short Play and Communication Evaluation with high fidelity, collect live data, and set appropriate social communication and play skill targets for use in intervention. Furthermore, study 2 demonstrates that modifications to the study protocol resolved differences in children's skill profile obtained from the established research measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classified staff are important stakeholders in schools and commonly interact with students across grade levels, subject matter areas, and physical locations—making their involvement in the implementation of schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) essential. However, their voice, including the intentional and systematic consideration of their perspectives and concerns, is virtually absent in this field of research. Hence, the purpose of this mixed-methods study was to develop a general understanding of classified staff perspectives of behavior and discipline. We used quantitative analysis to compare survey data from teachers and classified staff (n = 1,833) and then applied qualitative thematic analysis to classified staff responses (n = 243) to an item derived from the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM). As compared with teachers, classified staff reported lower levels of knowledge or understanding of SWPBIS, less SWPBIS-related training, poorer quality communication, and more philosophical beliefs that were inconsistent with SWPBIS. Qualitative analysis of classified staffs’ SWPBIS-related concerns yielded the following 10 themes listed in order of prevalence: consistency, communication, effectiveness, amount of discipline, specific procedures and behaviors, climate and stress, student and parent involvement, acknowledgment systems, leadership, and resources. Limitations and implications for research are provided herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single subject alternating treatment design was used to compare most-to-least and least-to-most prompts to teach work tasks in community businesses. Four students with moderate to severe disabilities, two paraprofessionals, and one transition teacher participated in the study. Results of the study suggest that both prompting strategies were effective in promoting the acquisition and maintenance of employment skills taught in community employment training settings. The special education teacher and paraprofessionals implemented the prompting strategies with fidelity and minimal training. Results are discussed in terms of future research and implications for expanding the scope of community-based employment skills training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the reasons offered by one group of paraprofessionals to explain their decision to study for a work-related higher education programme. It reports on an ethnographically inspired piece of research that aimed to capture the initial motives that a group of teaching assistants had for studying for a Foundation degree at a post-1992 university. This group of students were largely female mature students, who were also overwhelmingly mothers with dependent children. It is suggested that Bourdieu’s concepts of field, capital, habitus and illusio can be utilised to understand why these learners become motivated to enter higher vocational education. Workplace change and the pursuit of capital are highlighted as being a catalyst for the fracturing of illusio, career switching and undergraduate study. Somewhat counterintuitively, virtually all the students indicated that they had decided to study for a qualification that was primarily designed to help them succeed in their existing employment role as a means of acquiring a new occupational role and version of self. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BACKGROUND: Paraprofessionals play an integral role in educating students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Students with ASD have unique learning characteristics which require specialized knowledge and skills in order to support them effectively in schools. However, paraprofessionals often do not receive the training needed to support this student population. OBJECTIVE: Delivering effective professional development to paraprofessionals is essential to the success of these students. METHODS: A model for delivering online professional development to paraprofessionals on a statewide level was implemented and evaluated. RESULTS: The evaluation concentrated on whether the online course changed the perceived knowledge and implementation of evidence-based practices and the attitudes of paraprofessionals toward students with ASD. CONCLUSION: Additionally, the existence of a relationship between occupational characteristics and participants' reported knowledge was explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As schools across the United States move toward more inclusive models and as caseloads for special education teachers increase, special education paraprofessionals are being hired to fill service delivery gaps. Most often, paraprofessionals are asked to provide social and behavioral support to students with disabilities, and much of their time is spent in direct support of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Special education teachers have reported that students with emotional and behavioral disorders are some of the hardest to serve, and those working in this field have the highest rate of burnout. Although there has been increased recognition of the importance of mental health and wellbeing for special education teachers, little attention has been paid to paraprofessionals’ needs. Based on recommendations for special education teachers in the extant literature, 12 survival mindsets to be adopted by paraprofessionals are proposed that may prevent burnout by promoting greater resiliency, emotional wellbeing, and self-awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although paraprofessionals are pivotal for the educational success of learners with autism, limited professional learning opportunities are provided resulting in inadequate application of evidence-based practices in their work. In this participatory action research study, thirty-six paraprofessionals participated in professional learning utilizing workshops and a commercially available professional learning platform, Rethink. The study included didactic training, video-based modeling and applied practice activities in the classroom. Paraprofessionals improved their knowledge and self-efficacy in the application of evidence-based practices. Supporting classroom teacher's social validity also reported improved paraprofessional performance. These findings suggest a possible avenue for supporting paraprofessional professional learning via integrating web-based technology to access video models paired with traditional professional learning methods to improve the application of evidence-based practices in the classroom environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraprofessionals need adequate training and supports to assist young children with autism spectrum disorders to engage in appropriate social interactions during small group activities with their peers. In this study, we used in situ coaching and brief post-session feedback to improve the use of environmental arrangement, prompting, and praise by three paraprofessionals working in inclusive classrooms. Results suggested the brief coaching intervention was effective for improving target behaviors. In addition, generalized use of behaviors and child outcomes were positive. In situ feedback is a promising practice for improving use of evidence-based practices by non-certified personnel in early childhood settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing reviews address important questions about subsets of practitioner training studies in special education but leave important questions about the broader literature unanswered. In this comprehensive review, we identified 118 peer-reviewed single-case-design studies in which researchers tested the efficacy of practitioner training on implementation of educational practices to students with disabilities. We found publication of studies has proliferated in recent years, and most studies involved a multiple-baseline or multiple-probe design, researchers as training agents, in-service special education teachers or paraprofessionals as trainees, and students with learning disabilities or autism spectrum disorder as recipients of intervention. Through visual analysis, we detected 521 effects out of 626 opportunities across studies. The mean d-Hedges-Pustejovky-Shadish effect size was d = 2.48. Behavioral-skills training was associated with the most consistent improvement of implementation fidelity. We found statistically significant associations between implementation fidelity and modeling, written instructions for implementation, and verbal performance feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraprofessional workforces are becoming more common and can serve the otherwise unmet needs of diverse children and families. Compared to other workforces, limited research to date has explored factors such as stress and burnout that influence the sustainability of this workforce. Mindfulness-based interventions have been studied as stress-reduction programs for other workforces, but it is currently unknown whether mindfulness is acceptable to paraprofessionals, particularly those of a diverse ethnicity living in low-income, urban environments. The current investigation is a pilot study examining whether six weeks of mindfulness-based skills training can reduce stress, burnout, and improve sleep quality among a diverse paraprofessional workforce. Twenty six paraprofessionals (ages 24-58, M = 37.04, SD = 9.65) completed measures pre-training, post-training, and at a four week follow-up. Results indicated that this paraprofessional workforce found mindfulness practices acceptable and experienced significant reductions in perceived stress and emotional exhaustion, as well as improved sleep quality ( p < .05) Mindfulness-based interventions may be useful in supporting the wellbeing of paraprofessionals from diverse backgrounds working in low-income, urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Careful consideration is essential for developing and conducting effective paraprofessional development. This study described a process of paraprofessional development and outcomes from assessments, workshops, and social validation focus group interviews from one rural public school in the USA. Fourteen paraprofessionals and their supervisors completed multiple surveys to indicate their perceived skill level and training needs before outside experts conducted a workshop on two high priority skill areas. Results showed that paraprofessionals increased their knowledge and skill development after a full-day workshop. Although paraprofessionals found the training procedures and targeted strategies to be socially valid, they identified challenges associated with implementation of the strategies and access to follow-up coaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delivering individualized learning interventions to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is daunting for education professionals already stretched to capacity meeting needs of all of their students. Paraprofessionals (paraeducators) can assume integral roles in classroom support and management, but they may not be consistently trained in delivery of specialized intervention and instructional methods. We looked at using the technology of web-based video modeling with additional brief, in-person verbal corrective feedback to increase fidelity in paraprofessionals' delivery of instruction using discrete trial teaching (DTT), an applied behavioral analysis (ABA) intervention for youth with ASD that has extensive research showing effectiveness. Students (n = 4) were ages 6-11 with ASD and mild to moderate intellectual disability. Paraprofessionals (n = 4) had minimal or no prior training in DTT or ABA. Over 4-6 weeks, results included large effect sizes for fidelity improvement of paraprofessionals and skill improvement in students. By the end of the intervention, all paraprofessionals reached 90% fidelity. Social validity was strongly endorsed by the paraprofessionals. These results have implications for schools with skilled personnel shortages, particularly in rural and other underserved areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on 2 experiments in inner-city Baltimore evaluating a computer-assisted tutoring approach, Tutoring With Alphie (TWA), in which 1 paraprofessional can work with up to 6 children at a time. In Study 1, we randomly assigned 14 schools to receive TWA or to continue with whatever approaches they were currently using. Each experimental school (n = 8) received a half-time paraprofessional tutor. Struggling readers in the lowest 30% of Grades 1–3 received tutoring using TWA. In comparison to control schools (n = 6), reading outcomes strongly favored TWA (effect size = +0.46,p < .01). In Study 2, new students in 7 of the 8 TWA schools received tutoring, and 6 schools continued as controls. Results again favored the TWA group (effect size = +0.40,p < .001). The findings support the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of using technology to offer tutoring to many more students than could have received it individually. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

For many years a leading approach to teaching at-risk students and reducing school dropout has been the use of alternative schools. There are unique challenges to providing educational services in alternative schools and teachers in those schools need specialized knowledge and skills to address these challenges. The same can be inferred for paraprofessionals working in alternative schools. In general, the use of paraprofessional support for students in alternative schools has increased over the years. Oftentimes these students exhibit academic and behavioral challenges, and yet much of the research indicates that paraprofessionals working with students with academic and behavioral challenges have little training to do so. The purpose of this study was to examine the roles, responsibilities, and professional development needs of paraprofessionab working with secondary students at alternative schoob as perceived by administrators, teachers, and paraprofessionab in those schoob. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study of the techniques employed by paraprofessional Chin-Hakha community interpreters when interpreting in a medical setting. Data was collected through a simulated dialogue in which participants were asked to interpret consecutively. Participants were then interviewed about their decision-making processes in formulating renditions of a number of medical terms. Lexical analysis found that Chin-Hakha interpreters produce interpretations of medical terminology according to certain observable patterned constructions. Overall, this study confirms the community interpreter's role as a 'negotiator' of language, where interpreters negotiate the intended meaning of specialised terminology by using their own 'storeroom' of linguistic skills and medical knowledge so as to be successful in rendering medical conversations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current professional nursing workforce in the United States is predominantly White and female, even though minorities compose 33% of the national population (Travers, Smaldone, & Cohn, 2015). Minority patients are more effectively cared for when their particular cultural milieu is taken into consideration as part of their health care plan (Sullivan, 2004). According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), health care quality remains suboptimal for diverse populations in the United States because some individuals do not receive quality care or do not believe their values are honored or respected (AHRQ, 2016). Minority professional nurses are necessary to address the racial and ethnic disparities in health care. Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health (RWJBH), in collaboration with Rutgers University School of Nursing (RUSON), implemented New Paths to Professional Nursing (NPPN) to increase the number of minority professional nurses in practice at RWJBH. The program provided financial resources as well as infrastructural, group, and personal support for RWJBH minority employees who desired to complete prerequisites to enter RUSON. The academic success of the employees who participated in NPPN was attributed to a unique combination of financial assistance and support and encouragement. The purpose of this article is to describe in detail the development of the program and the effective encouragement strategies that have led to success for NPPN minority student/employees. This article examines, defines, and illustrates particular types of effective encouragement and suggests that this encouragement was the key to success for the NPPN minority students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this survey study was to assess the perceived skill level and educational needs of special education paraprofessionals in the area of function-based intervention and to identify paraprofessionals’ preferred training delivery method(s) and any variables that affect paraprofessionals’ preference for these methods. Special education paraprofessionals working during the 2012–2013 school year in the state of Virginia were asked to complete an anonymous online survey. A total of 487 special education paraprofessionals responded to some or all survey items. Findings suggest that a large number of paraprofessionals reported low skill level and high educational needs across 10 domains of function-based intervention. Overall, paraprofessionals preferred training that is delivered within school settings, involves experiential learning, and requires minimal time. Implications for practice, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A growing body of research has established incremental rehearsal (IR) as an effective intervention for teaching basic skills in various student populations. However, there have been no published studies to date in which interventionists have been school-based personnel rather than researchers. In this study, a paraprofessional implemented IR with two third-grade students identified as struggling readers. A multiple baseline design across participants was used, and students were taught high-utility words. Retention of words and implementation fidelity were the dependent variables. Both students retained more words during the IR phase than during baseline, and large effect sizes were found (improvement rate difference = 1.00; Tau U = 88-.94). Mean implementation fidelity was 98.2%. Overall, these findings suggest that IR may be implemented successfully by a trained and coached paraprofessional, although more research in this area is needed if IR is to be successfully implemented in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring educational progress for students with moderate-to-severe developmental disabilities requires exposure to well executed evidence-based practices. This necessitates that the special education workforce, including paraprofessionals, be well-trained. Yet evidence regarding effective training mechanisms for paraprofessionals is limited. A multiple baseline design across five teachers was used to evaluate the impact of online instructional modules and a Practice-Based Coaching (PBC) model with teacher-as-coach on their paraprofessionals' fidelity of discrete trial training (DTT). Implementation of the instructional modules yielded little to no change in paraprofessionals' DTT fidelity, however, a clear functional relation between PBC and improvement in paraprofessionals' fidelity of implementation of DTT was demonstrated. Implications for future research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to estimate the wage difference between overeducated and adequately educated workers in a sample of semi-skilled and low-skill occupations in Iran’s labor market. The objective is to see if overeducated employees in these occupations enjoy higher wages in comparison to their adequately educated co-workers.Design/methodology/approach The authors use the propensity score matching (PSM) model to estimate the wage difference between overeducated and adequately educated workers in a sample of semi-skilled and low-skill occupations in Iran’s labor market. The PSM method allows the authors to prevent selection bias by comparing each group of overeducated workers with a matched group of adequately educated workers with similar socio-economic characteristics.Findings The results show that in Iran’s labor market, the overeducated workers enjoy a wage premium in the range of 10-25 percent for their excess education when they have to work in semi- or low-skill occupations. While this relative advantage has gradually declined for private sector employees over the period 2001-2013, it has remained stable for public sector jobs. The result is attributable to the fact that salary and benefits for public sector employees are directly linked to education attainment and their work experience. The findings show that the relative wage advantage of overeducation is larger for the younger employees with ten or fewer years of experience who have more education than older workers. Overall these findings offer an explanation for the strong desire of Iranian youth for university education. If a university graduate finds a job that matches her/his specialization she/he will enjoy a higher salary than a high school graduate. If she/he has to accept a semi-skilled or low-skill job for which she/he is overeducated, she/he still enjoys a wage premium over her/his co-workers who are not overeducated.Originality/value The analysis makes three unique contributions: first, the authors use a unique and detailed micro-data for an economy (Iran) in which the public sector dominates the private sector. The authors investigate the hypothesis for private and public sectors separately. Second, the authors divide the sample of workers into market newcomers and experienced workers. The authors analyze the impact of overeducations on each group separately. Third, the authors use the treatment effect of being overeducated on the individual’s monthly wage by the PSM. The advantage of the PSM method is that it eliminates the selection bias in the wage effect of overeducation, whereas the traditional regression-based techniques may result in this type of bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Interventions found to be effective in research settings are often not as effective when implemented in community settings. Considering children with autism, studies have rarely examined the efficacy of laboratory-tested interventions on child outcomes in community settings using randomized controlled designs. Methods One hundred and thirteen children with autism enrolled in public early intervention classrooms in low resource neighborhoods were randomized to Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation (JASPER) intervention or treatment as usual waitlist for 10 weeks with 1-month follow-up. Results Teaching assistants delivered JASPER at adequate fidelity. Children randomized to JASPER demonstrated significant gains over treatment as usual in core developmental outcomes of joint engagement, joint attention, and play skills that were maintained at follow-up. Conclusions Supervised teaching assistants delivered JASPER intervention with a range of toddlers with autism leading to significant gains in developmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This survey research investigated the experience of Ohio districts using paraprofessionals assigned to special education students. This study provides a unique statewide description of district experience. Based on themes from the literature and preliminary conversations with educational practitioners in Ohio, the survey conceptualized district experience in five domains: role definition, assignment, supervision, training, and pay. Survey respondents (n = 184) included district superintendents and staff from Educational Service Centers and State Support Teams. Findings, overall, suggest that districts confront challenges in even defining the role of paraprofessional, and that assignment, supervision, and training are often haphazard in Ohio districts; furthermore, that wages are low. These findings suggest that district leadership in Ohio typically pays little attention to the use of special education paraprofessionals. Recommendations are included for research and district-level practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]