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Novice teachers need to develop foundation teaching skills to effectively address student behavior and academics in the classroom. The TLE TeachLivE™ simulation laboratory (TLE) is a virtual classroom used to supplement traditional instruction and field experiences in teacher preparation programs. The TLE platform is an innovative means of providing preservice and novice teachers with means to meet the needs of students from academically, behaviorally, and culturally diverse backgrounds by providing rehearsal opportunities to acquire and master high-leverage teaching practices. This chapter contextualizes the impetus for the development of TLE and its significance as a tool that teacher educators can use in the preparation of their candidates. The chapter further describes the procedural use of TLE sessions when used within teacher preparation programs, highlighting the aspects of individualized clinical coaching and reflective practice, and perceived value among users. An overview of the developments and iterations of the logistics and technologies associated with the lab is also provided. Caveats and recommendations for use conclude the chapter.

It is critically important for leadership personnel in special education to develop knowledge and skills in policy and advocacy. The Pew Charitable Trust initiated a survey to uncover resources and experiences impacting doctoral-level preparation at institutes of higher education. Results indicated that fewer than 30 percent of doctoral students were provided the opportunity for an internship experience. Thus, a large university located in the southeast United States created an internshipexperience reflective of current policies and trends within the field of special education. This article discusses interns’ responsibilities with reference to policy and politics, opportunities for mentorship, the development of personal contacts and networking, and the impact of each experience on the intern’s future role in special education teacher education and advocacy.

Perceptions of usability and navigability contribute substantially to initial impressions of university and program websites. A survey was administered to graduate students in special education at four intervals between 2006 and 2014 to determine their perceptions of university and special education doctoral program websites. For this article, participant impressions of the websites are presented and analyzed using responses to open-ended survey questions. Thematic analysis revealed that overall opinions of university and program websites were predominately unfavorable with little improvement noted over the span of the survey administration. Results of this analysis have the potential to inform universities and program units beyond the bounds of the immediate focus of this article as graduate and undergraduate special education websites are evaluated for usability and navigability. Specific recommendations are provided for improving university and doctoral program websites.

As the number of students with disabilities educated in general education classroom settings increases, there is a greater need for appropriate accommodations, modifications and supports to help these students be successful. Assistive technology (AT) tools, which are designed to mediate the difficulties incurred by disabilities, are one way to help students achieve in general education classrooms. For students with learning disabilities or other difficulties with print-based skills, digital pens are an AT device that can assist with both reading and writing tasks. This article focuses on one digital pen, the smartpen, manufactured by Livescribe™. The authors outline a number of ways smartpens can be used to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities in the areas of study skills, independent work, and assessment. A classroom-based example of implementation is provided.

This article relates a project in which a curriculum module was developed to help graduate students more effectively manage behaviors of adults in facilitation sessions. The module was piloted in the project and later included in a graduate level course in the Creative Studies Department of SUNY Buffalo State. The curriculum identified characteristics of adult learners and behaviors that manifest from those characteristics and helped Creative Studies graduate students develop strategies to manage such behaviors in facilitation sessions. The module included practice sessions for facilitation using TeachLivE™, a mixed reality simulation that offers education students practice in classroom management with avatars to enhance their teaching skills. Results indicated that students felt they were more capable of managing adult learner behaviors and more confident and effective in facilitations as a result of the module and TeachLivE™ simulation.

One of the challenges facing educators who teach students with autism spectrum disorders is implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) with fidelity. One EBP used to help such learners in acquiring targeted behavioral or academic skills is prompting. In this study, the authors examine the efficacy of individualized clinical coaching (ICC) of least-to-most prompting (also referred to as system-of-least prompts [SLP]) in the TLE TeachLivE™ simulationreality teaching and learning environment (TLE). Participants included six novice educators enrolled in a graduate special education course that focused on EBPs for teaching learners with autism. Results suggest that ICC in TLE was effective in increasing the fidelity of implementation of the participants’ use of SLP.

Today's graduate students are highly skilled in using technology, so university websites are often the most influential resource students access for gathering information about university programs. Graduate students in special education reviewed select university and special education doctoral program websites across the United States. An instrument was administered four times (i.e., 2006, 2008, 2011, and 2014) to evaluate usability and navigability. The findings suggest that university websites and special education doctoral webpages consistently do not meet the usability and navigability needs of students who visit them in their quest for information. Since the current study investigated the ease and intuitiveness of locating program information, the findings have potential for extrapolation to other program units within university websites. (Keywords: doctoral, Internet, navigation, special education, usability, webpage, website)

Video modeling is an evidence-based practice for learners with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, the use of video modeling interventions for learners with other developmental disabilities has received less applied attention in home, community, and classroom settings. This is unfortunate since the research literature supports the use of video modeling interventions for all learners with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the research literature and make suggestions for implementing video modeling with learners who have developmental disabilities other than autism.