Transition Knowledge of High School Special Education Teachers in a Midwestern School District

Authors

  • Christine Peper (Author) University of Minnesota image/svg+xml
    Christine Peper, Ph.D. is a lecturer in Special Education at the University of Minnesota in the Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota. Prior to joining the staff at the University of Minnesota, she worked with a small group of individuals to start a transition program for students ages 18-21 with a variety of disabilities. Her work in the classroom has led to her main research interests including increasing student participation in their IEP meetings, improving existing self-determination scales used for older students with disabilities, and improving transition assessment and instruction for older students with disabilities.
  • Kristen McMaster (Author) University of Minnesota
    Kristen L. McMaster, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Special Education in the Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota. Her research interests include creating conditions for successful response to intervention of students at risk and students with disabilities. Specific research focuses on (1) promoting teachers’ use of data-based decision making and evidence-based instruction and (2) developing individualized interventions for students for whom generally effective instruction is not sufficient.
https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.193
Teachers’ knowledge of transition services and programming in their schools is crucial for their students with disabilities to successfully transition from school to adult life. The purpose of this study was to examine high school special education teachers’ knowledge of transition programming offered at their schools. Twenty-five special education teachers from three suburban high schools in the Midwest completed surveys of their knowledge of transition programming. Results indicated respondents were accurate in their knowledge on 15 of 25 questions (60%), somewhat accurate in their knowledge on 4 of 25 questions (16%), and somewhat inaccurate on 6 of 25 questions (24%). No statistically significant difference was found in the accuracy of knowledge between respondents who held a Developmental Disabilities license and those who held licensure in other areas, or between respondents with varying years of experience. Implications for research and practice focusing on improving teachers’ knowledge of transition services are discussed.

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There are 13 references in total.
Peper, C., & McMaster, K. (2012). Transition Knowledge of High School Special Education Teachers in a Midwestern School District. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 7(3), 99-123. https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.193

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Article Information

  • Article Type Articles
  • Submitted September 24, 2012
  • Published October 15, 2012
  • Issue Fall 2012
  • Section Articles
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