Online ISSN: 2325-7466
2006
Triannual
National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)
United States

Articles

A Comparison of Teaching Efficacy Between Paraprofessionals and Special Education Teachers Working with Special Education Students

  • Cristhian C. Altamirano, MA (Author) Rutgers University
    Cristhian C. Altamirano, MA. Cristhian C. Altamirano is PhD candidate in Educational Psychology, with a specialization in Special Education, at Graduate School of Education Rutgers-University New Brunswick. He currently serves as the Disability Specialist at an Office of Disability Services, serving students with disabilities for approximately 5 years in higher education.
  • Dake Zhang, PhD. (Author) Rutgers University
    Dake Zhang, Ph.D. Dake Zhang is an Associate Professor of Special Education in the Department of Educational Psychology at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Her work focuses on effective assessment and interventions for students with mathematics learning difficulties. She has published widely in top tier education journals.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.546
Abstract
This study aimed to examine and compare the teaching efficacy of paraprofessionals in the four desired domains identified in prior research about teaching special education: academic instruction, behavioral management, assessment, and professional ethics; and to identify what demographic or background factors predicted paraprofessional efficacy in the four domains. The researchers surveyed 41 paraprofessionals and 18 special education teachers using a scale adapted from the Student Teachers’ Efficacy in Teaching Students With Disabilities (STETSD) scale (Zhang et al., 2018). Two significant main effects were found: efficacy domains and the professional’s role. A significant interaction effect was found when controlling for years of professional experience. Results suggested that (a) on average, paraprofessionals reported lower self-efficacy than special education teachers in all four desired domains, and (b) paraprofessionals perceived lower teaching efficacy in academic instruction and assessment.
Keywords
Behavior Modification, Ethics, Experience, Individual Characteristics, Instruction, Paraprofessional School Personnel
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How to Cite
Altamirano, C. C., & Zhang, D. (2024). A Comparison of Teaching Efficacy Between Paraprofessionals and Special Education Teachers Working with Special Education Students. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 19(1), 169-184. https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.546

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