Advertisements for Faculty with Expertise in Severe or Multiple Disabilities: Do They Reflect Initiatives in Teacher Education and School Reform?

Abstract

School reform efforts and an increase in the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education settings have resulted in changes in teacher education programs, including the unifieation of special and general education. Teacher education programs must have faculty who have demonstrated expertise in these and other current and emerging trends. Advertisements for full time special education assistant professors with expertise in severe or multiple disabilities found in the Chronicle of Higher Education for a two year period were analyzed for content related to five current and emerging trends: (a) collaboration among special and general education faculty within the teacher education program; (b) existence of, or plans to develop, a unified teacher education program; (c) expertise in inclusion; (d) expertise in general education; and (e) collaboration with schools for the development of services for students with severe or multiple disabilities that more closely reflect current and emerging trends. Results suggest that while great variability exists in the content of advertisements for full time special education assistant professors with expertise in severe or multiple disabilities, few advertisements provided the information required to attract potential applicants seeking to join a teacher education program that incorporates current and emerging trends. Given the desire to recruit and hire the best candidate, universities may be wise to develop advertisements that are clear about the intent of their teacher education program and the expertise they seek in the successful candidate.

Preparing Personnel with Expertise in Severe Disabilities in the Electronic Age: Innovative Programs and Technologies

“…Further investigation of ways to maximize and reinforce such professional exchanges is critically needed. Ryndak and Sirvis (1999) indicated that the purpose of personnel preparation programs is to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills needed so that they can deliver to all students, through the use of effective educational and related services based on best practices and changing trends in our field. For all of us committed to personnel preparation, this is a challenge we continually face as we evaluate and retool our licensure programs, albeit in the light of shrinking resources and pressing needs to prepare more teachers.…”

Special Education Faculty Positions Advertised from 1991 to 1997: Reflective of Current Practices?

“…A decrease in the number of positions in severe disabilities between 1994 and 1996 was noted by Ryndak and Sirvis (1999) and is of some concern, given the shortage in this specialty area (Spooner, 1996). However, we must be cautious when comparing data from various studies, whose authors used different methodologies and definitions (e.g., coding jobs for an academic vs. a calendar year and coding tenure track vs. all positions).…”

“…Recent studies have focused on whether advertisements reflect initiatives in teacher education and school reform. Ryndak and Sirvis (1999) examined advertisements for assistant professors with expertise in severe or multiple disabilities in TCHE from 1994 to 1996: 21 % specified collaboration with general education faculty; 13% described unified general/special education preservice programs; 26% specified expertise in inclusion; and 26 % specified collaboration with schools. Ryndak, Webb, and Clark (1999) examined these same trends during the same time frame for all assistant professor positions advertised in TCHE.…”