JAASEP FALL 2026 Part 8 of 9
All series
- ADHD Series
- Assessment in Special Education Series
- Autism Spectrum Disorders Series
- Bullying of Children
- Classroom Management Series
- Diagnosis of Students with Disabilities and Disorders Series
- Discipline of Students in Special Education Series
- Early Intervention Series
- Genetics in Special Education Series
- How To Series
- IEP Components
- Inclusion Series
- JAASEP – Research Based Journal in Special Education
- LD Report
- Lesser Known Disorders
- NASET News Alert
- NASET Q & A Corner
- NASET Survival Guides
- Parent Teacher Conference Handouts
- Resolving Disputes with Parents Series
- RTI Roundtable
- Severe Disabilities Series
- Special Education: What Do the Latest Numbers Tell Us?
- Special Educator e-Journal – Latest and Archived Issues
- The Practical Teacher
- Treatment and Support for IEP Students with Disabilities
- Working with Paraprofessionals in Your School
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability with increasing identified prevalence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Maenner et al., 2023) reports that one in 34 school-aged children in the United States are diagnosed with ASD. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in 2022 – 23, 7.5 million students ages 3–21 received special education and/or related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), or 15% of all public-school students. Among those students, 13% were served under the autism disability category (NCES, 2024). The rapid diagnostic increase has challenged U.S. school districts to educate children with ASD in ways that address their deficits and unique challenges (Maenner et al., 2023).
The U.S. Department of Education currently does not require special education (SPED) teachers to have certification or licensure in ASD. As a result, “most teacher Ghionis graduates receiving minimal to no preparation in evidencebased practices for students diagnosed with ASD” (Hart & Malian, 2013, p.5).
Abstract
Special education teachers may receive limited autism-specific preparation despite being responsible for supporting students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across a range of learning, behavioral, social, and communication needs. This qualitative descriptive study explored elementary special education teachers’ perceptions of ASD professional development and teacher self-efficacy. Data included semi-structured interviews, responses to the Teacher Self-Efficacy for Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Inclusive Classrooms (TSE-ASDI) scale, and synthesized member-checking focus groups. Findings indicated that participants perceived existing ASD professional development as providing basic knowledge but insufficient preparation in several areas, including understanding individual student needs, adapting curriculum and instruction, supporting challenging behavior, and addressing social communication needs. Participants emphasized the need for more targeted and practice-focused professional development to strengthen their competence and confidence in supporting students with ASD. Findings highlight the importance of professional learning that responds to the diverse strengths and support needs of students with ASD and the preparation needs identified by special education teachers.