Evaluation of Special Education Teacher Candidates through Direct Observations and Self-Report

Teacher preparation for low incidence populations includes many of the skills required for general education instruction along with all the specialty instruction required to teach students with significant disabilities (SWSD). SWSD or severe disabilities include those who have more extensive support needs such as severe intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, or autism co-occurring with an intellectual disability. The term severe disabilities is often used to describe a condition in which the development of typical abilities is both adversely and substantially affected across multiple domains and areas, including general learning, personal and social skills, and/or sensory and physical development (Westling et al., 2021).

Given the complex needs of SWSD, preparing teachers to educate this population of students requires highly talented professionals with extensive training (Pennington & Travers, 2024). To meet this need, Browder et al. (2014) created an innovation configuration matrix to guide teacher preparation professionals in the development of an extensive training program in the appropriate evidence-based practices for SWSD. Browder et al. (2014) noted to effectively educate SWSD, teachers need to be prepared to know a) how to teach, b) what to teach and c) how to support SWSD.