Training Special Education Teachers through Computer Simulations: Promoting Understanding of the Experiences of Students
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Training Special Education Teachers through Computer Simulations: Promoting Understanding of the Experiences of Students with Disabilities Elizabeth Gates Bradley 1
&
Jelia Domingo 1
Received: 23 January 2020 / Revised: 14 April 2020 / Accepted: 3 May 2020 # Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract In increasingly diverse schools, teachers are challenged to effectively instruct students with a wide range of disabilities. Yet, preservice training and hands on experience in instructing students with disabilities are limited; many new teachers report a lack of sufficient training in working with diverse students. Frequent opportunities for practice are important in successfully preparing preservice teachers; however, budget and time constraints make ample opportunities for practice difficult. Simulations can provide a safe and controlled environment for teachers to engage in frequent practice and receive immediate feedback. The simulations in this article cover a wide variety of disabilities that educators could encounter with students in the classroom. These simulations can help raise empathy, awareness, and improve student-teacher relationships while helping teachers create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning for all students. Keywords Simulation . Special education . Disability . Virtual reality . Teacher training
In the twenty-first century, teachers are expected to do it all. K12 teachers must be well versed in physical, intellectual, and social/emotional child development while being able to effectively instruct typically developing students as well as those who are at-risk and those with a wide range of disabilities; at the same time, they are expected to improve student achievement and utilize culturally responsive instructional techniques (Beare et al. 2012; Peterson-Ahmad 2018). It is imperative for teacher preparation programs to train teachers in how to effectively instruct diverse learners (McDonald et al. 2013). Yet, preservice training (i.e., training that occurs prior to teaching in the classroom) and hands on experience in instructing students with disabilities are limited; many new teachers report a lack of sufficient training in working with diverse students (Kokkinos et al. 2016). The demand for special education teachers rises as the number of students diagnosed with disabilities also rises; thus, teacher preparation of special education teachers is of particular importance (Tyler and Brunner 2014).
* Elizabeth Gates Bradley [email protected] 1
SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, USA
An essential part of teacher preparation programs is opportunities for the practice of complex teaching skills that resemble real life classroom scenarios (Grossman and McDonald 2008). To successfully prepare preservice teachers to teach increasingly diverse groups of students, teachers must be exposed to frequent and repetitive classroom experiences to practice these skills (McLeskey et al. 2017). However, budget and time constraints make ample opportunities fo
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