Schuermann, B., Webber, J., Boutot, E.A., & Goodwin, M. (2003).  Problems with personnel preparation in autism spectrum disorders.  Focus on Autism and other Developmental Disabilities, 18, 200-206

• NCLB -requires teachers to be highly qualified
  • what is highly qualified to teach students with autism?
  • little data on personnel prep in autism
• no data about who is being trained, what programs are training, and in what disciplines
• problems - unique to ASD
• purpose - overview of the preparation process, concerns, policy and practice implications
• Certification problems
  • ways teachers are certified varies by state
    • some noncategorical
    • some categorical - no one teaches just one disability category - teacher shortage
    • many take alternative routes to certification
    • testing into certification is common
  • unlikely that these teachers will have mastered the special skills needed to teach students with ASD
  • CEC standards - in all areas except for autism
    • autism - special content and skills need addressing
    • unique characteristics and needs
      • cognition
      • communication
      • social skills
      • functional and learning foundations
      • problem behavior
    • learning and addressing global deficits
    • service coordination
  • need well trained and supported individuals
  • bad instruction negative impacts
  • certified but not qualified
    • noncategorical certification - not enough to meet the needs of kids with autism
      • e.g., communication assessment and intervention
      • behavior management
    • some states - categorical but no endorsement of autism
    • DE - only state with an autism endorsement (at that time, see other articles for more up to date information)
  • preservice training can have an impact on outcomes
    • more likely to have problems with alternative certification programs
    • many core problems not addressed in general special education programs
      • supervision of paras
      • collaboration
    • often falls on school systems to provide training
• solutions
  • education legislation
  • specialist training - on the job, or does not lead to licenseure
    • can be from a variety of backgrounds
    • problems
      • responding to a problem - kid shows up, we need training
      • mostly in response to legal challenges
      • parents usually prevailed in hearings
      • child might develop problems while teacher is in training
      • should be proactive, not reactive
  • scope/depth and training content
    • training workshops scratch the surface
    • does not allow for practice and ongoing coaching and feedback
    • lectures have no relationship between knowledge and mastery
      • must have supervised experiences
    • training in one approach by one person might result in rigid adherence to one model
    • can be based on a single theory that won't work for all children
      • limits the teacher's ability to try different approaches as needed
      • must have an open mind
      • may result in discontinuity in services when kids move from one program to another
      • may pit parents against practitioners
    • unproven interventions
      • teachers need to learn how to distinguish fad from evidence-based practices
      • program evaluation
      • evaluation of intervention
      • literature reviews
    • allows teachers to incorporate a variety of evidence-based practices
      • should be based in ABA techniques in natural contexts
• Recommendations
  • autism - not easy to teach
  • don't benefit as much from general or special education practices
  • must prepare teachers - will need policy and funding
  • personnel prep programs
    • univeristy models - specialties in autism
      • be sure to include stuff that will allow teachers to become generally certified!
      • advanced degrees
      • specialty certificates
      • summer seminars or institutes
        • should have a coaching and supervision component
    • distance learning
    • inservice models - intensive ongoing training
      • not enough to go around
      • often couched in one specific methodology
      • practice and feedback cruicial to understanding
• training teachers - content
  • multiple approaches
    • research based
    • basd in ABA
    • not in one approach
  • requires training multiple people from multiple disciplines
    • teach team-based approaches
    • courses in supervision and managment, collaboration
  • preparing paras and TAs
    • need to know how to impliment these interventions
    • often left to the teacher
    • train-the-trainer approach necessary
  • LIST OF COMPETENCIES IN THE ARTICLE - USE THESE AS A GUIDE
  • parent training
    • must be consistent across settings
    • especially true for kids with MR
    • training like UCLA - often expensive and difficult ot find
      • need training sessions and ongoing feedback
      • teacher as technical assistant
• teacher technical assistance
  • teachers need assistance and access to resources
  • most teachers end up working in isolation
    • training
    • distance conferencing
    • coordinated assistance
    • self-monitoring key to implementation
• leadership and personnel preparation funding