What Unites Us All: Establishing Special Education Teacher Education Universals. (August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Darling, Sharon M.; Dukes, Charles; Hall, Kalynn
• Other Names: Dukes Charles guest-editor.; Darling Sharon M. guest-editor.; Gallagher Peggy A. guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Teacher education and special education. Volume 39:Number 3(2016:Aug.)
• Page Start: 209
• Page End: 219
• Publication Date: 2016-08
• Subjects: theory–practice relationship -- special education teacher education -- comparative education -- teacher preparation theory -- teacher education universals; Special education -- Periodicals; Special education teachers -- Training of -- Periodicals; Sonderpädagogik; Lehrerfortbildung; 371.9
• DOI: 10.1177/0888406416650729
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0888-4064

Abstract

The theoretical base that supports human universals served as a model for proposing special education teacher education universals. The human universals model is explained and put forth as a basis for identifying special education teacher education universals. Twenty-four English language journals from different countries representing four continents were searched for special education teacher education universals, represented by four broadly defined categories: (a) policy, (b) practice, (c) pedagogy, and (d) teacher preparation/co-curricular activities. Each journal was searched from 2004 to 2015, and articles were coded using the aforementioned categories. Results indicated an overwhelming presence of teacher preparation/co-curricular descriptions, representing 51% of the total ( n = 815) articles categorized. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to defining and describing special education teacher preparation universals.