All schools, including those in rural areas, must meet the challenge of providing highly qualified teachers in response to No Child Left Behind (Brownell, Bishop, & Sindelar, 2005). Teachers must be qualified to meet the needs of unique populations of students with special needs, including a growing population of English Language Learners with Visual Impairments (ELL/VI). This study explored the perceptions of English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers regarding ideal service delivery for ELL/VI students. Results indicated that ESL teachers believed appropriate service delivery for this unique population included the availability of teachers licensed to teach both students who are classified as English Language Learners, those with visual impairments, and sensitivity to the students' cultural and linguistic groups. The study focused on challenges and training needs of teachers involved in educating students with disabilities who are also English Language Learners across the spectrum of educational settings including rural and remote communities.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Albus,D., Thurlow,M., & Clapper,A.(2006). State-level standards-based instructional strategies for ELLs with disabilities.Journal of Special Education Leadership, 19(1), 11–18.
2.
Barrera,M., & Liu,K. K.Involving parents of English language learners with disabilities.Journal of Special Education Leadership, 19(1), 43–51.
3.
Blum,H. T., Yocom,D. J., Trent,A., & McLaughlin,M.(2005). Professional development: When teachers plan and deliver their own.Rural Special Education Quarterly, 24(2), 18–21.
4.
Bowen,S. K., & Rude,H. A.(2006). Assessment and students with disabilities: Issues and challenges with educational reform.Rural Special Education Quarterly, 25(3), 24–30.
5.
Brownell,M., Bishop,A., & Sindelar,P.(2005). NCLB and the demand for highly qualified teachers: Challenges and solutions for rural schools.Rural Special Education Quarterly, 24(1), 9–15.
Flores,B., Keehn,S.Perez,B. (2002). Critical needs for bilingual education teachers: The potentiality of “Normalistas” and paraprofessionals.Bilingual Research Journal, 26(3), 501–524.
8.
Fuchs,D., & Fuchs,L.(1998). Researchers and teachers working together to adapt instruction for diverse learners.Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 13(13), 126–137.
9.
Gall,M. D., Borg,W. R., & Gall,J. P.(2003). Educational research: An introduction. (7th Edition). White Plains, NY: Longman.
10.
Kirchner,C., & Diament,S.(1999). Estimates of the number of visually impaired students, their teachers, and orientation and mobility specialists: Part 1.Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 93, 600–606.
11.
Lai,Y., & Ishiyama,F.(2004). Involvement of immigrant Chinese Canadian mothers of children with disabilities.Exceptional Children, 71(1), 97–108.
Liu,K. K., Albus,D., & Thurlow,M.(2006). Examining participation and performance as a basis for improving performance.Journal of Special Education Leadership, 19(1), 34–42.
14.
Love,C. (2001). Asian Americans and pacific islanders with visual impairments. In Milian,M. & Erin,J. (Eds.), Diversity and visual impairment: The influence of race, gender, religion, and ethnicity on the individual. (pp. 79–108). New York: AFB Press.
15.
Mason,C., Davidson,R., & McNerney,C.(2000). National plan for training personnel to serve children with blindness and low vision (Final report, Grant #HO29K73005). Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.
16.
Menlove,R., & Lignugaris-Kraft,B. (2004). Initiating the uninitiated: Preparing rural distance education preservice.Rural Special Education Quarterly, 23(2), 18–26.
17.
Milian,M. & Conroy,P. (2000, April). Students with sensory impairments from multicultural communities: Administrators' views on teacher competencies. Poster session presented at the annual convention of the International Council for Exceptional Children, Vancouver, British Columbia.
18.
Milian,M., & Ferrell,K.(1998). Educating limited English proficient students with visual impairments. Unpublished manuscript, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley.
19.
Minnema,J., Elliott,J., Barboza,M. S., & Thurlow,M.(2006). Including English learners with disabilities in statewide testing: Touchstones for school administrators.Journal of Special Education Leadership, 19(1), 19–26.
20.
Mitchem,K., Kossar,K., & Ludlow,B. L.(2006). Finite resources, increasing demands: Rural children left behind? Educators speak out on issues facing rural special education.Rural Special Education Quarterly, 25(3), 13–23.
21.
Ortiz,A. A., & Yates,J. R.(2001). A framework for serving English language learners with disabilities.Journal of Special Education Leadership, 14(2), 72–80.
22.
Peterson,P. J., & Montfort,L.(2004). Creating culturally dynamic materials for rural culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional students.Rural Special Education Quarterly, 23(4), 25–29.
23.
Rude,H. A., & Ferrell,K. A.(2006). Online delivery of programs in low-incidence disabilities and special education administration to meet statewide and national needs. In Ludlow,B.L., CollinsB. C., & MenloveR. R. (Eds.), Online instruction for distance education delivery: Preparing special educators in and for rural areas. Victoria, British Columbia: Trafford Press.
24.
Rude,H., Paolucci-Whitcomb,P., & Comerford,S.(2005). Ethical leadership: Supporting human rights and diversity in rural communities.Rural Special Education Quarterly, 24(4), 26–31.
25.
Thurlow,M., Barrera,M., & Zamora-Duran,G. (2006). School leaders taking responsibility for English language learners with disabilities.Journal of Special Education Leadership, 1 9 (1), 3–10.
26.
Tyler,N., Cantou-Clarke,C., Easterling,J., & Klepper,T.(2003). Recruitment and retention and special education teacher preparation in rural areas: Diversity, federal funding and technical assistance considerations.Rural Special Education Quarterly, 22(3), 3–11.
Vang,H., & Barrera,M. T.(2004). Hmong parents' perceptions on instructional strategies for educating their children with disabilities.Hmong Studies Journal, 5, 1–20.
