Comparison of In-Person and Virtual Coaching of Preservice Special Education Teachers

Traditionally, university supervisors have provided coaching to special education preservice teachers after direct observations of sessions within the classroom. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many public school districts in the United States enforced visitor restriction policies that made face-to-face observations difficult or impossible. When faced with this challenge, university supervisors were forced to consider alternative ways to provide feedback. Many questioned whether virtual coaching was as effective as in-person coaching in increasing teacher behaviors. Presently, there are limited studies that suggest one delivery method is more effective or efficient than the other. This study used a Repeated Acquisition Design to compare the effectiveness and social validity of in-person and virtual coaching models in increasing the use of HLPs in special education student teachers