Evidence-Based Practices and Teacher Practice

The use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) by special education teachers is still inconsistent. Additionally, special education teachers often have little knowledge of high-quality indicators of research that identify specific EBPs proven effective for designated populations of students with disabilities. Teacher preparation during college programs (i.e., pre-service) and training from districts (i.e., in-service) can certainly play an important role in introducing EBPs to special education teachers. In pre-service and in-service training, observation, feedback, and coaching experiences can help to ensure the acquisition of skills and implementation of EBPs into daily teaching. In this study, I investigated special education teachers’ experiences with training on EBPs, both preservice and in-service, to determine if teachers’ report a greater degree of implementation of EBPs into daily instructional practice when training has been provided and if opportunities for observation, coaching, and feedback have influenced the use of these proven practices