In the course of a single school day, paraeducators might find themselves working with students in multiple classrooms and in other settings like the cafeteria, playgrounds, buses, or vocational settings. At some point during the day, they will probably be expected to support a student who needs more than academic help. Regardless of their specific…

In November, lawmakers introduced the Keeping All Students Safe Act, which would protect students from the dangers of seclusion and restraint. If enacted, the law would establish strong federal standards to prohibit the use of seclusion and to limit restraint in federally funded schools, improve the safety of students and school staff, and ensure parents…

We recently released the first course in a new three-part series on Structured Teaching in our Autism Spectrum course category.   Students with an autism spectrum disorder – or ASD – think, learn and process information very differently from most of their peers. Beyond the facts and figures of classroom subjects like math and language arts,…

We recently had the honor of hosting a webinar with Nicholas Martin, founder and director of The Center for Accord, Inc., on the 21 Best Practices for Effective IEP Meetings. The best prevention of conflict in special education is a well-run meeting. The overarching purpose of every IEP meeting is to achieve the goals of…

Educational Staffing Company Enhances Special Education Services with Exceptional Child Online Courses This article was originally published in District Administration.  Kelly Services, a global provider of workforce solutions, today announced a new partnership between the Kelly Education Practice, the nation’s largest provider of educational staffing, and Vector Solutions, a leader in eLearning and performance support…

As the leader of the school, the principal is ultimately responsible for the education of each child, and both teachers and parents rely on them to ensure quality special education in their school. The principal knows the students, knows the parents, and knows the teachers. And it is the principal’s responsibility to create a school…

Recognizing that schools and districts have limited time and resources for professional development for paraeducators and other support staff, we continue to expand our library of Essentials Courses to help meet this critical need.   Essentials Courses are abbreviated versions of our full-length courses. These 15-20 minute courses help provide paraeducators and other support staff,…

Exceptional Child was recently selected as a winner of the ComputEd Gazette’s 22nd Annual Education Software Review Awards (EDDIE Awards). Our online professional development system was honored in the Teacher Tools Special Education Professional Development category.  The EDDIE Awards target innovative and content-rich programs and websites that augment the classroom curriculum and improve teacher productivity, providing…

Bullying continues to be a pressing problem in schools today. In a national survey, one in three teens reported being bullied. Bullying is an even greater problem for students with disabilities. Some reports indicate that nearly 85 percent of students with special needs experience bullying. Studies have concluded that children with disabilities are two to…

Working with students with special needs can present unique challenges to school staff. Beyond the typical teaching demands, school staff also face the possibility of injury. Two common causes of injury include: Overexertion related to helping lift and transfer students with special needs. Injuries caused by students, such as hitting, biting, and pulling. It’s important…