Teacher Competencies for Transition Programs as Reported by State Directors of Special Education.

Abstract

The Transition Special Interest Group (SIG) of the American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES) established as one of its goals to identify the essential components of effective transition programs in the United States and, thereby to influence teacher preparation programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the skills that the State Directors of Special Education (SDSE) list as necessary competencies required in their states for personnel in special education transition programs. Recognizing that some states may not have fully developed, articulated, and mandated the competencies they believe are necessary, the SDSE were additionally asked to report what knowledge and skills they felt should be required for transition program personnel. Responses indicate a consistency of several predictable required skills, but over half of the SDSE support a core of twelve common competencies that should be built into personnel training programs. This core represents a knowledge base that is defined more broadly than the current traditional special educational training programs. Implications for training are discussed.