ABSTRACT
Teacher preparation programs that are offered via distance education technologies have become an increasingly popular vehicle for preparing highly qualified special education teachers in rural areas. Teacher preparation programs in general are increasingly challenged to provide pre-service training that will lead to better P–12 student outcomes and it has been suggested that there is a disconnect between what students in today's schools need from their teachers and what teacher preparation programs are offering. This chapter discusses a model for building the capacity of university/school district partnerships through mentoring, local master teachers, and web-based co-supervision to bridge the geographic gap between rural and remote field-experiences. The Mild/Moderate Distance Degree and Licensure Program at Utah State University (USU) was developed to address critical shortages in the rural and remote areas of the state. An annual 2-day workshop was developed to assist mentors in establishing learning communities in their localities and learn about their teaching assistant responsibilities for the coming year.
