ABSTRACT
Given the dynamic landscape of special education, teacher preparation programs are constantly engaging with national and state standards, licensing requirements, and the real world implications for students with disabilities in public schools. Teacher preparation programs everywhere have a responsibility to prepare teachers who are skilled and proficient in implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) in the classroom to support positive learning outcomes for students with disabilities. To prepare special education teachers for the current educational context demands "moving away from teaching about practice to constructing more opportunities for candidates to practice teaching in structured, carefully sequenced, and closely monitored practical experiences". This chapter provides details of how one special education department redesigned its teacher preparation program and embedded both evaluation and scaffolding within the clinical field experience to support candidates in their selection, implementation, and evaluation of EBPs.
