Many rural schools in the United States encounter significant challenges for students with disabilities, including limited access to specialized personnel and resources, which affects educational interventions. Previous research emphasizes the importance of school-based interventions, particularly the effectiveness of applied behavior analysis (ABA). However, there is limited understanding of how rural educators perceive and implement ABA-based procedures over time. There have been numerous changes in needs and demands within the K–12 system within the last decade, including post-pandemic effects and changes to federal/state policies with implications for educational and behavior programs. Therefore, we explored rural educators’ views of ABA-based procedures at two time points (2013 and 2024) and examined their perceptions of training and practices within the behavioral context. A total of 98 participants completed an anonymous survey rating their knowledge, frequency of use, perceived importance, and barriers related to ABA-based procedures. Survey results indicate significant differences only in the frequency of use, where educators in 2024 reported greater use of group contingencies, behavior contracts, timeout, and overcorrection. Perceptions of knowledge, teaching methods, and implementation barriers remained statistically stable across years. Findings highlight training needs in rural settings and suggest shifts in classroom behavior-management practices that may reflect evolving contextual demands.
Rural families face barriers to early intervention (EI) due to provider shortages and geographic isolation. This study examined an asynchronous, bilingual professional development course designed to equip Community Health Workers (CHWs) with strategies for supporting early speech and language development. Six CHWs from a rural-serving nonprofit completed the course and implemented the course content with families. Two virtual focus groups explored course utilization, and transcripts were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: (a) positive reception of the content, (b) personal and professional impact, (c) variable family engagement and motivation, and (d) cultural and linguistic relevance of Spanish-language content. Digital, evidence-based training can strengthen CHW capacity to support early language development, offering a scalable, culturally responsive model for improving EI services in underserved rural communities.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is found in all racial and ethnic groups and at all socioeconomic levels, including in the Native American/Alaska Native (NA/AN) communities. However, a review of literature showed a dearth of research on Native American children with an ASD diagnosis and their families, particularly from the first-person perspective of the families. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 Native American parents or guardians of children with ASD regarding their perceptions of, and experiences with, the diagnostic process, and family and community support. Participants in the study noted an increase in awareness of ASD in their communities, challenging diagnostic processes, a lack of knowledgeable professionals and sufficient services on the reservation, and the importance of support from extended families. Recommendations for providers and future research are included.
Reading comprehension is critically important for students’ success in school, yet it is a challenging and complex process for all students, especially for students with disabilities. A large body of research has shown that instruction to support reading comprehension, particularly reading comprehension strategies, helps students understand more of what they read. This approach to instruction is a particularly good fit for rural school settings because it does not require the purchase of expensive programs, intensive instructor training, or specialized materials. The first part of this article provides an overview of well-established reading comprehension strategies. The second part of the article presents teaching methods that can magnify the impact of strategy use over time by helping students self-regulate their own learning. Practical exemplars are included.
Social-emotional learning (SEL) and social skills training (SST) are differing approaches meant to improve the social and emotional skills of young children. SEL teaches young children social skills such as self-regulation, naming emotions, and how to handle different social situations. SST is a behavioral approach used to teach young children to improve their verbal and nonverbal communication skills. This article provides an overview of reputable free or low-cost SEL and SST resources that rural early childhood special educators can use with confidence. Additionally, the article provides early childhood special educators with more direct instruction tools to help young children, with and without disabilities, develop the social skills necessary to thrive at school.
