A Comparison of On-Campus and Distance Teacher Education Programs in Severe Disabilities
Source: Teacher Education and Special Education, Vol. 34 Issue 2, p106-118, (May 2011).
In this evaluation study, the authors compared the effectiveness of a distance and
an on-campus teacher education program for teachers of students with severe disabilities.
Teacher candidates in the distance cohort received the same program of study as candidates in the on-campus program except that the coursework was delivered through videoconferencing technology instead of traditional, face-to-face instruction.
Instructional activities for candidates in both cohorts were supported through online instructional tools (i.e., Web CT) and on-site field supervision from university clinical faculty members and cooperating professionals from the local school districts.
The results indicate that there were no significant differences between students in the distance and on-campus teacher education cohorts on the measures of learning.