| Title: |
Science Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities: A National Survey of Elementary Special Education Teachers |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
William J. Therrien (ORCID 0000-0003-0594-5129); Vivian C. Wong; Ling Chen; Christina M. Taylor; Jennifer L. Chiu; Bruna Gonçalves; Qing Liu (ORCID 0009-0006-0609-4484); Bryan G. Cook (ORCID 0000-0001-9294-0873); Christian T. Doabler; Elizabeth Swanson; Priscilla B. Brame; Shannon G. Budin (ORCID 0000-0002-7692-1004); Eunsoo Cho; Sarah J. Conoyer; Sheila J. Conway; Michael W. Dunn (ORCID 0000-0001-9420-3121); Michael Faggella-Luby; Jenna A. Gersib (ORCID 0000-0002-1270-1889); Kimberley M. Davis; Zaira Jimenez; Rachel L. Juergensen; Sharlene A. Kiuhara; Victoria Koop; Erica S. Lembke (ORCID 0000-0001-8096-3330); Amelia K. Moody (ORCID 0000-0002-9890-3202); Jared R. Morris (ORCID 0000-0003-3321-047X); Reagan Murnan (ORCID 0000-0002-6761-9436); Cherish M. Sarmiento (ORCID 0000-0002-2328-1007); Cassandra M. Smith; R. Alex Smith; Michael Solis; Heidi Stinchcomb |
| Source: |
Learning Disabilities Research & Practice. 2026 41(2):129-142. |
| Availability: |
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
14 |
| Publication Date: |
2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: |
National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| Contract Number: |
2201464 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research |
| Education Level: |
Elementary Education |
| Descriptors: |
Science Instruction; Students with Disabilities; Learning Disabilities; Elementary School Teachers; Special Education Teachers; Teacher Role; Teacher Competencies; Time Management; Barriers; Teacher Attitudes; Delivery Systems |
| DOI: |
10.1177/09388982261416149 |
| ISSN: |
0938-8982; 1540-5826 |
| Abstract: |
Elementary students with learning disabilities (LDs) often have limited opportunities to learn science, and little is known about how special educators engage in science instruction. This study drew on a nationally representative survey of elementary special education teachers to describe their roles, preparedness, time allocation, and perceived barriers. Most teachers reported minimal discipline-specific preparation and felt less prepared to teach science than other subjects. Many noted that students with LDs often missed science classes because of pull-out instruction. Common barriers to students receiving science instruction included remediation priorities and accountability pressures in tested subjects. These findings provide a national snapshot of science instruction for elementary students with LDs and point to the need for greater teacher preparation and policy support to ensure access to high-quality science learning for students with LDs. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Entry Date: |
2026 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1500460 |
| Database: |
ERIC |