Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
Rural communities are facing unprecedented challenges, including continued ramifications from educational losses associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, increases in mental health needs with decreasing access to resources, and increasing poverty and unemployment. These crises are even more detrimental to students with disabilities and disproportionately impact rural children and their schools. Quality research is essential to ameliorating challenges that rural schools face. Technology based interventions and services can improve outcomes for rural children who are eligible to receive special education and related services. The purpose of the Journal of Special Education Technology rural special education issue is to provide exemplars of quality rural special education technology research and highlight innovations that leverage rural strengths to serve students with disabilities attending high need rural schools. In addition to this introduction to the special issue, five Original Research and three Technology in Action articles are featured. The authors completed a synthesis of technology based interventions, applied research studies, and translational research articles for practitioners. Implications for practice and future directions are included.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are a core element of special education in the United States. Within IEPs, IEP goals drive the implementation of IEPs and guide measurement of progress for students with disabilities. Yet research indicates that many IEP goals lack sufficient detail, indicating overall low-quality goals. Additionally, special education teachers can feel unsupported in their jobs and struggle with managing their workloads. This convergent mixed methods study explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in special education to address these issues. Specifically, we explored how experienced teachers perceive AI’s role in their practice and compared the quality of AI-generated IEP goals to those written by special education teachers. Quantitative findings show no statistically significant difference (p = .67) in quality ratings of IEP goals written only by teachers versus AI-generated goals. Qualitative findings depict overall positive perceptions on using AI to facilitate workload. Implications and opportunities for future research and the field centering on continued exploration and training of using generative AI to assist special education teachers are discussed.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
Adolescents with complex communication needs require interventions based on community communication skills for effective communication within the expanding scope of their lives. This study aimed to compare two augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions by using script for their effectiveness in helping four adolescents with complex communication needs to express themselves in the community. The devices used in the study were a location-based and a category-based high-tech AAC device used in an alternative treatment design. The two intervention methods were alternated during the intervention phase of the study to determine the more effective one. The effect size was calculated using an improvement rate difference (IRD) analysis. Then, the more effective method was applied instead of the less effective one in the replication phase, within the setting where the less effective method had previously been employed, to assess its effectiveness. and effective AAC communication methods were employed within the community during the generalization phase. As a result of the interventions, all four participants showed increased accuracy of expression in the local community compared with the baseline, and the location-based tool showed greater treatment effects than the category-based tool. Additionally, the location-based device also showed generalization effects in the local community. The findings confirmed the efficacy of the two different AAC tools to improve the accuracy of expression among adolescents with complex communication needs, facilitating their integration into the community.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
Over the past few decades, advances in computing power and the widespread adoption of the Internet have completely transformed the ways that people obtain information, communicate, educate, and conduct business. Unfortunately, access to technology and to the training required to use technology are not equitably distributed in the United States, with access much lower in rural areas than urban areas. Further, the urban–rural divide disproportionately affects people in groups that have been historically marginalized in computing, particularly students with disabilities. To address this gap in access and opportunity, we are using Design-Based Research and co-design methods to develop a new technology-based intervention called Furthering Rural Adoption of Computers and Technology through Artistic Lessons (FRACTAL) that incorporates computer science and artificial intelligence into art classes in rural middle schools. In this paper, we describe our co-design process, articulate how and why Design-Based Research and co-design are useful for developing technology-based interventions in schools, and discuss our initial steps to develop FRACTAL in partnership with teachers in rural schools to address the needs of historically disenfranchised and marginalized students.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
The role of technology in special education is of great significance, yet few studies have targeted pre-service special education teachers as users of educational technology. The aim was to explore such teachers’ technology perceptions: (a) purposes of and reasons for applying technologies in education; (b) factors they see affecting the use of technology in education; and (c) how these perceptions evolved between 2017 (N = 111) and 2022 (N = 86). The perceptions of students in two cohorts were investigated with quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative results indicated that students’ perceptions of applying technologies for various educational purposes became more positive in the 2022 cohort. All students saw multiple factors affecting the use of technology in education. Qualitative results showed students’ multiple considerations regarding both educational purposes and advancing factors. The results suggest that teacher training should provide knowledge, examples and authentic learning experiences with different technologies for the purposes of special education.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
Educators have struggled to implement research-based practices effectively, particularly in early childhood settings where data-driven decision making (DDDM) is important for guiding practice. Implementation of DDDM is hindered by a lack of progress monitoring assessments, guidelines for how to use data to inform intervention decisions, and professional development for educators. To address these challenges, tools like the Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) and the Making Online Decisions (MOD) system have been developed, demonstrating significant benefits in enhancing education outcomes when used effectively. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of the MOD to enhance DDDM for young children performing below benchmark in Early Head Start. Findings indicated that the MOD increased the frequency of progress monitoring, high implementation fidelity, and sustainability after research support was discontinued. Educator satisfaction was generally high, but suggestions were made for improvements. Limitations, implications for practice, and future directions are discussed.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
This research exploration sought to investigate the effects of self-regulated strategy development (SRSD), enhanced with the use of tablets (iPads), on the informative writing performance of Kuwaiti, English as a Second Language (ESL) adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A single-subject, multiple probe, and multiple baseline design across three participants was used to explore the impact of the intervention on the number of genre elements within, and the holistic quality of, the informative, written essays of those participants. Findings indicated that SRSD paired with iPad technology accelerated the positive direction of the writing measures, improving the participants’ written endeavors in comparison to their baseline attempts. Results also demonstrated SRSD per se to be a powerful writing strategy, with teacher-led instruction playing a key role in its success. Implications and recommendations for future research and practice are provided.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
The ongoing science achievement gap between students with and without disabilities affects informed citizenry and job opportunities. This study explored the impact of extended reality (XR) in inclusive 9th-grade biology classrooms using browser-based 360° virtual reality (VR). The primary research question is: Does using XR (i.e., browser-based 360° VR in science lessons lead to a statistically significant performance difference between secondary students with and without disabilities? Although a one-way Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) yielded non-significant results, a moderate effect size suggested a meaningful difference, prompting further investigation. A follow-up MANOVA on pre- and post-change scores was statistically significant. The secondary research question on social validity is: What opinions do students and teachers express about learning after students use XR during science lessons? Surveys indicated that students and the teacher found VR beneficial, recommending it as a supplement. Implications for research, practice, and technology developers are provided.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
Virtual reality (VR) technology provides innovative intervention means for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to its advantages of realism, flexibility, and controllability, bringing new possibilities. The application of VR technology for intervention in children with ASD has been widely explored. A total of 39 studies reviewed relevant literature from 2006 to February 2024 and found that VR technology demonstrated strong effectiveness in intervention for children with ASD, including social skills, moods and emotions, daily living skills, attention and others. However, existing studies have limitations regarding research methods, participants, theories, and long-term effectiveness. Future research should overcome the limitations of current studies, focusing on weak quality of research methods, targeting female individuals with ASD and individuals with varying levels of functioning, exploring the theoretical foundations of VR-based interventions, and conducting long-term follow-ups to verify intervention effects.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
We aimed to capture reflections of in-service educators’ understanding of the use of technology in teaching, after receiving instruction on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Triple-E technology integration frameworks. Our objectives were to investigate in-service educators’ reflections for the presence of any changes in their reasoning process when thinking about technology use and teaching. We provided a writing prompt to online graduate students pursuing master’s degrees in special education and asked participants to describe any changes in their “knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about technology/technology use.” Qualitative summative content analysis was performed to identify themes in the participants’ reflections. An understanding of the relationship between how instruction on technology integration frameworks, like Triple E, and UDL impacts in-service educators’ reasoning process in using technology can better inform special education preparation programs in designing impactful and effective instruction to support the development of educators’ digital literacy, and effective instruction for students with disabilities.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
Assistive Technology can be a highly effective tool in supporting students with Learning Disabilities (LD) in addressing foundational academic skill gaps as part of academic and behavioural one-to-one instruction. However, there are barriers to administrators wanting to equip in-service educators to integrate assistive technology into special education contexts, such as in-service educators’ technology acceptance and the need for effective in-service training. This article explores a model for supporting in-service educators to integrate assistive technology into an existing academic and behavioural one-to-one instruction program for students with LD through a partnership with a nonprofit educational provider and a university’s social robotics laboratory. We applied a co-design approach and followed a human-centred design methodology, incorporating a technology acceptance model to support educators in broadly integrating assistive technology into existing research-based programs for students with LD.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
Many students entering middle school experience increased difficulty in acquiring academic content vocabulary, especially in science. Content Acquisition Podcasts for Students (CAP-S) were developed over a decade ago to help remediate this issue and provide structured multimedia instruction on academic content vocabulary to help improve the acquisition and application of terms. This study sought to expand the CAP-S research base by examining the impact of three different formats of CAP-S on the understanding, retention, and application of science vocabulary terms in rural inclusive middle school classrooms. Participants included 271 students, 11% of whom had Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), served in rural settings. The CAP-S formats included increasingly intensive levels of instructional components. One-way ANOVAs with corrected post-hoc comparisons to probe significant findings were completed. Findings underscore the general effectiveness of CAP-S in improving science vocabulary knowledge for students in rural settings and highlight the need for further research into specific instructional components that may be used to continue to improve upon the CAP-S format. Implications for educators include leveraging multimedia tools to support rural and other diverse learners and considering classroom context when implementing vocabulary instruction are discussed.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
In this study, we evaluate the impact of a game-based supplemental fraction curriculum on student engagement, fraction knowledge, and STEM interest in inclusive elementary mathematics classrooms. Utilizing a robust experimental design, the research explores how a game-based interventions can augment traditional fraction instruction and promote STEM interest among students, including those with disabilities. The curriculum, grounded in Scheme Theory and Learning Trajectories, significantly improved students’ fraction understanding and STEM interest. These findings highlight the potential of integrating game-based learning into mathematics education to address foundational STEM concepts and advocate for further research to explore scalability and broader applicability. The results of the study underscore the potential of innovative educational strategies to enhance learning outcomes and fostering interest in STEM careers among diverse student populations.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
The purpose of this study was to compare the differential effects of mobile assistive technology (AT) loaded with visual activity schedules (VAS; pictures alone) compared to video activity schedules (VidAS; pictures linked to video models) to promote vocational independence and decreased reliance on adult supports for adolescents and adults with intellectual disability, with and without autism. Seven single-case multitreatment designs were used to assess differential effects between the two interventions when participants completed various vocational tasks. All participants were able to perform some of the task steps independently with both VAS and VidAS but demonstrated a greater increase in independence with self-instruction using VidAS than when only given VAS. Results suggest that incorporating VidAS into mobile AT can increase independence while decreasing reliance on additional adult support, suggesting that this could be a reasonable accommodation in school, work, and community settings.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
This study was to determine the effectiveness of augmented reality on phoneme and word reading for three first-grade students with developmental delays and autism in a self-contained elementary school classroom. Effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated with a multiple probe across word sets research design. An augmented reality iPad app was used to overlay video models for the process of reading decoding over a printed sheet for each word. The printed sheet contained triggers for separate videos showing reading of each individual phoneme, blending all phonemes together slowly, reading the word aloud, and defining the word. All participants increased their ability to read phonemes and words. Our findings have implications for teachers who want to use interactive technology to teach reading skills to young students with autism and developmental delay.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
This investigation explores the relationship between the use of digital pencil and mathematical problem-solving accuracy among 1,530 students with learning disabilities (LD) and 25,400 general education (GE) peers from the 2017 digital National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics assessment. The term “digital pencil” in this context refers to NAEP’s “embedded pencil,” a scratchwork tool within the digital assessment interface that allows students to draw or annotate on the screen using either a stylus or their finger. Findings reveal that students with LD utilized digital pencils less frequently than their GE peers, particularly on more complex items. However, digital pencil use was associated with a 20% increase in the likelihood of GE students accurately solving difficult problems and a 26% increase in accuracy for students with LD solving simpler problems. The study highlights the educational implications of incorporating digital tools like the digital pencil in learning and assessment environments, emphasizing the need for tailored instructional strategies to support diverse learners.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
Students with disabilities often face significant challenges in developing mathematical problem-solving skills, which are critical for academic success. Traditional problem-solving interventions have primarily focused on skill acquisition, leading to issues with knowledge application in real-world contexts. Enhanced Anchored Instruction (EAI) offers a multimedia-based, hands-on approach to address these challenges by integrating explicit instruction, video anchoring, and authentic activities. This article describes essential components and how to implement EAI in diverse special education classrooms and illustrates how a fourth-grade teacher used the EAI approach to enhance her students’ problem-solving skills through culturally responsive instruction. By combining technology tools with real-world application, the EAI approach can bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, fostering deeper understanding and engagement among students with disabilities in diverse special education classrooms.

Journal of Special Education Technology, Ahead of Print.
More than two-thirds of students with disabilities spend 80% or more of their school day in general education classes. To maximize student success, collaborations among educators (general and special education teachers) and between educators and caregivers are essential for student success. However, many new educators report feeling ill-equipped to use effective collaborative skills with other professionals and caregivers to meet the needs of their students. The responsibility for ensuring that preservice teachers are prepared to collaborate falls on teacher preparation programs. Therefore, preservice teacher educators need effective and socially valid methods for embedding collaboration skills into coursework. We conducted a conceptual replication, utilizing a randomized pretest-posttest design to compare the effects of two practices focused on collaborative skills: mixed reality simulation and live role-play. Across groups, all participants increased their collaboration skills; significant differences between groups at post-test were not revealed. We discuss implications for both teacher educators and researchers.