Running head: SELF-EFFICACY AND TEACHING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES 1 SELF-EFFICACY AND TEACHING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES 10 Self-Efficacy and Teaching Students with Disabilities: An Annotated Bibliography Student Name EDUC 850 Liberty University Abstract The field of special education is consistently plagued with staffing shortages due to high attrition. Identifiably, burnout leads to many teachers’ decisions to seek career opportunities outside of special education. Research indicates that teacher burnout is derived from low levels of self-efficacy. In efforts to increase job-satisfaction and competency within the many specializations which make up special education, research supports that teacher education programs should be all-inclusive of the various disabilities and settings which teacher candidates may service following graduation. Additionally, continual and applicable professional development opportunities, for both special education teachers and general education teachers, can support greater perceived self-efficacy in teaching students with disabilities. Keywords: self-efficacy, special education, burnout Preparation of Teachers of Students with Autism Busby, Ingram, Bowron, Oliver, and Lyons (2012) indicated that the ineffective teaching of children with autism stems from a lack of motivation and low self-efficacy. Based upon this, the authors sought participation from graduate education students who reported no experience with teaching students with autism. Using a Nominal Group Technique, participants were shown video clips of instruction of a child with autism. Following the video viewing, participants were then asked what challenges they perceived would be experienced as a teacher of a student with autism. From this, the following five challenges were identified: highly individualized instruction, time-consuming parent-teacher collaboration, disruption in the general education setting, extensive data collection for students’ IEPs, and general education teachers’ lack of knowledge for inclusion. From these challenges, perceived needs were derived. Overall, the findings from this study represent that there are barriers to the effective inclusion of students with autism. In order to enhance the self-efficacy of teachers providing inclusion to students with autism in the inclusion setting, the authors offered curriculum recommendations for pre-service teaching curriculums. As the authors indicate, a limitation of this study is the population being comprised of only Troy University students. Special education preparation programs could utilize the design of this study to determine whether or not their students feel equipped for serving students with autism following graduation. Self-Efficacy and Special Education Referrals Identifying the referral for assessment as the first step in providing students with special education services, Egyed and Short (2006) investigated ...

1. Running head: SELF-EFFICACY AND TEACHING STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES 1
SELF-EFFICACY AND TEACHING STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES 10
Self-Efficacy and Teaching Students with Disabilities: An
Annotated Bibliography
Student Name
EDUC 850
Liberty University
Abstract
The field of special education is consistently plagued with
staffing shortages due to high attrition. Identifiably, burnout
leads to many teachers’ decisions to seek career opportunities
outside of special education. Research indicates that teacher
burnout is derived from low levels of self-efficacy. In efforts to

2. increase job-satisfaction and competency within the many
specializations which make up special education, research
supports that teacher education programs should be all-inclusive
of the various disabilities and settings which teacher candidates
may service following graduation. Additionally, continual and
applicable professional development opportunities, for both
special education teachers and general education teachers, can
support greater perceived self-efficacy in teaching students with
disabilities.
Keywords: self-efficacy, special education, burnout
Preparation of Teachers of Students with Autism
Busby, Ingram, Bowron, Oliver, and Lyons (2012) indicated
that the ineffective teaching of children with autism stems from
a lack of motivation and low self-efficacy. Based upon this, the
authors sought participation from graduate education students
who reported no experience with teaching students with autism.
Using a Nominal Group Technique, participants were shown
video clips of instruction of a child with autism. Following the
video viewing, participants were then asked what challenges
they perceived would be experienced as a teacher of a student
with autism. From this, the following five challenges were
identified: highly individualized instruction, time-consuming
parent-teacher collaboration, disruption in the general education
setting, extensive data collection for students’ IEPs, and general

3. education teachers’ lack of knowledge for inclusion. From these
challenges, perceived needs were derived. Overall, the findings
from this study represent that there are barriers to the effective
inclusion of students with autism. In order to enhance the self-
efficacy of teachers providing inclusion to students with autism
in the inclusion setting, the authors offered curriculum
recommendations for pre-service teaching curriculums. As the
authors indicate, a limitation of this study is the population
being comprised of only Troy University students. Special
education preparation programs could utilize the design of this
study to determine whether or not their students feel equipped
for serving students with autism following graduation.
Self-Efficacy and Special Education Referrals
Identifying the referral for assessment as the first step in
providing students with special education services, Egyed and
Short (2006) investigated the relationship between teaching
efficacy and referring student for assessment. Since teacher
burnout is a derivative of low levels of self-efficacy, the
authors also investigated the influence of burnout on the
likelihood to refer. Overall, the study evidenced that teachers,
who were uncertain about whether to refer a student, reported
higher levels of burnout, whereas teachers who reported lower
levels of burnout reported greater certainty about when to refer
a student. Lastly, the authors were unable to identify a
relationship between self-efficacy and likelihood to refer. The
authors provide the implication that further training and
professional development on behavior management could
increase teachers’ self-efficacy and allow for more perceived
confidence when determining the true need for a referral.
Teachers’ Learned Helplessness
Gotshall and Stefanou (2011) investigated teachers’ self-
perceptions on their abilities to teach students with disabilities.
The sample included 33 elementary and middle school teachers,
and four student teachers. Participants completed four separate
questionnaires. Overall, this study revealed that a relationship
does exist between self-efficacy and learned helplessness.

4. Based upon this relationship, working environments need to
support the self-perceived empowerment of teachers in the
presence of difficulty. Also, teachers who receive more
support/consultation reported lower levels of learned
helplessness, whereas teachers who reported less
support/consultation demonstrated greater degrees of learned
helplessness. This study does provide evidence that continual
and on-going support for teachers of students with disabilities
can have beneficial impressions.
Response to Challenging Behaviors
Hastings and Brown (2002) provided questionnaires to 70
school staff members who work with students with either
intellectual disabilities or autism. The questionnaires were
aimed at measuring behavioral knowledge, behavioral causes,
efficacy in managing challenging behaviors, and emotional
consequences to challenging behavior. The authors identify a
relationship between their emotional reactions to challenging
behavior and perceived behavioral causes. Additionally,
increased behavioral knowledge related to emotional reactions
to challenging behavior. Also, teachers’ low levels of self-
efficacy did predict the emotions of fear, anxiety, depression,
and anger. The authors imply that future research should
highlight the change of teachers’ self-efficacy over time and the
impact of teachers’ self-efficacy on challenging behaviors.
Students with Self-Injurious Behaviors
Jasper and Morris (2012) specifically investigated the self-
efficacy of special educators who teach students who display
non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors. Using a 3-point Likert
scale, the authors collected data from 390 special educators. Of
the 390 sampled, 305 participants agreed that they work, or
have worked, with students with non-suicidal self-injurious
behaviors. Additionally, 276 participants reported that they
were untrained to manage the non-suicidal self-injurious
behaviors of students. Teachers who had been trained to manage
these behaviors reported higher levels of self-efficacy.
Profoundly, many educators who work with students who

5. display non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors have received no
training. Overall, the authors imply that there is a great need for
further specialized training for special education teachers. As
this article depicts, an increase in training relates to an increase
in self-efficacy for special education teachers.
Skill Ratings for Teaching Students with Disabilities
King-Sears, Carran, Dammann, and Arter (2012) took a sample
of teacher education students from four colleges and
universities. The researchers developed a survey tool, which
was derived from a tool included content produced by the
Council for Exceptional Children for preparing special
educators. Each survey was completed by a student had
completed student teaching. The survey encompassed the
following six domains: instructional strategies, learning
environment, instructional practice, assessment, professional
practice, and behavior. When compared, special education
students rated their self-efficacy of working with students with
disabilities higher than the general education students.
Additionally, the researchers sought to investigate the influence
of traditional student teaching on the self-efficacy ratings of
general and special education teachers. Overall, the authors
found that traditional student teaching promotes higher self-
ratings in all domains, except behavior. Thus, the authors imply
that new teacher mentorships/orientations could benefit from
these findings in order to prepare all teachers to work with
students with disabilities. Also, the rating scores provide
evidence for the benefit of traditional student teaching
placements.
Intern Teachers and Teacher Preparation
Lee, Patterson, and Vega (2011) discuss the increased
likelihood, when compared to general educators, of special
education teachers leaving the profession after the first year.
Based upon this, the authors collected data, using a survey-
method, from 154 special education intern teachers in
California. In California, the intern teacher is provided special
education licensure for a 2 year period, while they complete the

6. required coursework for full licensure. The surveys provided
included items based upon personal teaching efficacy and
general teaching efficacy. The authors found that the quality of
support received is related to personal teaching efficacy. They
also concluded that heavy workloads do affect the self-efficacy
of special education teachers. The authors provide the
implication that school districts must work to implement
effective supports, to include supportive and healthy
relationships, for intern teachers. Lastly, the authors discuss the
importance of quality traditional teacher education programs,
including student teaching, to the overall self-efficacy of new
teachers.
Teaching Students with Autism and Coping
Ruble, Usher, and McGrew (2011) surveyed 35 special
education teachers who teach students with autism. The surveys
completed represented the following three areas of self-
efficacy: sense of mastery, social persuasion, and
physiological/affective state. The authors found no impact of
years of teaching experience on self-efficacy ratings. Secondly,
the authors found that social persuasions from administrators
had no impact on self-efficacy ratings. The authors provide the
possible explanation that teachers of students with autism
consult more consistently with autism specialists and not their
administrators. Lastly, teachers who reported higher levels of
confidence reported lower levels of burnout. Burnout was only
significant with the classroom management subscale. However,
due to the design of this study, the authors are unable to
conclude if the significance is derived from poor classroom
management skills or teachers’ lack of belief in their in their
management skills. Overall, the authors provide the implication
that the inclusion of autism coursework in teacher preparation
could assist in raising the self-efficacy of teachers of students
with autism.
Classroom Structure and Teacher Efficacy
Using a sample size of 774 general and special educators,
Shippen et al. (2011) investigated the impact of classroom

7. structure on the efficacy reported at the secondary and
elementary grade levels. Participants completed two
questionnaires (Bender Classsroom Structure Questionnaire and
Teacher Efficacy Scale). Overall, this study demonstrated that
special educators are more effective at individualizing
instruction for students with disabilities, than general education
teachers do. Since the findings of this study demonstrate a
difference in the instructional practices between special
education teachers and general education teachers when
teaching students with disabilities, the authors provide the
implication that general education preservice coursework
provide additional content related to teaching students with
disabilities to enhance teacher confidence with regards to
teaching students with disabilities. Also, the authors emphasize
the need for continual professional development regarding co-
teaching in the inclusion setting.
Autism, Treatment Orientation, and Self-Efficacy
Siu and Ho (2010) investigated the impact of treatment
orientation on the self-efficacy of teachers of students with
autism. The two primary treatment orientations when serving
students with autism are Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and
Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication-
related Handicapped Children (TEACCH). Teachers adhering to
one of these two orientations were compared with a group of
teachers who do not prescribe to a specific treatment
orientation. Overall, the researchers found that by teaching
according to a specific treatment orientation yields an increased
sense of personal teaching efficacy when working with students
with autism. Also, teachers who practice ABA demonstrate a
high sense of personal teaching efficacy. In addition to further
study, the authors provide the implication that continuous
training and development should be provided for professionals
who work with a specialized population of students, such as
students with autism, in order to enhance self-efficacy and
lessen teacher burnout.

8. References
Busby, R., Ingram, R., Bowron, R., Oliver, J., & Lyons, B.
(2012). Teaching elementary children
with autism: Addressing teacher challenges and preparation
needs. Rural Educator,
33(2), 27-35.
Egyed, C. J., & Short, R. J. (2006). Teacher self-efficacy,
burnout, experience, and decision to
refer a disruptive student. School Psychology International,
27(4), 462-474.
doi: 10.1177/0143034306070432
Gotshall, C., & Stefanou, C. (2011). The effects of on-going
consultation for accommodating
students with disabilities on teacher self-efficacy and learned
helplessness. Education,
132(2), 321-331.
Hastings, R. P., & Brown, T. (2002). Behavioural knowledge,
causal beliefs and self-efficacy as
predictors of special educators’ emotional reactions to
challenging behaviours. Journal of
Intellectual Disability Research, 46(2), 144-150.
doi:10.1046/j.1365-2788.2002.00378.x
Jasper, A. D., & Morris, C. W. (2012). Special educators and
non-suicidal self-injurious behavior: Self-injury training,
exposure, and self-efficacy. Teacher Education and Special
Education, 35(1), 64-76. doi: 10.1177/0888406411413144
King-Sears, M. E., Carran, D. T., Dammann, S. N., & Arter, P.
S. (2012). Multi-site analyses of
special education and general education student teachers’ skill
ratings for working with
students with disabilities. Teacher Education Quarterly, 39(2),

9. 131-149.
Lee, Y., Patterson, P. P., & Vega, L. A. (2011). Perils to self-
efficacy perceptions and teacher-
preparation quality among special education intern teachers.
Teacher Education
Quarterly, 38(2), 61-76.
Ruble, L. A., Usher, E. L., & McGrew, J. H. (2011).
Preliminary investigation of the sources of
self-efficacy among teachers of students with autism. Focus on
Autism and Other
Developmental Disabilities, 26(2), 67-74. doi:
10.1177/1088357610397345
Shippen, M. E., Flores, M. M., Crites, S. A., Patterson, D.,
Ramsey, M. L., Houchins, D. D., &
Jolivette, K. (2011). Classroom structure and teacher efficacy in
serving students with
disabilities: Differences in elementary and secondary teachers.
International Journal of
Special Education, 26(3), 36-44.
Siu, A. F., & Hou, L. S. (2010). Relations between commitment
to a treatment orientation and
self-efficacy among teachers working with children with autism.
International Journal
of Early Childhood Special Education, 2(3), 180-192.
Industry: Industrial Machinery for the Oil & Gas and Power
Generation Markets
Services Provided: Project Management, Project Scheduling,
Vendor Management

10. Company: A provider of highly efficient turbine-driven gas
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Challenge: With increasing logistics and labor costs threatening
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11. Solution
: The organization decided to take advantage of radio frequency
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the
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