Collaborating with Higher Education Faculty in Hungary: Similarities and Differences in Training Special Educators to use HLPs.

Type of Abstract (select):

Abstract (max. 250 words):
Special educators should be trained to implement High Leverage Practices (HLPs) to support students they serve. Is the training different in countries where inclusion is in its infancy? The goal of this session is to discuss the experiences of teaching from the perspective of a US Fulbright Scholar & a Hungarian Faculty member.
The Council for Exceptional Children partnered with the CEEDAR Center at the University of Florida to form a group of scholars who were tasked to establish the criteria for identifying HLPs and for elaborating on the process of educating teacher candidates on how to use the HLPs (see https://highleveragepractices.org/about-hlps/ )
Especially during this current political climate there is no better time for IHE faculty to understand and accept international educational perspectives concerning students with disabilities. Teacher educators should understand the environments in which special educators across the globe are asked to serve students with disabilities. We should be prepared to present not only the US guidelines in terms of inclusive practices but also, specific high leverage practices that we know will work regardless of the country in which they are implemented.
The purpose of this presentation is twofold: 1) to discuss a faculty member’s recent Fulbright experience teaching special educators in Hungary and 2) to provide the perspective of a Hungarian Faculty member in terms of training special educators and the differences between the two countries.



Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Laurie U. deBettencourt, Ph.D., Professor, serves as the Lead for Special Education programs at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Education. During the 2017-18 year Dr. deBettencourt was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship at the Special Education Institute of Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary. She has co-authored several textbooks and written numerous articles related to instruction of students with mild to moderate disabilities. She has served as the Editor of Teacher Education and Special Education for the past 9 years. She is a member and served as an elected leader within the following organizations: AERA, CEC, TED, DR, & DLD.