Focus Groups

The Purdue team and Kansas University Juniper team conducted several focus groups with local district administrators, special education teachers, and paraeducators. We wanted to understand the most pressing and relevant issues that our local school districts face when it comes to serving students with moderate to severe disabilities. During the focus groups, we identified current states of training for paraeducators and existing barriers that hinder the implementation of evidence-based practices. It was interesting to hear about different perspectives and also common concerns across stakeholders. Findings from the focus groups will inform our development of the learning modules in terms of content, structure, and format. We hope to design a professional development package that helps teachers and paraprofessionals work collaboratively to provide effective classroom practices for students with moderate to significant needs.