Effectiveness and Quality of Practitioner Journals on Preservice Teacher Knowledge Growth About the Special Education High-Leverage Practice Instructional Feedback

Allie Boquet, Renée E. Lastrapes, Paul Mooney
JAASEP 21(4) (2026) 11-27 

This study examined how three dissemination formats, practitioner journal article, informational video, and textbook chapter, impact preservice teachers’ knowledge acquisition and perceptions of quality. Seventy-eight participants were randomly assigned to one format presenting evidence-based content on instructional feedback. While knowledge gains did not significantly differ across groups, participants’ ratings of quality, based on Carnine’s (1997) trustworthiness, usability, and accessibility framework, varied by format. A practitioner-friendly rating scale was introduced to guide evaluation. Focus group data further explored how participants judged each format’s credibility and relevance. Findings suggest that multiple dissemination formats may support preservice teacher learning, although participants differed in their perceptions of format quality, and should be intentionally integrated into teacher preparation programs. This research underscores the importance of offering varied, high-quality dissemination tools to promote evidence-based practice use in special education.
Keywords: teacher rating, rating instrument, severe disability.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.610