Special Education Teacher Induction: The Wiki Way

Abstract In response to documented high rates of teacher attrition in special education, new special educators are encouraged or required to participate in induction/mentor programs. The present study reports on the use of university-initiated online support to supplement district induction programs. Participants included students who are currently or had been enrolled in a master's program in special education at a small, private university. A collaborative online writing environment, a wiki, was developed to connect colleagues, share knowledge and experiences, provide resources, promote question seeking, and encourage reflection in teaching. The culminating wiki included knowledge repositories, blogs, and various resources added by the researchers, students, and graduates. Thus, the university induction program supports a model of colleague mentoring in an online environment.