Twenty-fifth International Conference on Learning

Abstract

Progress in web-based technology have brought to the surface challenges and opportunities to education and training, in particular through online instruction and support. Online instruction is associated with a major invention in teaching and learning because it accommodates the exchange of information and ongoing support for all types of learners in distant or disadvantaged locations. Research findings proposed that the online instruction could be designed as effective as traditional face-to-face instruction. Despite the fact that online instruction and mainly the psychological and psychoeducational support programs are popular nowadays, the efficacy of such programs is not yet fully investigated. For these reasons, the present study aimed to compare two programs, one web-based and one face-to-face program for psychoeducational support for educators who teach students with learning disabilities. The study was based on a single-subject design, using both qualitative and qualitative methods for data collection. Two psychoeducational support programs took place for supporting two special educators in order to improve their teaching skills regarding to their learning-disabled students. The one program was designed and implemented virtually, via skype for business and the other one was designed and implemented face-to-face. The effectiveness of the programs was evaluated through the improvement of special educators’ self-efficacy. The results showed that both programs are equally effective. These findings were in consistency with the corresponding findings of literature and will be used for the development of a more integrated web-based program for the psychoeducational support of educators who teach students with learning disabilities in rural schools.