Occupation

Teaching Assistants, Special Education

Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher to provide academic, social, or life skills to students who have learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Serve in a position for which a teacher has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.

Also Known As: Basic Skills Improvement Program Instructional Aide (BSIP Instructional Aide), Classroom Paraprofessional, Early Childhood Special Education Paraprofessional, Education Support Professional, Paraeducator, Paraprofessional, SPED Assistant (Special Educational Assistant), Special Education Aide +12 more

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Education & Training

Job Zone 3 Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word

Software (31)

  • Appletree
  • Automate the Schools ATS
  • Blackboard software
  • Children's educational software
  • ClassDojo
  • Email software
  • Flipgrid
  • Google Classroom
  • Google Meet
  • Hand held spell checkers
  • High School Scheduling and Transcript HSST
  • Kahoot!
  • Loom
  • Padlet
  • ParentSquare
  • Quizlet
  • Schoology
  • Screen magnification software
  • Screen reader software
  • Seesaw
  • Special Education Student Information System SESIS
  • Student information systems SIS software
  • Tadpoles
  • Text to speech software
  • Web browser software
  • Word processing software

Tools & Equipment (48)

  • Alternative computer keyboards
  • Audio tape recorders or players
  • Braille slates
  • Braille styluses
  • Communication boards
  • Compact disk CD players
  • Computer laser printers
  • Data input scanners
  • Desktop computers
  • Digital video cameras
  • Digital video disk DVD players
  • Educational board games
  • Emergency first aid kits
  • Enteral feeding equipment
  • Eye controlled computer mouse equipment
  • Foot operated mouse equipment
  • Head operated joysticks
  • Interactive whiteboards
  • Intercom systems
  • Jellybean switches
  • Laminating equipment
  • Laptop computers
  • Liquid crystal display LCD projectors
  • Microphones
  • Mouth operated joysticks
  • Oral suction tubes
  • Overhead projectors
  • Page turners
  • Pegboards
  • Personal computers
  • Play structures
  • Portable communication devices
  • Portable oxygen equipment
  • Reading pens
  • Sand tables
  • Science activity kits
  • Sound switches
  • Talking calculators
  • Teletypewriters TTY
  • Television monitors
  • Toy block sets
  • Trackballs
  • Video cassette recorders VCR
  • Video magnifiers
  • Water tables
  • Wheelchairs
  • Wireless touch screen monitors
  • Word prediction software

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Real Talk

Hear from real Teaching Assistants, Special Educations about their work: