Bridges to Success: A Developmental Induction Model for Rural Early Career Special Educators

This article describes a developmental induction model designed specifically to meet the needs of beginning special educators in rural settings. The Bridges to Success project incorporated activities and resources to support effective orientation, mentoring and professional development components of an induction model. The model was implemented with three cohorts of participants, in two cohorts; not all participating mentees were true beginning special educators. Differential outcomes were found by the amount and types of experience mentees possessed, their proximity to their mentor, and their initial level of competence and confidence. Implications for designing effective induction programs in rural areas are discussed.