Teacher Perceptions of the Trustworthiness, Usability, and Accessibility of Information From Different Sources

This study examined practicing teachers' assessments of the trustworthiness, usability, and accessibility of intervention information obtained from four sources: other teachers or colleagues, workshops and inservice presentations, college courses, and professional journals. We found significant differences along each dimension, with teachers generally rating their colleagues and workshops or inservices not only as more accessible sources of information but as providing more trustworthy and usable information as well. We found no significant differences between groups of teachers affiliated with general versus special education and no differences in ratings as a function of years of teaching experience. This article discusses the implications of these findings for practice and for further research, as well as the importance of this line of inquiry to the ongoing debate about bridging the gap between research and practice.