Abstract
This study integrated the concepts of “universal design for learning” (i.e., UDL) and “building block model” into the courses of “Teaching Materials and Methods for Children with Special Needs” and “Special Education Practicum” preservice early childhood special education teachers. There were 14 students who took the course of “Teaching Materials and Methods for Children with Special Needs”, and were 24 students who took the course of “Special Education Practicum”. Two courses adopted collaborative teaching (the researcher and practical teachers) to form a teaching community and to design a mentoring mechanism for leading students who could apply the concepts of UDL and building block model to the practical fields. The researcher further investigated the growth of teaching competencies of these preservice special education teachers. In addition, the researcher and practical teachers formed the community to develop the curriculum design for improving preservice special education teachers’ professionalism through two courses. The results showed highly positive qualitative and quantitative feedback (4.91 and 4.67 respectively for two courses). Because two students did not pass the exam of course design, we can select students who might be suitable for being preservice special education teachers through this teaching practice research. In such way, it can achieve the goal of “exquisite” teacher education.