What Do Special Needs Assistants Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for special needs assistants?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what special needs assistants do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Special Needs Assistants Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about special needs assistants by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Special Needs Assistants teach academic, social, and life skills to preschool-aged students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.
Popular Job Titles For Special Needs Assistants
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Behavior Interventionists
- Early Intervention Specialists
- Behavioral Interventionists
- Interventionists
- Preschool Special Education Teachers
- Early Interventionists
- Doctors of Dental Surgery
- In Home Therapy Clinicians
- Outdoor Educators
- Preschool Intervention Specialists
- Service Volunteers
- Literacy Interventionists
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for special needs assistants can be found.
Best Industries for Special Needs Assistants
Special Needs Assistants Jobs By Industry
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 60.8%
- Child Day Care Services: 14.8%
- Elementary and Secondary Schools: 7.4%
- Individual and Family Services: 7.1%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 3.9%
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners: 2%
- Other: 4%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of special needs assistants can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (Local Government) sector. In 2022, about 60.8% of all jobs for special needs assistants were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Child Day Care Services (14.8%), Elementary and Secondary Schools (7.4%), Individual and Family Services (7.1%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (3.9%) and Offices of Other Health Practitioners (2%).
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Degree Options for Special Needs Assistants
Empower your students by maximizing their learning as an Ohio special education teacher in grades K-12.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Special Needs Assistants Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what special needs assistants do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work special needs assistants do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that special needs assistants tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for special needs assistants, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Special Needs Assistants
Based on 11,621 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Special Needs Assistants
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education | 3,099 | 27% |
| Psychology | 2,655 | 23% |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 2,394 | 21% |
| Working With Children | 2,212 | 19% |
| Child Development | 1,960 | 17% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Special Needs Assistants
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 3,810 | 33% |
| Teaching | 3,362 | 29% |
| Social Skills | 1,380 | 12% |
| Planning | 1,323 | 11% |
| Multilingualism | 1,300 | 11% |
Based on 11,621 job postings related to special needs assistants, special education was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 27% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for psychology, autism spectrum disorders, working with children, child development and preschool education were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for special needs assistants, followed by teaching, social skills, planning, multilingualism and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education | 3,099 | 27% |
| Psychology | 2,655 | 23% |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 2,394 | 21% |
| Working With Children | 2,212 | 19% |
| Child Development | 1,960 | 17% |
| Preschool Education | 1,935 | 17% |
| Social Work | 1,741 | 15% |
| Mental Health | 1,486 | 13% |
| Early Intervention | 1,459 | 13% |
| Behavioral Health | 1,443 | 12% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 1,440 | 12% |
| Disabilities | 1,404 | 12% |
| Treatment Planning | 1,385 | 12% |
| Data Collection | 1,146 | 10% |
| Caregiving | 1,095 | 9% |
| Behaviour Therapy | 1,061 | 9% |
| Developmental Disabilities | 1,042 | 9% |
| Sociology | 1,031 | 9% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 978 | 8% |
| Positive Behavior Support | 836 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 3,810 | 33% |
| Teaching | 3,362 | 29% |
| Social Skills | 1,380 | 12% |
| Planning | 1,323 | 11% |
| Multilingualism | 1,300 | 11% |
| Writing | 1,237 | 11% |
| Research | 1,025 | 9% |
| Coaching | 1,016 | 9% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,016 | 9% |
| Management | 935 | 8% |
| Leadership | 912 | 8% |
| Coordinating | 787 | 7% |
| Organizational Skills | 758 | 7% |
| Detail Oriented | 743 | 6% |
| Professionalism | 742 | 6% |
| Problem Solving | 735 | 6% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 698 | 6% |
| Spanish Language | 673 | 6% |
| Mathematics | 660 | 6% |
| English Language | 648 | 6% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Special Needs Assistants
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior Interventionists | 12,304 | 39.9% |
| Early Intervention Specialists | 3,562 | 11.5% |
| Behavioral Interventionists | 3,237 | 10.5% |
| Interventionists | 2,029 | 6.6% |
| Preschool Special Education Teachers | 741 | 2.4% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was behavior interventionists, with 2,563 unique job postings. Early intervention specialists were second, with 935 postings, followed by behavioral interventionists, interventionists and preschool special education teachers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to special needs assistants.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior Interventionists | 12,304 | 39.9% |
| Early Intervention Specialists | 3,562 | 11.5% |
| Behavioral Interventionists | 3,237 | 10.5% |
| Interventionists | 2,029 | 6.6% |
| Preschool Special Education Teachers | 741 | 2.4% |
| Early Interventionists | 1,087 | 3.5% |
| Doctors of Dental Surgery | 673 | 2.2% |
| In Home Therapy Clinicians | 789 | 2.6% |
| Outdoor Educators | 320 | 1% |
| Preschool Intervention Specialists | 310 | 1% |
| Service Volunteers | 3,425 | 11.1% |
| Literacy Interventionists | 257 | 0.8% |
| Special Needs Assistants | 436 | 1.4% |
| Restaurant General Managers | 445 | 1.4% |
| Intervention Specialists | 182 | 0.6% |
| Physical Educators | 178 | 0.6% |
| Developmental Disabilities Specialists | 125 | 0.4% |
| Preschool Educators | 167 | 0.5% |
| Developmental Interventionists | 295 | 1% |
| Occupational Therapists | 309 | 1% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for special needs assistants? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for special needs assistants.
How much do special needs assistants make?
Special Needs Assistants: How do you become one?
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