The common core knowledge and skills essential for all beginning special education teachers, developed by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), are reprinted, along with the CEC Code of Ethics. The article also provides a rationale for the standards and background information on their development and adoption. (JDD)

Reflects on emotional demands experienced by teachers working with depressed students. Describes the pain behind students' depression through personal accounts. Shares strategies on how teachers can remain hopeful and focused on students' needs, including making sure personal needs are met, acknowledging when something positive happens, and…

A special educator recounts lessons learned from her first year of teaching, in her case in a special class of students with multiple disabilities. Lessons include analysis of early mistakes and the importance of student file review, direct student observation, utilizing the advice of experienced educators, and planning for change. (DB)

A 2-year study on the shortage of personnel serving children with visual impairments found a need for 5,000 teachers and 10,000 orientation and mobility specialists. Proposed action steps include preparing new and existing personnel, preparing new leaders and researchers, and expanding the capacity to recruit new and retain existing personnel.…

This article argues that to reduce adaptation of questionable interventions more emphasis needs to be placed on the history of special education, specifically effective and ineffective interventions. It further suggests that educators more familiar with special education history will be better prepared to discriminate effective from ineffective…

Basic changes needed to recruit, train, and retain high quality professionals in the field of learning disabilities include: improving education's professional image; explicit articulation of program rationales, content, and processes; and political lobbying for improved public support. (Author/DB)

The introduction to the special section on microcomputers in special education reviews the trend toward increasing computer use, raises such issues as the need for special educators to provide leadership in the use of computers for individualized instruction, and summarizes remaining articles in the section. (DB)

The article examines the need for bilingual educators, the reasons why few individuals choose to become bilingual special education teachers and the types of bilingual special education graduate training programs which are currently available. (DB)

Discusses ways in which employment counseling for the handicapped can be improved through linkages. Focuses on the roles of four significant actors in this linkage development: vocational teachers, rehabilitation and employment counselors, parents, special education teachers, and school counselors. (BH)

Focuses on articles about students with disabilities and claims that the following are the main themes: (1) campus factors supporting student success; (2) participant label ambiguities; and (3) research methodology selection. Concludes that there is a need for more research addressing staff development, accommodations, needs of specific disability…

Reflects on the differing viewpoints in previous articles addressing the preparation of special education teachers. Discusses the need for the special education field to continue to use effective instructional strategies and share them with general education change agents to better the lives of all children. (CR)

Discussion of e-learning in special education personnel preparation focuses on student assessment in e-learning environments. It includes a review of the literature, lessons learned by the authors from assessing student performance in e-learning environments, a literature perspective on electronic portfolios in monitoring student progress, and the…

The article describes differences between consultation and collaboration among special education and regular classroom teachers and makes the argument that collaboration deserves far greater attention in current attempts to redefine relationships between specialists and teachers in the schools. (Author/DB)

Describes a full-time mainstreaming program that was recently implemented in a public elementary school. Discusses the changes in the role of the special education teachers participating in the program and how they perceived those changes. (HB)

The Secretary of Education encourages special education teachers to become leaders of education reform, by developing community-level programs to achieve the six National Education Goals. Examples of America 2000 community projects are cited, and the role of special educators in past educational innovations is emphasized. (JDD)