Before there were children with disabilities in typical schools in North America, there was only hope and need. Before the creation of highly specialized plans of education, individualized instruction techniques, methods of differentiating group instruction or regulations mandating the adherence to government regulations, there were only families,…

What's the difference between accommodations and modifications, and why does the distinction matter? In this article, professor Lee Ann Jung explains that accommodations "provide access to the general curriculum but do not fundamentally alter the learning goal or grade level standard." For instance, if the purpose of an assessment is to…

The purpose of this study is to interview high school teachers of English Language Arts and special educators who are partners in a co-teaching model. It is important to understand the perceptions of teachers using co-teaching models to learn about the strengths of the program, as well as areas for improvement. In 1975, public education changed…

This book provides an in-depth, research-based guide for ensuring that your school provides the federally guaranteed "least restrictive environment" for students no matter the severity of the challenges they face. "Leading an Inclusive School: Access and Success for ALL Students" offers administrators, teachers, and other…

Social studies instruction in upper elementary school (Grades 3-5) is important for building foundational content knowledge to equip students for the secondary school curriculum. Due to numerous school initiatives and demands on the time of teachers, social studies instruction can play second fiddle to reading and mathematics instruction, which…

Today's teachers, especially the many who work with students with special needs, are pressed to know a little something about everything. Expertise is needed in different content and pedagogical areas, but knowledge of different types of disabilities is required as well. Wendy Murawski and Kathy Lynn Scott have assembled another reader-friendly…

The decision handed down by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education was not only a legal victory for African Americans in the United States, but all groups who were forced into exclusionary environments. In the shadows of Brown, advocates began seeking reforms that would allow students with disabilities to receive their education…

Professional educators are called upon to provide effective instruction to student populations that increasingly consist of multiple cultures, languages, and ethnic backgrounds. Based on current special education law, schools are working toward establishing more collaborative cultures by stressing partnerships between general and special education…

Recent legislation in education mandates that students with disabilities be given access to the general education curriculum in order to reach higher academic standards. To meet these requirements, co-teaching has become a popular service delivery model for instruction of students with disabilities within the general education setting. The purpose…

Recent legislation requires that students with disabilities receive equal access to the same educational opportunities as their typically developing peers (Cook et al., 2011). Therefore, most students with disabilities receive all or part of their education in the general education classrooms (U.S. Department of Education, 2008). Because of the…

What would schools and classrooms look like if they truly mirrored our democratic ideals? In this issue of the Occasional Papers, five authors explore current and historical questions related to the inclusion of children with disabilities in public schools. The history of educating children with disabilities--an ongoing civil rights issue--has…

With the national push towards inclusion, more students with disabilities are being placed in general education settings. Furthermore, when placed, more students with disabilities are entering social studies classrooms than any other content area. Classroom teachers are being asked to "reach and teach" all students, often with little support.…

Federal legislation (Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act, No Child Left Behind) mandates access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities. As a response, K-12 schools are moving to coteaching models with increased frequency (National Center for Education Statistics, 2008). However, preservice teachers…

The purpose of this paper is to provide brief descriptions and links to a number of reputed websites on various topics and issues of special education. The web sites are organized in the following categories: (1) Teaching in Inclusive Classroom, (2) Policies, Procedures, & Process of Special education, (3) Students with High Incidence…

The "ISSS Annual Conference Proceedings" is a peer-reviewed professional publication published once a year following the annual conference. (Individual papers contain references.) [For the 2009 proceedings, see ED504973.]