What Is Special About Special Education?

Abstract

In this topical issue of The Journal of Special Education, leading scholars in special education reviewed the literature and investigated whether special education is, indeed, special by examining to what degree (a) effective techniques have been developed for students with disabilities, (b) these effective techniques are applied and implemented with fidelity, and (c) utilization of these techniques is unique to special education. In this article, the authors analyze findings from this special issue regarding what is special—effective, implemented, and unique—about special education. The authors found that effective, empirically supported practices have been developed for students with disabilities, that these techniques are used predominantly in special education, and that these effective practices are not implemented regularly or with fidelity. Recommendations to enhance the implementation of effective, research-based practices are offered.

For a Qualitative Leap in Inclusion: Illusions and Delusions from Teacher's Perspective

“…Policymakers, universities and institutions are then urged to consider the results of some research that has been noticing some delusions regarding inclusion, pointing out the lack of efficacy in promoting wellbeing and functional skills in children and youth with SEN (e.g., B. Cook & Schirmer, 2003;Duchnowski, Kutash, Sheffield, & Vaugh, 2006;D. Fuchs & L. Fuchs, 1995).…”

What Do Employers Ask for in Advertisements for Special Education Positions?

“…The lack of qualified special educators is not peculiar to Australia, and has been a concern in the US for some time, although the proportion of unqualified teachers in special education positions in the US was only 12.4% in figures given for 2002-2003(McLesky & Billingsley, 2008. Boe and Cook (2006) suggested the lack of special educators may be a function of declining numbers of special education graduates combined with the increased demand for special educators as the number of children with identified disabilities increase.…”

“…(p. 105). There is also agreement that there is a gap between research and practice as it is typically implemented in schools and that the lack of use of effective strategies is likely to have negative impacts on students (Cook & Schirmer, 2003;Gersten, Morvant, & Brengelman, 1995;Kutash et al, 2009;McLeskey & Billingsley, 2008). In any education system, it would seem to be advisable to ensure that students with disabilities have teachers who know about effective practices and can competently implement them (Mastropieri, Scruggs, & Mills, 2011).…”

Perspectives of a school for all

“…If we frame the question in another way, we can ask what it is that is special in special education. Cook & Schirmer (2003) state that in principle there are three criteria that must be fulfilled if special education is to be regarded as special:…”