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If you are considering a special education career, it is important to get as much information as you can about the different working environments available to special ed teachers today. When you picture your future, do you see yourself in your own classroom, surrounded by students with all types of disabilities? Or, do you envision yourself working one-on-one with a learning disabled student in a classroom full of typically developing students? There are opportunities to teach in these and other environments in the public school system today. It's up to you to decide which you prefer. 
A Brief History of Special Education Legislation Since 1975, the U.S. has been making an astounding amount of progress by passing laws to provide children with disabilities the right to receive a free, appropriate education in an environment that allows them as much exposure to regular learning environments as possible. In 2005, the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act's call to provide education to special needs students in the "least restrictive environment" possible mandated that states ensure individual students have the opportunity to learn inside regular classrooms whenever an "appropriate" education can be provided to all involved. To learn more about special education legislation, see our special education history article. Program Options Today Because of these mandates, the majority of public schools allow students access to regular classrooms when at all possible. However, special ed students still experience widely varying levels of regular classroom inclusion in their daily lives. These levels of inclusion often vary depending on the disabilities represented among the students in the special education program. For instance, a child with a learning disability such as dyslexia can often excel in non-verbal classes like math and science. There is no reason to separate him from the regular classroom experience because he has difficulty with written language. However, a child with a developmental or intellectual disability (what was once known as mental retardation) such as Down syndrome may have trouble keeping up in virtually all regular classes from a young age. He will need care and instruction more specific to his educational and social needs. The fact that students have such widely varying experiences with their special education curriculum shows how these plans for students who need extra support have become much more successfully individualized in recent years. The following are common types of special education programs available to students in public schools today:
Inclusion In inclusion programs, teachers use a special education curriculum for less than half of each day. Special needs students spend the majority of the day "included" in regular classrooms. Teachers and aides are available to sit with special needs students and work with them as a part of the larger classroom. Special education teachers in schools with inclusion policies spend most of their time forming relationships with specific students, accompanying them to classes, and ensuring they are receiving adequate support and opportunity. Mainstreaming Mainstreaming is similar to inclusion, but has no requirement for time spent in regular classrooms. Often, special education students who are "mainstreamed" into regular classrooms are done so either in a limited number of classes in which the student excels, or as an opportunity to socialize with the rest of the student body. Special education teachers in mainstreaming schools might co-teach with regular teachers, spend time aiding students in classrooms, and teach special education classes all in a single day. Self-Containing In self-contained special education programs, students spend the majority if not all of the day in a "self-contained" classroom for special ed students. They can be located on the same campus or in an entirely different school from their typically developing peers. These programs are often effective for students with more severe disabilities. Special education teachers in self-contained classrooms have their own special education curriculum with which to work. They spend an entire year with a classroom full of students. For an example of a self-contained teaching method, see our Special Education Teacher Interview. Finding the Right Fit for You Even though special education programs in the U.S. are becoming more streamlined due to federal legislation and state support, the experience of special education students from coast to coast can differ dramatically. That means you have the option of choosing a teaching position that fits how you want to make an impact in students' lives. For more information on choosing a special ed job, see our special education careers article. |
