Tomorrow's Teachers -- 2003

Up Close

Meeting Those Special Needs

Students with disabilities need resources and support--and so do their teachers.

When Drew Houlihan entered his classroom his first year of teaching, he thought he was prepared to meet the needs of all his students. His student teaching experience was excellent. He was assigned a part-time classroom assistant and he had only 23 students in his class. How could he have any difficulties?

But soon after that first week, Houlihan realized he couldn't do it alone--he needed help. "My confidence dropped and my vision for my classroom had to be adjusted," says Houlihan, a second-grade teacher at A.B. Combs Leadership Magnet Elementary School in Raleigh, North Carolina. "Eight of my students received special education services and were pulled out of my classroom for 40-50 minutes a day at least four days a week. I needed to keep updated on my students' progress and I wanted to collaborate on strategies."

Adequate time for planning and collaboration is critical when working with special needs students. All classroom teachers--but beginning teachers especially--need time to adapt materials for students who learn differently, to communicate with parents about student progress, and to collaborate with other staff members about appropriate strategies.

While Houlihan was fortunate to work in a school that emphasized collaboration among staff members, not all teachers are that lucky. A recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education found that teachers' confidence in working with students with disabilities often depends on their relationship with their schools' special education teachers. While most teachers felt they received the support they needed, more than one-third reported receiving little help. (You can check out the study at www.spense.org/Results.html.)

One of the first things new teachers should do is meet with the special educators in their schools, including related service providers such as speech-language pathologists, school psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, and school nurses, says Houlihan. "Once they realize you're open to suggestions, they likely will share loads of materials and resources with you," he says. "You may want general information about differentiating instruction or you may need specific information about the students who are receiving special services."

Beginning special education teachers need to reach out to their colleagues as well, says Rhonda Thompson, a former Student Program member. Thompson, who teaches special education at Bolton High School in Millington, Tennessee, encourages other teachers to visit her classroom, observe class activities, and meet her students. Communication between the general education and special education teachers is key, she says.

"Be nice to everyone because your relationships with them reflect on how they relate to your students," she says. "Don't just leave a problem child with a regular education teacher without providing any instruction on how to handle the child. You are the special education expert."

Sometimes new teachers feel unprepared to teach students with disabilities. "My student teaching experience was phenomenal, but looking back, it was very unrealistic at times," Houlihan admits.

Matching the classroom reality with the training preservice programs provide can be a challenge. The Department of Education study discovered that fewer than one-third of beginning teachers received any preservice preparation on collaborating with special education teachers. Although two-thirds learned how to manage student behavior, only slightly more than half received preparation on adapting instruction. Thompson recommends that preservice teachers keep all of the materials and resource guides they receive in college so they can draw on that research-based information in the classroom.

New teachers also can turn to many worthwhile websites and books designed to help teachers address the needs of students with disabilities. (See the Resources section for some suggestions.)

"When teachers have support and resources, they can be successful teaching all their students--including those with special needs," says Houlihan.

--Patti Ralabate

Patti Ralabate works as a senior professional associate in the NEA Student Achievement Department. She also has 25 years of experience as a school speech-language pathologist.

What is IDEA?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) addresses the educational needs of students with disabilities. The original law, passed in 1975, gave students with disabilities access to public schools, which in some cases previously had refused to educate them or did not do so properly. The law also required schools to provide educational services, including specialized instruction, and related services, such as busing to and from school, to students with disabilities.

In 1997, Congress reauthorized the law for the first time. The revised law, known as IDEA '97, emphasized educating students with disabilities in general education classrooms--using appropriate aids and services as necessary--instead of restricting students to self-contained "special education" classes. Each student who receives special education services must have an Individualized Education Program or IEP. The IEP outlines the student's educational performance level; the special education services received; the impacts of the student's disability on his or her progress in the general education curriculum; and any supplementary aids, support services, or program modifications for the student.

Congress began the law's second reauthorization last year.

If you work with students with special education needs, be sure to ask these questions:

Which of the student's goals and objectives can be addressed in my classroom? Are there specific materials or equipment that I should use? What accommodations for instruction and assessment does the student need? How do I assess and grade the student's performance? When are reports due and what are my report responsibilities? How can we communicate regularly about the student's program and progress?