The highly qualified mandate of the No Child Left Behind Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has created unnecessary confusion, particularly among secondary–school special educators and administrators with respect to instruction in core academic subjects. The pursuit of compliance solutions to meet this requirement has generally distracted stakeholders from re–examining the mission of secondary–school special education for students with learning disabilities (LD). Because effective subject matter instruction within inclusive classrooms is dependent upon general and special educators capitalizing on each other's areas of expertise, the necessity of requiring special educators to possess a comparable level of subject matter knowledge as the general educator is not only of questionable merit, but often counterproductive. This article poses and examines several fundamental philosophical questions related to the delivery of core academic subject matter to students with LD.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BatemanB. D., & LindenM. A. (1998). Better IEPs: How to develop legally correct and educationally useful programs (3rd ed.). Longmont, CO : Sopris West.
2.
BoeE. E., ShinS., & CookL. H. (2007). Does teacher preparation matter for beginning teachers in either special or general education?The Journal of Special Education, 41, 158–170.
3.
BillingsleyB. S., & McLeskyJ. (2004). Critical issues in special education teacher supply and demand. The Journal of Special Education, 38, 2–4.
4.
BlantonL. P., SindelarP. T., & CorreaV. I. (2006). Models and measures of beginning teacher quality. The Journal of Special Education, 40, 115–127.
5.
BrownellM. T., AdamsA., SindelarP., WaldronN., & VanhoverS. (2006). Learning from collaboration: The role of teacher qualities. Exceptional Children, 72, 169–185.
6.
BrownellM. T., HirschE., & SeoS. (2004). Meeting the demand for highly qualified special education teachers during severe shortages: What should policymakers consider?The Journal of Special Education, 38, 56–61.
7.
Council for Exceptional Children. (2005, March). Resources on “Highly Qualified”: Requirements for special educators. Retrieved June 15, 2008, from http://www.cec.sped.org/pdfs/Highly_Qualified.pdf
DeshlerD. D., SchumakerJ. B., LenzB. K., BulgrenJ. A., HockM. F., KnightJ., . (2001). Ensuring content area learning by secondary students with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 16, 96–108.
10.
FennickE., & LiddyD. (2001). Responsibilities and preparation for collaborative Teaching: Co–teachers’ perspectives. Teacher Education and Special Education, 24, 229–240.
11.
GelmanJ. A., PullenP. L., & KauffmanJ. M. (2004). The meaning of highly qualified and a road map to accomplishment. Exceptionality, 12, 195–207.
12.
GerstenR., KeatingT., YovanoffP., & HarnissM. K. (2001). Working in special education: Factors that enhance special educators’ intent to stay. Exceptional Children, 67, 549–567.
13.
GerstenR., VaughnS., DeshlerD., & SchillerE. (1997). What we know about using research findings: Implications for improving special education practice. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30, 466–476.
14.
GriffinC. C., JonesH. A., & KilgoreK. L. (2006). A qualitative study of student teachers’ experiences with collaborative problem solving. Teacher Education and Special Education, 29, 44–55.
15.
HarbortG., GunterP. L., HullK., BrownQ., VennM. L., WileyL. P., . (2007). Behaviors of teachers in co–taught classes in a secondary school. Teacher Education and Special Education, 30, 13–23.
16.
HyattK. J. (2007). The new IDEA: Changes, concerns, and questions. Intervention in School and Clinic, 42, 131–136.
17.
KamensM. W. (2007). Learning about co–teaching: A collaborative student teaching experience for preservice teachers. Teacher Education and Special Education, 30, 155–166.
18.
King–SearsM. (2005). Are you highly qualified? The plight of effective special educators for students with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 28, 187–188.
19.
MastropieriM. A., ScruggsT. E., GraetzJ., NorlandJ., GardiziW., & McDuffieK. (2005). Case studies in co–teaching in the content areas: Successes, failures, and challenges. Intervention in School and Clinic, 40, 260–270.
20.
McKenzieR. G. (1991). Content area instruction delivered by secondary learning disabilities teachers: A national survey. Learning Disability Quarterly, 14, 115–122.
21.
McKenzieR. G. (1995). Special educators as secondary content teachers: How justifiable?Teacher Education and Special Education, 18, 275–280.
22.
McKenzieR. G. (in press). A national survey of pre–service preparation for collaboration. Teacher Education and Special Education.
23.
McLeskyJ., & WaldronN. L. (2004). Three conceptions of teacher learning: Exploring the relationship between knowledge and the practice of teaching. Teacher Education and Special Education, 27, 3–14.
Otis–WilbornA., WinnJ., GriffinC., & KilgoreK. (2005). Beginning special educators’ forays into general education. Teacher Education and Special Education, 28, 143–152.
26.
RossD. D., & BlantonL. (2004). Inquiry communities in special education teacher education. Teacher Education and Special Education, 27, 15–23.
ScruggsT. E., MastropieriM. A., & McDuffieK. A. (2007). Co–teaching in inclusive classrooms: A metasynthesis of qualitative research. Exceptional Children, 73, 392–416.
29.
SindelarP. T., ShearerD. K., Yendol–HoppeyD., & LiebertT. W. (2006). The sustainability of school reform. Exceptional Children, 72, 317–331.
30.
United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Special Education Programs (2009). 28th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2006, vol. 1. Washington, DC.
31.
WeissM. P., & LloydJ. W. (2002). Congruence between roles and actions of secondary special educators in co–taught and special education settings. Journal of Special Education, 36, 58–68.
32.
WienerI., & MurawskiW. W. (2005). Schools attuned: A model for collaborative intervention. Intervention in School and Clinic, 40, 284–290.
