This paper presents a cross-cultural contrast of Australian and American special education practices. Although there is substantial overlap in the issues confronting each country, significant differences exist in the areas of constitutional and legislative foundations as well as in professional roles. As a result, policies have evolved along separate paths within each national context. Several topics, specifically the recent Honig v. Doe (1988) decision, the learning disabilities/learning difficulties dichotomy, and the integration policies of the state of Victoria, are analyzed, as they provide examples of how legal and political considerations have differentially affected the special education policies of the two nations. Implications for U.S. and Australian special education practices are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Andrews, R.V., Elkins, J., Berry, P.B., & Burge, J. A. (1979). A survey of special education in Australia: Provisions, needs and priorities in the education of children with handicaps and learning difficulties.Canberra: Australia Schools Commission.
2.
Barlett, L. (1989). Disciplining handicapped students: Legal issues in light of Honig v. Doe. Exceptional Children, 55, 357–366.
3.
Bateman, B.D., & Herr, C.M. (1981). Law and special education. In J.M. Kauffman & D.P. Hallahan (Eds.), Handbook of special education (pp. 330-360). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
4.
Carrier, J.G. (1983). Explaining educability: An investigation of political support for the Children with Learning Disabilities Act of 1969. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 4, 125–140.
5.
Carrier, J.G. (1984a). Comparative special education: Ideology, differentiation and allocation in England and the United States. In L. Barton & S. Tomlinson (Eds.), Special education and social interests (pp. 35-64). London: Croom Helm.
6.
Carrier, J.G. (1984b). Masking the social in educational knowledge: The case of learning disability theory. American Journal of Sociology, 88, 948–974.
7.
Commonwealth Schools Commission. (1980). The education and training of handicapped adolescents and their transition to adult society: Policies and practices in Australia.Canberra, Australia: Author.
8.
Commonwealth Schools Commission. (1981). Report for the triennium 1982--84.Canberra, Australia: Author.
9.
Commonwealth Schools Commission. (1985). Report of the working party on special education on commonwealth policy on special education.Canberra, Australia: Author.
10.
Danielson, L.C., & Bellamy, G.T. (1989). State variation in placement of children with handicaps in segregated environments. Exceptional Children, 55, 448–455.
11.
Elkins, J. (1983). The concept of learning difficulties: An Australian perspective. In J.D. McKinney & L. Feagans (Eds.), Current topics in learning disabilities (pp. 179-203). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
12.
Elkins, J. (1985). Disability and disadvantage: Special education in Australia---Past, present, and future. In I. Palmer (Ed.), Melbourne studies in education 1985 (pp. 163-184). Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.
13.
Elkins, J. (1987). Education without failure? Education for all. The Exceptional Child, 34, 5–19.
14.
Fulcher, G. (1986). Australian policies on special education: Towards a sociological account. Disability, Handicap & Society, 1, 19–52.
15.
Gardner, J.M. (1976). Cross cultural diffusion of behavior modification. Australian Psychologist, 11, Monograph Supplement No. 3, 85–97.
16.
Gow, L., Snow, D., & Ward, J. (1987). Contextual influences on integration in Australia: Overview of a report to the Commonwealth Schools Commission: Part I. The Exceptional Child, 34, 159–171.
17.
Harris, R. (1986). Recognition of special education needs: Co-operation at the political level. The Australian Journal of Special Education, 10, 6–12.
18.
Hayes, R. (1984). Legal rights and wrongs of special education. The Australian Journal of Special Education, 8, 18–24.
19.
Hayes, R., & Macalpine, S. (1986). A lawyer's view of special education: Past, present, and future. The Australian Journal of Special Education, 10, 33–39.
20.
Hayes, S.C., & Hayes, R. (1982). Mental retardation: Law, policy and administration.Sydney: Law Book.
21.
Henderson, R.A. (1988). Integration: Similarities and differences Australia and the United States. In A.F. Ashman (Ed.), Integration 25 years on (The Exceptional Child Monograph No. 1, pp. 29-40). St. Lucia, Queensland: Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre.
22.
Honig v. Doe, 108 S. Ct. 592 (1988).
23.
Jenkins, J.R., Pious, C.G., & Peterson, D.L. (1988). Categorical programs for remedial and handicapped students: Issues of validity. Exceptional Children, 55, 147–158.
24.
Knott, A.E., Tronc, K.E., & Middleton, J.L. (1977). Australian schools and the law: Principal, teacher and student.St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
25.
Mercer, C.D. (1987). Students with learning disabilities (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill.
26.
Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education, (1988). To assure the free appropriate education of all handicapped children. Tenth annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act. Washington, DC: Author.
27.
Parmenter, T.R. (1979). Factors influencing the development of special education facilities in Australia for children with learning disabilities/learning difficulties. The Australian Journal of Special Education, 3, 11–17.
28.
Pickering, D. (1986). How prevalent are learning disabilities in our schools?. Australian Journal of Remedial Education, 18, 7–9.
29.
Reynolds, M.C., Wang, M.C., & Walberg, H.J. (1987). The necessary restructuring of special and regular education. Exceptional Children, 53, 391–398.
30.
Ritchie, M.H. (1985). School psychology in Australia. Journal of School Psychology, 23, 13–18.
31.
Safran, J.S., & Safran, S.P. (1988). Parent rights and perspectives in integration: Implications and practices. In A.F. Ashman (Ed.), Integration 25 years on (The Exceptional Child Monograph No. 1, pp. 77-82). St. Lucia, Queensland: Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre.
32.
Select Committee on Specific Learning Difficulties of the Australian House of Representatives. (1976). Learning difficulties in children and adults.Canberra: Australian Government Printing Office.
33.
Shaddock, T. (1977). Special education and the law in the United States: Implications for Australian educators. The Exceptional Child, 24, 59–64.
34.
Slee, R. (1988). Developing curriculum and school organizations to integrate "disruptive students." In A.F. Ashman (Ed.), Integration 25 years on (The Exceptional Child Monograph No. 1, pp. 167-177). St. Lucia, Queensland: Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre.
35.
Tarr, P. (1988). Integration policy and practice in Victoria: An examination of the Victorian government's educational provision for students with impairments, disabilities, and problems in schooling since 1984. In A.F. Ashman (Ed.), Integration 25 years on (The Exceptional Child Monograph No. 1, pp. 63-67). St. Lucia, Queensland: Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre.
36.
Tomlinson, S. (1982). A sociology of special education.London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
37.
Turnbull, H.R., & Turnbull, A.P. (1979). Free appropriate public education: Law and implementation.Denver: Love.
38.
Wang, M.C., & Walberg, H.J. (1988). Four fallacies of segregationism. Exceptional Children, 55, 128–137.
39.
Wood, W. (1966). Education for exceptional children. The Australian Journal of Education, 10, 291–304.
40.
Ysseldyke, J., Thurlow, M., Graden, J., Wesson, C., Algozzine, B., & Deno, S. (1983). Generalizations from five years of research on assessment and decision making: The University of Minnesota Institute. Exceptional Education Quarterly, 4, 75–95.
