Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

American education is in a period of intensive reflection and reform. The process of change is following a traditional pattern: An alarm has sounded, remedies and solutions have been proposed, and efforts are underway to put ideas for change into practice. The alarm has also sounded for special education. There are widespread perceptions that past research and practices in determining eligibility for special education have wasted resources and limited the possibilities for responding to the learning needs of students with disabilities. Criticism has triggered calls for remedies and solutions followed by reform initiatives. While there are parallel initiatives to improve general and special education, a unified effort is essential for progress. Among the various education reform movements, there is one approach that offers an opportunity for fully involving general and special educators in the improvement of American public education. The principles of Dr. W.Edwards Deming and the concept of total quality education (TQE) deserve the careful attention of persons who are concerned with the provision of appropriate education for all children. A review of educational reforms that are critical of contemporary special education practices is the focus of the initial portion of this article. This review is followed by a consideration of the principles embodied in the TQE movement. Specific examples are cited to support a discussion of the need for special education to be fully involved in the general education reform movement.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Aguayo, R. (1991). Deming, the man who taught the Japanese about quality. New York: Longman.

Algozzine, B. , Morsink, C.V. , & Algozzine, K.M. (1988). What's happening in self-contained special education classrooms?. Exceptional Children, 55, 259–265.

Audette, R. (in press-a). A B C Deming comes to an elementary school. Educational Leadership.

Audette, R. (in press-b). Meeting the challenge of educational reform: The fourth wave---Deming goes to school. Small College Creativity.

Biklen, D. (1989). Redefining education. In D. Biklen , D.L. Ferguson , & A. Ford (Eds.), Schooling and disability (pp. 1–24). Chicago: National Society for the Study of Education.

Bonstingl, J. (1992). The total quality classroom. Educational Leadership, 49(6), 66–70.

Bryan, T. , Bay, M. , & Donahue, M. (1988). Implications of the learning disabilities definition for the regular education initiative. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 21, 23–28.

Deming, W.E. (1986). Out of the crisis. Boston: MIT Center for Advanced Engineering Studies.

Dobyns, L. , & Crawford-Mason, C. (1991). Quality or else. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.

10.

Glasser, W. (1990). The quality school. New York: Harper & Row.

11.

Goens, G.A. , & Clover, S.I.R. (1991). Mastering school reform. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

12.

Good, H.G. (1964). A history of American education. (3rd ed.). New York: Macmillan.

13.

Hallahan, D.P. , & Kauffman, J.M. (1989). Exceptional children. (4th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

14.

Heward, W.L. , & Orlansky, M.D. (1989). Exceptional children. (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill.

15.

Kauffman, J.M. (1989). Characteristics of children's behavior disorders. (4th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill.

16.

Kauffman, J.M. , Gerber, M.M. , & Semmel, M.I. (1988). Arguable assumptions underlying the regular education initiative. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 21, 6–11.

17.

Kohlberg, L. , & Mayer, R. (1972). Development as the aim of education. Harvard Educational Review, 42, 449–496.

18.

Leonard, J.F. (1991). Applying Deming's principles to our schools. South Carolina Business, 11, 82–87.

19.

Lerner, J. (1989). Learning disabilities. (5th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

20.

Lipsky, D.K. , & Gartner, A. (1989). Beyond separate education: Quality education for all. Baltimore: Brookes.

21.

Marston, D. (1987). Does categorical teacher certification benefit the mildly handicapped child?. Exceptional Children, 55, 38–44.

22.

McAbee, J. (1991, August). Total quality education. Paper presented at the South Carolina Symposium on Total Quality, Charleston, SC.

23.

Mickelson, R. , & Ray, C. (1990). The role of business in education reform. In D.E. Mitchell & M.E. Goertz (Eds.), Education politics for the new century: The twentieth anniversary yearbook of the politics of education association. Bristol, PA: Falmer Press.

24.

Morsink, C.V. , Thomas, C.C. , & Correa, V.I. (1990). Interactive teaming. Columbus, OH: Merrill.

25.

National Commission on Excellence in Education. (1983). A nation at risk: The imperative for educational reform. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

26.

National Governors' Association. (1986). Time for results. Washington, DC: Author.

27.

Olson, L. (1992, May/June). Quality is job one. Teacher Magazine, pp. 26–31.

28.

Pugach, M. (1987). The national education reports and special education: Implications for teacher preparation. Exceptional Children, 53, 308–314.

29.

Reynolds, M., & Wang, M. (1981, April). Restructuring "special" school programs: A position paper. Paper presented at the National Invitational Conference on Public Policy and the Special Education Task of the 1980s. Racine, WI.

30.

Rhodes, L. (1990a). Beyond your beliefs: Quantum leaps toward quality schools. School Administrator, 47(4), 23–26.

31.

Rhodes, L. (1990b). Why quality is within our grasp … if we reach. School Administrator, 47(2), 31–34.

32.

Sarason, S.B. (1990). The predictable failure of educational reform. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

33.

Shepherd, L.A. , & Smith, M.L. (1989). Flunking grades: Research and policies on retention. London: Falmer.

34.

Shinn, M.R. (Ed.). (1989). Curriculum based measurement: Assessing special children. New York: Guilford Press.

35.

Spring, J. (1991). American education: An introduction to social and political aspects. (5th ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman.

36.

Stainback, S. , Stainback, W. , & Forest, M. (1989). Educating all students in the mainstream of regular education. Baltimore: Brookes.

37.

Tribus, M. (1991). The application of quality management principles in education at Mt. Edgecumbe High School, Sitka, Alaska. In L. Rhodes (Ed.), An introduction to total quality for schools (pp. 23–38). Alexandria, VA: American Association of School Administrators.

38.

Twentieth Century Fund Task Force on Federal Elementary and Secondary Education. (1983). Making the grade. New York: Twentieth Century Fund.

39.

Walton, M. (1986). The Deming management method. New York: Perigee.

40.

Wiig, K. , Secord, W. , & Wiig, E. (1990). Deming goes to school: Developing total quality services in speechlanguage pathology. Best Practices in School Speech-Language Pathology, 1, 1–13.

41.

Will, M. (1986). Educating students with learning problems: A shared responsibility. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

42.

Ysseldyke, J.E. (1987). Classification of handicapped students. In M.C. Wang , M.C. Reynolds , & H.J. Walberg (Eds.), Handbook of special education---Research and practice: Vol. 1. Learner characteristics and adaptive education (pp. 253–271). New York: Pergamon Press.

43.

Ysseldyke, J.E. , & Algozzine, B. (1982). Special education team decision making: An analysis of current practice. Personnel and Guidance Journal, 60, 308–313.

44.

Ysseldyke, J.E. , & Algozzine, B. (1990). Introduction to special education. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

45.

Ysseldyke, J.E. , Algozzine, B. , & Thurlow, M. (1992). Critical issues in special and remedial education. (2nd ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Free and Appropriate Education for All Students

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References