This article discusses the nature of ethics and addresses many of the complex ethical and legal issues that challenge consultants daily. It offers a framework for making sound ethical and legal decisions that serve students effectively. Critical legal concepts, such as least restrictive environment and free appropriate public education, are discussed. Finally, practical suggestions are offered for avoiding common ethical and legal pitfalls.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Psychological Association. (1992). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. American Psychologist, 47, 1597–1611.
2.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Pub. L. No. 101--336.
3.
Bayles, M. D. (1989). Professional ethics (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
4.
Board of Education of Sacramento City Unified School District v. Holland. (1992). IDELR, 18, 761--767. U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California.
5.
Board of Education v. Rowley. (1982). Education for the Handicapped Law Report. Supreme Court of the United States.
6.
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (1987). Applied behavior analysis. Columbus, OH: Merrill.
7.
Corey, G., Corey, M. S., & Callanan, P. (1993). Issues and ethics in the helping professions (4th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
8.
Daniel R. R., v. State Board of Education. (1989). Education of the Handicapped Law Reporter, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.
9.
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (1993) (113 S. Ct. 2786).
10.
Donnellan, A. M. (1984). The criterion of least dangerous assumption. Behavior Disorders, 9, 141–150.
11.
Dougherty, A. M. (1990). Consultation: Practice and perspectives. Pacific Groves, CA: Brooks/Cole.
12.
Dougherty, A. M. (1992). Ethical issues in consultation. Elementary School Guidance & Counseling, 26, 214–220.
13.
Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (EAHCA), Pub. L. (94--142).
14.
Egg Harbor Township Board of Education v. S.O. (1992). Individuals with Disabilities Education Law Report, 19, 15–20. United States District Court, New Jersey.
15.
Gallesich, J. (1982). The profession and practice of consultation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
16.
Garner, J. B., & Campbell, P. H. (1987). Technology for persons with severe disabilities: Practical and ethical considerations. The Journal of Special Education, 21, 122–132.
17.
Gaylord-Ross, R. (1980). A decision model for the treatment of aberrant behavior in applied settings. In W. Sailor, B. Wilcox, & L. Brown (Eds.), Methods of instruction for severely handicapped students (pp. 135–158). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
18.
Green, G., & Shane, H. C. (1994). Science, reason, and facilitated communication. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 19, 151–172.
19.
Greenspan, S., & Negron, E. (1994). Ethical obligations of special services personnel. Special Services in the Schools, 8(2), 185–209.
20.
Heron, T. E., & Harris, K. C. (1993). The educational consultant: Helping professionals, parents and mainstreamed students (3rd ed.). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
21.
Heward, W. L. (1996). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education (5th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
22.
Hughes, J. N. (1986). Ethical issues in school consultation. School Psychology Review, 15, 489–499.
23.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (IDEA), Education of the Handicap Act Amendments, Pub. L. 101--476.
24.
Keith-Spiegel, P., & Koocher, G. (1985). Ethics in psychology: Professional standards and cases. New York: Random House.
25.
Krivacska, J., & Margolis, H. (1995). The special education consultant in due process hearings: Ethics and expertise. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 47(3), 169–183.
26.
Margolis, H., & Brannigan, G. G. (1990). Strategies for resolving parent-school conflict. Journal of Reading, Writing & Learning Disabilities International, 6(1), 1–23.
27.
Margolis, H., & McGettigan, J. (1988). Managing resistance to instructional modifications in mainstreamed environments. Remedial and Special Education, 9(4), 15–21.
28.
Margolis, H., & Shapiro, A. (1988). Constructively avoiding the need for due process. Special Services in the Schools, 4(3/4), 145–158.
29.
Margolis, H., Shapiro, A., & Brown, G. (1987). Resolving conflicts with parents of handicapped children. Urban Review, 19(4), 209–221.
30.
Matavich, M. (1995). Ethics. Unpublished manuscript, The Ohio State University, Columbus.
31.
Newman, J. (1993). Ethical issues in consultation. Journal of Counseling and Development, 72, 148–156.
32.
Oberti v. Board of Education of the Borough of Clementon School District. (1992). (801 F. Supp. 1392). D.N.J.
33.
Oberti v. Board of Education of the Borough of Clementon School District. (1993). IDELR, 19, 908–920. 3rd Cir.
34.
Peters, M., & Heron, T. E. (1993). When the best is not good enough: An examination of best practice. The Journal of Special Education, 26, 371–385.
35.
Polk v. Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16. (1988). 1988--89 Education for the Handicapped Law Report. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
36.
Raskind, M. H., & Higgins, E. L. (1995). Reflections on ethics, technology, and learning disabilities: Avoiding the consequences of ill-considered action. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 28, 425–438.
37.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, Pub. L. 93--112.
38.
Snow, D. L., & Gersick, K. E. (1986). Ethical and professional issues in mental health consultation. In F. B. Mannino, E. J. Trickett, M. F. Shore, M. G. Kidder, & G. Levine (Eds.), Handbook of mental health consultation (pp. 393–431). Rockville, MD: National Institutes of Mental Health.
39.
Strike, K. A., & Soltis, J. F. (1985). The ethics of teaching. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.
40.
Van Houten, R., Axelrod, S., Bailey, J. S., Favell, J. E., Foxx, R. M., Iwata, B. A., & Lovaas, O. I. (1988). The right to effective behavioral treatment. The Behavior Analyst, 11, 111–114.
41.
West, J. F., Idol, L., & Cannon, G. (1989). Collaboration in the schools (Instructor's manual). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
42.
Williger, S. D. (1995, Summer). A trial lawyer's perspective on mental health professionals as expert witnesses. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 47(3), 141–149.
43.
Yell, M. L. (1995). Least restrictive environment, inclusion, and students with disabilities: A legal analysis. The Journal of Special Education, 28(4), 389–404.
44.
Zinn, L. M. (1993). Do the right thing: Ethical decision-making in professional and business practice. Adult Learning, 23, 7–8.