For special educators, a collaborative relationship with the school's library media specialist provides a unique opportunity to level the educational playing field for students with disabilities. When appropriately equipped and managed, the library can empower students to work independently and productively. The library is also potentially a source of educational information about disabilities for students, teachers, and families that can enrich and normalize their experiences. However, little has been published concerning the relationship between special education and libraries or describing best practices in this area. This special topical issue of Intervention in School and Clinic provides an overview of the existing literature, along with concrete strategies for developing, equipping, and operating collaborative library-based programs for students with mild to moderate learning and behavior problems. This article discusses the various roles the media center may play in the lives of students with disabilities, describes the ways in which teachers and library media specialists can collaborate to meet the needs of students with disabilities, and provides an overview of access to library resources from both physical and technological perspectives.
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