The USC Rossier School of Education, in honor of Special Education Month, created the following infographic (only showing a portion) as an introduction to this rapidly growing field. It provides an overview of what special education [1] is, how students are referred for special education services, and definitions of acronyms [2] common to the field like “IEP” (or “Individualized Education Program”) along with much more.
Although special education began in the 1950s as a movement to win individuals with disabilities a free and quality education, it has today come to embrace the ideal of inclusion [3], with many students with disabilities being taught in general classrooms alongside their non-disabled peers. Thus, as fully inclusive classrooms become more of a reality, all prospective teachers can benefit from a better understanding of the basics of special education. The number of students receiving special education services is also steadily on the rise, so now is certainly the time to start learning more about the field.
Source: USC Rossier School of Education [4]
Infographic Link: http://rossieronline.usc.edu/specialeducation-infographic/ [5]
Helpful Articles
- Advocacy: What Does That Word Mean to You? [6]
- Early Intervention: First Steps in the Right Direction [7]
- Special Education: The Pros and Cons of Public vs. Private School [8]
- The Politics of Special Education: The Information You Need Right Now [9]
- A Review…What Is Special Education [1]
- What Are Psychoeducational Evaluations and How Can Your Child Benefit from One? [10]
- Parents Working Together How Parents Can Work Together to Help Their Child With Their Education [11]
- What Special Education Teachers and Professionals Want You to Know [12]
- The Importance of Parents and Professionals Partnering [13]
- Requests Prior to IEP Meetings: Eval Reports and Draft IEPs [14]
- Where Do I Go for Evaluations [15]
- Eligibility How Is It Determined? [16]
- Organizing Your Child’s Special Education File: Do It Right [17]
This post originally appeared on our November/December 2012 Magazine [18]