The Praeger Handbook of Special Education - by Alberto Marcos Bursztyn (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book introduces readers to key concepts and issues in the evolving field of special education. Arguably, over the past thirty years, no other area of education has been as radically transformed as the provision of services to children with disabilities. Since the mid 1970s, special education has steadily grown to reach fully 12% of the U.S. student population in grades K-12, and millions of children from birth to age five. Despite its promise of equal access, special education has become a controversial field in many respects. Critics point to its high cost, questionable pedagogical effectiveness, and differential outcomes across localities, family income levels, and ethnicities. The more typical approach in the literature highlights the legal and procedural mandates that dominate the discourse on educating the disabled student, but fails to explore the underlying assumptions and inconsistencies that make this area of education a controversial and still unsettled enterprise. This handbook departs from the traditional books in the field by focusing on the ways that special education policies and practices are enacted, rather than highlighting only their intended outcomes. Contributors to this text focus on defining commonly used terms and professional jargon in order to give interested readers access and insight into the field of special education and its associated practices.

Some of the subjects included in this volume are the history of special education, disability and society, law and special education, pedagogy, policies and practices, and research in special education.

Book Synopsis

This book introduces readers to key concepts and issues in the evolving field of special education. Arguably, over the past thirty years, no other area of education has been as radically transformed as the provision of services to children with disabilities. Since the mid 1970s, special education has steadily grown to reach fully 12% of the U.S. student population in grades K-12, and millions of children from birth to age five. Despite its promise of equal access, special education has become a controversial field in many respects. Critics point to its high cost, questionable pedagogical effectiveness, and differential outcomes across localities, family income levels, and ethnicities. The more typical approach in the literature highlights the legal and procedural mandates that dominate the discourse on educating the disabled student, but fails to explore the underlying assumptions and inconsistencies that make this area of education a controversial and still unsettled enterprise. This handbook departs from the traditional books in the field by focusing on the ways that special education policies and practices are enacted, rather than highlighting only their intended outcomes. Contributors to this text focus on defining commonly used terms and professional jargon in order to give interested readers access and insight into the field of special education and its associated practices.

Some of the subjects included in this volume are the history of special education, disability and society, law and special education, pedagogy, policies and practices, and research in special education.

Review Quotes

"This is a compilation of special topics in the ever changing and often controversial field of special education. Readers are given a brief introduction to contemporary topics by a variety of authors from various universities and colleges across the nation. Many of these contributors were practitioners, and understand not only theory, but the actual application of special education practices and policies in school settings. The narratives offer alternative views on much talked about and often misunderstood issues in the field. Unlike traditional textbooks that cover intended outcomes to legal mandates in special education, this handbook focuses on ways special education policies and practices are enacted. The volume includes timely topics in areas such as: Digital Divide and Special Education, Bilingualism and Disability, Social Class and Special Education, Response to Intervention, Teacher Satisfaction and Retention in Special Education, Assistive Technology, No Child Left Behind, and High Stakes Testing. The topics are well chosen and the narratives well written. The book would be a great primary or companion text to use in upper-level education and special education courses. Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through practitioner." --Choice

"Bursztyn presents this collection of nearly 60 essays on key concepts and critical issues in special education. Some contributions address issues of research, policy and practice, legislation, and teaching methods and interventions. Others focus on historical topics, specific disabilities, and the relationship of special education to family and society. Specific topics include: a brief history of intelligence testing, self-advocacy, Americans with Disabilities Act, Fragile X Syndrome, family stress and autism, and bilingual special education. For students and practitioners of special education, as well as families of disabled students." --Reference & Research Book News

About the Author