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Another challenge is that many studies note that a considerable number of administrators in this area of education are not adequately trained to deal with the complex problems and issues in this field. In an article entitled, SPECIAL EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS in the UNITED STATES: PERCEPTIONS on POLICY and PERSONNEL ISSUES by Arick and Krug, (1993) it is claimed that there is a shortage of special education administrative personnel. Furthermore, this study also reiterates a view that is supported by many recent studies, namely that, "The education and experience of many special education directors appears adequate; however, over one third of the respondents had neither certification in teaching special education nor appreciable experience teaching in special education" (Arick and Krug, 1993).
As noted, a central role of the modern administrator is the reduction of dropout rates. This is also related to a cardinal function of the administrator and other stakeholders, which is the implementation of the policy in collaboration with regulator or mainstream education. As the study by Arick and Krug (1993) states, "The policy/practice with the highest training need was...to increase collaboration between regular and special education..." (Arick and Krug, 1993). The study also notes that those directors and administrators who have backgrounds in special education teaching and special education course work were those who tended to have significantly higher levels of mainstreamed students. (Arick and Krug, 1993) Related to this is the concern that "....district practices regarding service-delivery models and integration of students with disabilities into the least restrictive environments are at risk of being in noncompliance with special education law" (Arick and Krug, 1993). This has necessitated further research into the policies and practices of special education administrators in...
One area that has become an increasing important part of the trends in special education is the use of new technologies. As one commentary emphasizes, "Technology is becoming increasingly important in special education. Teachers use specialized equipment such as computers with synthesized speech, interactive educational software programs, and audiotapes to assist children" (Teachers -- Special Education). This also implies that the administrator must be aware not only of the potential advantages of this technology but must also be in a position to administer and regulate its correct usage.
In conclusion, it therefore becomes clear from the above discussion that the role of the administrator in the 21st century does not only refer to the application and assessment of policy but also refers to problematics of the accessibility and acceptability of special education students in the mainstream of schools. Furthermore, the role of the administrator includes the attainment and maintenance of a high level of knowledge and understanding of the central issues and problems in special education. Related to this is the role of the administration in assessing policy and praxis in the effort to reduce the high failure rate in this group.
References
Arick J. And Krug D. (1993) Special education administrators in the United
States: Perceptions on policy and personnel issues. Journal of Special Education. Vol. 27 Issue
Defur S. EDUCATION REFORM, HIGH-STAKES ASSESSMENT, and STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. Remedial & Special Education, Jul/Aug2002, Vol. 23, Issue 4.
Teachers -- Special Education. Retrieved December 23, 2007, at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos070.htm
Special Education in the Context Of Education Reform This monograph by the Center on Education Policy (CEP) looks at how well three major Midwest cities -- Cleveland, Milwaukee and Chicago -- have been able to comply with the federal special education law IDEA. A guiding principle of this study is that "children placed in special education are general education first," emphasizing that both branches of education share responsibility for students with
country's public schools are experiencing dwindling state education budgets and increased unfunded mandates from the federal government, the search for optimal approaches to providing high quality educational services for students with learning disabilities has assumed new importance and relevance. In an attempt to satisfy the mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, a growing number of special educators agree that full inclusion is the optimal approach
Thus, efforts aimed at helping teachers to avoid harmful stereotyping of students often begin with activities designed to raise teachers' awareness of their unconscious biases." (1989) Cotton goes on the relate that there are specific ways in which differential expectations are communicated to students according to the work of: "Brookover, et al. (1982); Brophy (1983); Brophy and Evertson (1976); Brophy and Good (1970); Cooper and Good (1983); Cooper and
In their study, "Thinking of Inclusion for All Special Needs Students: Better Think Again," Rasch and his colleagues (1994) report that, "The political argument in favor of inclusion is based on the assumption that the civil rights of students, as outlined in the 1954 decision handed down in Brown v. Board of Education, which struck down the concept of 'separate but equal,' can also be construed as applying to special
This is often complemented with anger and job depression. There is also the challenge of extreme mental and physical fatigue. This fatigue does not have an identifiable physiological source. The individual may have a good diet and may sleep well but the awake exhausted and tired. They are not prepared to engage in the task of preparation of class materials or lessons. The mind is tired and it may be
Administrator and Teacher Interview I elected to interview a vice-principal, a fifth grade teacher, and a third grade teacher. I selected these interview subjects because vice-principals are often intimately involved in the day-to-day oversight of the school, and because of the increased focus on middle-school children in evaluations of school performance through standardized testing. The questions I asked fell into two basic categories: that of questions specific to curriculum development and teacher