Regular educators are also frustrated with the way NCLB penalizes schools that have high numbers of special education students. Even when those schools are serving special education students well enough to become local "magnets" because their good programs, the government can penalize them using the MCA-II and similar tests (Caputo 2006).

Other issues also complicate special education in the inclusive classroom. Regular educators are addressing a more diverse student body than ever before. Even within the rubric of "special education," teachers are working with a seemingly infinite number of special needs. Cognitive disorders, learning disabilities that may or may not be specified, behavioral disorders, developmental disorders, and physical disabilities ranging from mild to severe -- these are just a few of the examples of how special education students may be classified in the classroom. Moreover, autism and similar disorders present added challenges. Some teachers might have identified students with special needs but their recommendations...

These challenges are felt not just by the regular educators but also by the regular students in the classroom.
Regular educators are often stymied by regulations including NCLB. Each school district and state may have different ways of addressing special needs education, too, which is another reason why regular educators find special education frustrating. The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) went a long way towards freeing state and federal funds for special education programs. However, regular educators need more flexibility to best address daily needs and the goals of the IEP.

References

Caputo, M. (2006). MCA II testing frustrating for teachers and parents of special needs students. MPR News. Retrieved online: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/11/27/mathtestsfolosidebar/

Sacks, a. (2001). Special Education: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.

Tomlinson, S. (1982). A Sociology of Special Education. Routledge and Kegan Paul.