Challenging the Singularity of Special Education: Historical Origins

This thought-provoking textbook explores how special education became distinct from general education over time, through changes in teacher education, research funding, teacher licensure, school organization, and student stratification. Each chapter offers key ideas and discussion questions that invite readers to examine the construct of disability and how it came to merit an established, distinct position within education in light of our improving understanding of the learning needs of each individual child in the classroom and community. The book challenges current models of segregated placement, curriculum, and behavior management and poses alternatives that recognize the tremendous, rich diversity found in classrooms, acknowledging overlapping opportunities to address the needs of students in a more comprehensive, integrated way. Challenging the Singularity of Special Education is key reading for graduate and undergraduate students in issues- or special topics-oriented courses in teacher preparation or educational leadership programs. The book is also a useful resource for designing course curricula.