1. Unbundling, mass customization, and public policy -- 2. Market forces, special education, and lost intensity -- 3. Public schools and autism, it gets very personal -- 4. Autism, the catalyst for change -- 5. Reality passes regulation -- 6. Is there a BCBA in the house? -- 7. Pervasive inertia -- 8. Disconnected services, disconnected funding -- 9. Suggestions for reauthorization: Unbundling IDEA.
Summary:
Examining the topic of special education and autism touches many sensitive nerves. In conducting research for this book, it was challenging to have some people, in excellent positions to comment on the subject, agree to participate due to concern that this world would be another book that treated special education and special educators harshly. We hope that this book has not done that. At the same time, a constant examination of special education or any other aspect of American public education must go on and must be welcomed by the practitioners. If there was one mantra echoed from coast to coast throughout the research it was that special educators did not go into the profession to give children the minimum required by law, but rather they entered teaching to benefit their students as much as possible. We appreciate the special education teachers and administrators who shared their perspectives with us. In no way, regardless of the conclusions drawn or recommendations made, should this book be interpreted as a condemnation of the work of America's special educators. Many voices in this book are critical of practices and regulations that encompass special education. Other voices are critical of certain approaches to autism, and still others decry the growing political nature of special education advocacy. It takes listening to and sensitively portraying all of these voices to pain an accurate portrait of autism and special education today. Such a portrait is what we hope to offer in this book. --Introduction. The topic of special education and autism touches many sensitive nerves. However, a constant examination of special education or any other aspect of American public education must go on and must be welcomed by the practitioners. Special educators did not go into the profession to give children the minimum required by law, but rather they entered teaching to benefit their students as much as possible. In offering a rounded collection of perspectives, Claypool and McLaughlin include voices critical of practices and regulations that encompass special education, or to certain approaches to autism, while others decry the growing political nature of special education advocacy. -- adapted from introduction and back cover.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.