Abstract:

The field of special education is a challenge for most nations and in the Unites States, a recent court decision will mandate new Federal laws. Each state will have to change regulations to comply with the new Federal law.

The change focuses on how students with disabilities, entitled to a "free, appropriate, public education (FAPE)" under the current law, has been newly defined, based on academic progress made by each student. This legal change re-defines what constitutes a FAPE for students with disabilities and how teacher preparatory programs can support new teachers, and how practitioners must support and be held accountable for the academic progress of students with disabilities in the prek-12 school setting.

This presentation will allow participants to learn and apply strategies to both the prek-12 classroom settings and in Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) that support students and assists teachers in meeting the needs of these students appropriately.

Keywords:

Special Education, IHE preparatory programs, students with disabilities.