Click the resources below to read about New York State Special Education Law and Processes as well as Special Education in Practice from two in-service, seasoned educators. Additionally, find out about special education systems throughout the world and how they serve different students with disabilities and find an encyclopedia of special education to define any terms that may need some clarification.
New York State Education Department. (n.d.). Special education. NYSED. Retrieved from https://www.nysed.gov/special-education
This website created by the New York State Education Department provides valuable resources to educators, service providers and parents regarding anything about special education and children with disabilities and the laws and procedures developed in New York State. This webpage will link you to other resources like NYS schools for the Deaf and Blind as well as Laws and Regulations, Funding opportunities and frequently used special education forms. The laws and regulations include both federal and state policies about special education which are crucial to understand and recognize as a future educator. Additionally, this website is a wonderful source for teachers to refer to for parents who want more information about their children and their educational concerns. I think this website is one pre-service teachers should be familiar with to help answer any questions about special education in New York. By looking through New York’s authoritative website you can find reliable resources about special education; start by looking under resources, tools and supports to find Special education Topics- A to Z.
Potts, E.A., & Howard, L. (2019). Launching a career in special education: Your action plan for success. Brookes Publishing. https://search.library.albany.edu/permalink/01SUNY_ALB/itk8ks/cdi_proquest_ebookcentralchapters_5752007_75_192
This textbook, authored by two experienced special education teachers, serves as a practical guide for educators in their first few years of teaching. It provides comprehensive information about critical topics such as planning, creating Individual Education Programs (IEPs), understanding the inclusive setting, lesson planning, assessments all the way to avoiding burnout, professionalism online and your first meet and greet with parents. Potts and Howard use checklists, workbook-style reflections and real-world examples to prepare readers to become confident and knowledgeable educators. This book includes practical tools, such as sample assessments and guidance on writing IEP goals, making it especially useful for elementary school teachers working in inclusive settings. Well-organized and user-friendly, this textbook references other supplemental materials for a cohesive learning experience. This resource is beneficial for student teachers and pre-service educators seeking practical, actionable advice to success in their roles.
Wehmeyer, M. L., & Patton, J. R. (Eds.). (2017). The Praeger international handbook of special education. Praeger, an Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC. Retrieved from https://search.library.albany.edu/permalink/01SUNY_ALB/qlq07b/alma990029852070204808
This handbook acknowledges the Rights of Persons with Disabilities around the world and provides an overview and analysis of special education services in more than 70 countries. Recognizing different educational systems and structures as well as teacher training requirements, barriers, and trends will help you stay current within the field. This handbook may help readers understand why the United States or New York’s Special education system is designed the way it is and may inspire more advancements or variety in the services provided to students with disabilities served locally. Each country has its own information about its educational systems including: historical information, the structure of the country, its demographics, the public and private education system (funding, structures, graduation rate), Special education systems (current legislation, eligibility, prevalent practices), post-school outcomes, teacher preparation, barriers for education and the future of the field in that country. This is a valuable source for pre-service teachers to understand the rights of the students they will work with, the structure of the education system and the outcomes for students. This handbook can serve as a reference when you are in need of more specific information about legislation and details about other countries’ education systems and the handling of students with disabilities.
Reynolds, C. R., Vannest, K. J., & Fletcher-Janzen, E. (2014). Encyclopedia of special education : a reference for the education of children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and other exceptional individuals (Fourth edition.). Wiley. https://search.library.albany.edu/permalink/01SUNY_ALB/qlq07b/alma990023993380204808
This encyclopedia was developed and highly acclaimed to address the issues, theories and practices of Special Education for researchers and people who work in the field. There are 200 new entries in this edition that comprehensively cover a wide range of topics including more prominent and current topics like Response to Intervention and technology from an educational standpoint. The topics cover a range of ages for special educations including children, adolescents and adults with disabilities. I think this is a great reference if you need to look up any of the special education terms you may encounter and need an explanation to. This organized encyclopedia has resources from legislations, interventions and services as well as information about the different educational placements or settings for the described students with special needs.