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Amazingly, prior to 1975 when the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was enabled, most children with special needs were denied any education in our public and private schools. In 1997, this country recognized the need to amend this act because it did not protect the rights and needs of disabled students as it was originally written. They also changed the name to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA and since then, much wonderful advancement has been made for the development of effective programs for early intervention and special education. All of these changes and the ongoing research of educational methods have led to a high demand for individuals with the appropriate education to work in both public and private schools.





Since this is considered a specialty field, most job opportunities require a Master's degree in special education, plus if you have not taken the National Teacher's Exam for your state, it will be required for you to do so. It is also possible that your state has a specific test that is for special education teachers in order to obtain employment. It is also possible to obtain a certificate in special education as a part of your Master's degree program or independently, if you so wish.


Online Education


How can you get the necessary education for a teaching career in special education? First, you must ask yourself if you are up for the challenge that requires creative solutions in the classroom. It can be stressful and frustrating at times, depending on the student's individual situation. Do you have the patience and compassion needed to work with children who have many different types of disabilities including behavioral and/or mental health issues? If you do, there are many ways in which to get the necessary training, and you can earn your Master's degree through an accredited online degree program.


It is possible to have earned your Bachelor's degree in any education subject that interests you such as science or music in order to pass your state's teacher exam. Then, you can start researching the various programs for your Master's degree and/or certificate (depending what your states requires from its special education teachers). Remember to make sure that the school you have selected has been evaluated for its level and quality of education offered and is current in its accreditation. You will need this in order to take any state required exam.

The program that you enter will include instruction into how to adapt and develop curricula to meet the needs of special students. In addition, you will learn how to manage class disruptions and how to use various technologies to enable students who are limited in their physical ability to complete classroom assignments or life skills and/or ADLs (Activities of Daily Living). It will also provide you with the knowledge of various problems and disabilities which will be included in courses such as Educational Psychology and Learning or Behavior Disabilities.

Other very important topics will be in the legal issues of special education and behavioral management. Since we now know how important a holistic approach is to any health issue or physical disability, training in family and community counseling will also be included in your curriculum. All of these areas are meant to give future special education teachers the tools needed to deal with any and all situations that they might encounter in and out of the classroom.

As was part of your Bachelor's degree program, many states also require an internship in a classroom with special needs students. This is valuable teaching tool since it will allow you to put what you have learned to actual use while receiving constructive feedback from the special education teacher of that class.


Reap The Heart-Warming Benefits Of Being A Special Education Teacher