Special Education Degree

Special education is the fastest growing branch of education in the United States today. Since special education teachers are in high demand, they can usually obtain excellent salaries and working conditions. Earning a special education degree is the first step towards this career path. Today, it's even possible to earn a college degree online in special education (although these usually require some actual classroom time working with students).

The qualities of effective special education teachers are somewhat different from regular education teachers. Special education teachers require incredible patience, a good sense of humor and specialized skills geared toward the challenges of children with attention or cognitive deficits.

The adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990 is the driving force behind the growth of special education in the United States in the past two decades. Signed into law by President George H.W. Bush, the ADA mandates that children with special needs be accommodated as much as possible in their home school district. Children who had once been relegated to separate classrooms and substandard curricula joined mainstream education for the first time.

Today’s special education degree will provide teachers with the tools they need to transform the lives of children, whether they or not have special needs. The special education focus has changed teaching styles in typical classrooms as well, making teachers more open to children’s different learning styles.

Special education degrees are offered by all colleges and universities with education programs in place, with the same requirements as regular credential programs, including certification and supervised classroom teaching beyond the actual degree. In addition, master’s and doctorates in special education provide even more opportunities for research and teacher training.

Special Education Degree Programs

In 1974, the federal government passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This law gave disabled students the legal right to an adequate education. Students with cognitive, physical, and emotional disabilities became entitled to an educational experience tailored specifically to their needs and learning style. This gave rise to a number of special education degree programs in colleges and universities throughout the United States.

In order to work with students who have learning disabilities, emotional issues, or behavioral disorders, one must first obtain a special education degree. A special education degree is typically more advanced than a general education degree, and requires a longer period of study. Some special education degree programs provide techniques to promote learning among mildly and moderately disabled students, while others focus on teaching basic life skills and literacy to the severely disabled.

Special education teachers work in a couple of different settings. Some special education teachers have their own classroom and work with a group entirely comprised of special education students. A different special education model is a teacher with a special education degree working in a school resource room, and children with special needs get pulled from their classroom for one-on-one instruction. A third way in which a special education teacher works in a school setting is to accompany a disabled child into the mainstream classroom. In this model, the special education teacher modifies the instruction to the needs of a particular student.

Special education programs are offered at different levels, including undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Most special education degree programs require a bachelor’s degree and additional casework (usually at least one additional year) to develop expertise in a specialized education. In addition, most special education degree programs require students to work with certified special education teachers in a student teaching capacity.

A special education degree is generally a prerequisite for state-required special education licensing.