Introduction to Special Education : Making a Difference

With Making a Difference as its central theme, the Sixth Edition of this best selling text recognizes that students are expected to demonstrate social responsibility, and that the actions and attitudes of individuals do matter. 

Students and teachers have long relied on this comprehensive overview of the field of special education and the ways in which all teachers can help students with special needs to succeed in school and reach their full potential.  The text is brimming with evidence-based practices, ready-to-use teaching tips, and up-to-the minute information about technology applications and contemporary inclusive practices … all tools that teachers can use with students of all abilities, from those who struggle to the most gifted. 

The text uses authentic stories from real people, current news events, and examples from contemporary popular culture to examine the positive effects of 30 years of IDEA, 15 years of ADA, and many years of social activism on the lives of individuals with disabilities, their families, and the educators and professionals who work with them. 

The Sixth Edition features: a new chapter (6) on ADHD; “Making a Difference” sections that open every chapter with examples of social responsibility, philanthropy, advocacy and volunteerism; "What IDEA 2004/No Child Left Behind Says About ..." boxes in every chapter clarify, in a convenient bullet-list format, the practical meaning for teachers of these two federal initiatives;  “Professional Standards and Licensure Tests” tables at the end of each chapter that correlate major sections with CEC, INTASC and Praxis II exam; and “Tips for Classroom Management” and “Tips for Effective Teachers” boxes in all chapters provide bulleted lists of practical ideas and suggestions.

In addition to being the author of Introduction to Special Education, 6e, and other major textbooks and articles, Deborah Deutsch Smith is a Research Professor of Special Education and Director of the IRIS Center for Faculty Enhancement at Vanderbilt University, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs.  She has served on numerous editorial boards, and was recently appointed Associate Editor of TESE and has assumed the responsibility for an annual special feature translating research to practice. She is a past president of the Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE). She recently completed a term as a member of the Diversity Advisory Task Force of the federal National Council on Disability (NCD). Since 1984, Deb has served on the Board of Trustees for Pitzer College, Claremont Colleges, and was recognized in 2003 as a Life Trustee.

“Smith’s Introduction to Special Education is the best overall text I have seen for a survey course in special education.”
Karen S. Smith
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin

“This book is the rule rather than the exception.”
J’Anne Affeld
Northern Arizona University

“I like the fact that she has a chapter that focuses on Multicultural and Bilingual Special Education because this is an area that I believe is overlooked not only in other textbooks but in Special Education classes.
Josephine Fritts
Ozarks Technical Community College

“Deb has included a great deal of current research to define and explain ADHD.”
Mary Jane Hayes
Austin Peay State University

“The ‘Tips for Effective Teaching’ are some of the best suggestions that one could ask for.”
Jerry Neal
Central Missouri State University

New To This Edition

• NEW Chapter on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Ch. 6)
• Making a Difference sections open every chapter with examples of social responsibility, philanthropy, advocacy, and volunteerism by both well-known individuals and everyday citizens.
• "What IDEA 2004/No Child Left Behind Says About ..." clarifies the practical meaning for teachers of these two federal initiatives.
• Tips for Classroom Management provide ideas and suggestions for creating productive learning environments for all students.
• Tips for Effective Teachers provide practical ideas with broad applicability to the areas of disability in many teaching situations.
• Professional Standards and Licensure Tests tables conclude each chapter and show how CEC Common Core Knowledge and Skill Standards, INTASC Special Education Principles, and associated Praxis II topic areas can be applied to each major section of the chapter.

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