In the past, special education has been an issue that went unnoticed
in school curricula and by school administrations. It is only recently
that more attention has been given to the needs of disabled learners. This
is a manifestation of the increasing compassion for less fortunate persons
in society. Moreover, ensuring the success of these children at school
will also ensure their success in the workplace and in society. This will
then also serve to improve the economy and society in general. Several
works have for example been written on the topic, three of which will be
The first is a brief focusing on the ERIC/OSEP special education
program, and concerns actions that schools and administrations can take to
include children with disabilities successfully in school programs. The
1997 the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was
reauthorized, and this entailed that disabled students needed to receive
the necessary attention to succeed. As indeed many have in certain
schools. The brief then considers what has been done in these schools to
ensure the success of these children. It has then been noted that schools
including a long-range vision of success for all students, a supportive
community of administrators and staff, a healthy learning environment and
respect for all students, and strategies for including all students with
their diverse learning needs in classroom activities, have been
particularly successful in meeting the needs of disabled students.
Practically, the findings of this research can be included in
seminars and workshops for teachers with the purpose of benefiting disabled
children across the country. Schools can also be monitored on a regular
basis to determine the success or failure of each strategy in order to find
Michael F. DiPaola and Chriss Walther-Thomas (2003) focus on the role
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