Guiding Change in Special Education

Foreword by Maurice McInerney

Create a new reality by guiding your team to successful changes in special education!

Meeting the challenge of teaching a child with a disability?optimizing the potential of a classroom of troubled students...seeing the look of understanding on a child?s face?these are the ideals of special education. Making these ideals reality often requires change. As an educator, you realize this, and you would like to make a difference in your school. But how?

Guiding Change in Special Education offers a case study to illustrate the seven stages of school change. Then, stage by stage, Havelock and Hamilton provide explanations and advice for incorporating each stage into your change process. At the core of the process are these change agents:

• Local educators trying to ensure that no child with a disability is left behind
• Parents advocating change because they care deeply about the cause
• Consultants available to help people act more effectively as a team
• Academics able to efficiently pinpoint needs within special education
• Experts with specialized knowledge to offer solutions to problems
• Informal marketing and sales people to help get the word out
• The "Linker"?an important player who connects people and resources, finds support, and helps organize the group

Making changes can turn ideals into reality?applying the right process and building a team of dedicated people will yield success.