What are the 3 most important roles of a special education teacher

Instructor: Dana Dance-Schissel Show bio

Dana teaches social sciences at the college level and English and psychology at the high school level. She has master's degrees in applied, clinical and community psychology.

Special education teachers are tasked with supporting special needs students with accommodations for academic success. See the details of the responsibilities in different roles of special education teachers. Updated: 08/06/2022

What Is Special Education?

Tyler is a fifth-grade student with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a disability that can cause mental and physical impairments. A disability is a physical or mental issue that impairs normal functioning. Tyler finds it difficult to keep up in a traditional classroom due to his disability and requires assistance from a special education teacher.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 is a revised version of the original Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) of 1975, which mandated that special needs students are entitled to receive a free and appropriate education. Under IDEA, special education includes accommodations and modifications that must be provided in accordance with the unique needs of the student. This is where special needs teachers come in.

Now that we understand what special education is, let's take a closer look at the roles and responsibilities of special needs teachers.

• Video
• Quiz
• Course

Depending on their unique needs and the level of special education required, students like Tyler may be placed in a traditional classroom or in a special needs classroom. Either way, special needs students will come in contact with a teacher who is trained in special education. Special education teachers use a unique skill set to make education accessible to special needs students by adapting it to meet their needs. All states in America require special needs teachers to have a college degree, usually in education. Some states require teachers to hold a special education certification or advanced degree.

Many colleges and universities offer degree programs in special education at both the bachelor's and master's levels. Beyond basic education training, special education teachers also receive training rooted in the fields of psychology and social work. Specific skills like behavior evaluation and management, nonverbal communication, classroom and case management, and student and family outreach are critical for special education teachers in order to meet the needs of students with mental and physical disabilities. As mentioned previously, special needs teachers use accommodations and modifications in the education of students with disabilities.

Accommodations are devices or methods used to support the unique needs of people with disabilities. A motorized wheelchair is an example of an accommodation that might be useful to Tyler in the classroom. Special education teachers choose appropriate accommodations based on the needs of individual students.

Register to view this lesson

Are you a student or a teacher?

Unlock Your Education

See for yourself why 30 million people use Study.com

Become a Study.com member and start learning now.

Become a Member

Already a member? Log In

 Back

Resources created by teachers for teachers

Over 30,000 video lessons & teaching resources‐all in one place.

Video lessons

Quizzes & Worksheets

Classroom Integration

Lesson Plans

I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. It’s like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. I feel like it’s a lifeline.

Back

Create an account to start this course today

Used by over 30 million students worldwide

Create an account