Special Education Coursework for All Teachers is a Must!

All children deserve a free and appropriate public education; this includes meeting the needs of students with disabilities. Currently, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), children with disabilities should be taught within the least restrictive environment. Yet, general education teachers are not required to take special education courses that can equip them to construct lessons for students with various needs. All children deserve a free and appropriate education designed to meet their individual needs. However, most teachers have never taken a special education course. Consequently, some students with disabilities are falling further behind in their learning, when forced to remain in the regular classroom with teachers who are not adequately trained in special education.


To address this issue, I suggest that the IDEA be amended to mandate all general education teachers to receive special education courses while obtaining their degrees. Also, current general education teachers should be required to obtain further training regarding special education. Amending the IDEA to require special education coursework will allow students with special needs to receive appropriate education tailored to their necessities within the least restrictive environment.