What is an IDEA 2004 Update Edition?  Special Education has been updated to reflect this long-anticipated legislation in two ways:

• Relevant discussion throughout the book has been revised to reflect IDEA ‘04.  These revisions have been made while still preserving the original pagination of the text, so no changes to lecture notes or reading assignments are necessary, and all supplementary materials (and page references therein) remain accurate. An “IDEA 2004” icon appears in the margins adjacent to the updates.
• A Guide to IDEA 2004 has been included as an appendix in the Update Edition. This clear, comprehensive, jargon-free appendix gives a brief side-by-side comparison of IDEA ’04 versus the previous ’97 legislation for each of the statutes, and, when a little friendly “background” would help the reader better understand the practical implications of the law, an additional note is provided.

The Fifth Edition returns to its roots with a strong orientation toward practical classroom material, methods, and topics, continuing its commitment to presenting the voices of people with disabilities and their perspectives throughout the book, and providing clear and concise discussion of the nature and characteristics of exceptional students.

It provides a problem-solving approach by presenting current special education dilemmas and challenging students to think about their solutions.

The new edition retains its consistent outline in the categorical chapters and improves upon it with the addition of new recurring headings, creating a powerful learning tool for students. No book delivers the nuts and bolts of inclusive practice better, with practical interventions in every chapter.