I’m currently doing an action research project for a Masters Level class that concerns my experiences over the past 22 years in Special Education. It seems to me, from my experience, that Special Education teachers frequently are assigned substandard classrooms with poor supplies of materials. I have observed the newer items going into the regular education departments and have been asked if I wanted the older overheads, desks, and so forth. I’m currently in a room with no windows that has showerboard for whiteboards screwed into the walls, and 3 old Mac computers without enough memory to run most CD-ROM programs. Does anyone out there want to share their stories (all names withheld of course) with me?
Re: Equity of Classroom/Resources
You may need to look into the legalities of your situation. In my state there are requirements for the size of the room and number of students. Many of our special ed rooms are very new. As far as supplies, sometimes it does take a very long time to get things.
Re: Equity of Classroom/Resources
I do not have my own classroom. I am a traveling teacher. I also have “hand me down” books even though all regular education teachers were given new science books last year. I basically beg borrow and steal for materials.
I know what you are talking about. We are told we can order new supplies and new overheads, etc. When we order them, we never see them. I don’t know what happens to them. I have been waiting over a year for markers, crayons and paper, computer programs,etc. My classroom has behavior problems that we have worked on for the whole year with no support from our administration. Special Education is supposed to be helping these kids to succeed, but instead we are faced with an even tougher job of fighting the problems instead of helping our kids.