We Need You!
For the 2006-2007, the Florida Department of Education date reported that student with designated disabilities made up 15% of the total school population. The breakdown in identified categories is as follows:

45% - Specific Learning Disabilities

14% - Speech Impaired

9% - Language Impaired

9% - Mentally Handicapped

8% - Emotionally/Behaviorally Disabled

15% - all other categories

During the 2005-2006 school year, 28, 018 teachers were employed for ESE classrooms. However, 1661 of these individuals were considered "Out-of-Field" meaning they did not hold ESE teaching certificates. In addition to this data, over 614 classrooms for students with disabilities were vacant.

What is Special Education?
Exceptional education in Florida refers to special education services to students between the ages of three and twenty-one. These children may have: learning disabilities,
mental disabilities (educable, trainable, and profound), emotional disabilities,
physical impairments,
dual sensory impairments,
autism.

In addition to the special education classroom teacher, there are school-based and/or contracted
physical therapists,
speech-language pathologists,
audiologists,
occupational therapists,
school psychologists,
and school social workers.

What kind of jobs are available?
Professionals who teach and provide services to children with disabilities have challenging yet rewarding careers. The various careers in special education are listed below. Information on some of these careers is provided here. For further information on these careers contact the National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education (http://www.specialedcareers.org) or your district personnel office.

Adapted Physical Education

Art Therapist

Early Childhood Special Education

Educational Diagnostician

Educational Therapist

Interpreter for Students who are deaf or hard of hearing

Music Therapist

Occupational Therapist

Paraprofessional

Physical Therapist

Special Education and Related Services

Special Education Resource Teacher-Elementary Level

Special Education Technology Specialist

Speech-Language Pathologist

Who will I teach?
Students who receive special instruction and services vary greatly in their needs. Like all children, they differ from one another in ability, age, learning style, and personality. Such students have unique learning needs that may require special teaching approaches, the use of adaptive materials, and other support services such as speech-language therapy. Students with disabilities come from all cultural backgrounds and may even speak another language. Some students have cognitive impairments, such as mental retardation, which can range from mild to profound. Others have specific learning disabilities that are manifested in different areas such as reading, writing, or math. Yet other students may have physical disabilities that limit mobility and may require the use of wheelchairs or other assistive devices. Some students' impairments are strictly sensory, such as hearing loss and vision impairments. Chronic health problems and multiple disabilities can complicate learning potential for many of these youngsters.

What kind of training do I need to become certified as a special educator?
Many different options are available to the individual interested in teaching exceptional children, depending on your level of current experience.

For specific avenues to ESE certification, please refer to (Link back to the certification section.)





Individual school districts can provide information and support in working towards certification. Please refer to the Resources section of this site (link to resources.)





The requirements for Speech Language, Physical, and Occupational Therapy are different. If interested in these professions, you need to contact a university offering degrees in these areas. (link to resources, again.)

Where would I receive training?
There are a number of institutions available for those interested in teaching special education in Central Florida. Information about the colleges/universities offering courses and degrees in special education has been provided in the Resources section of this website. Contact information includes phone numbers, mailing and web addresses in order for you to contact the university for further information.

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