Teaching Handicapped Learners in Correctional Education Programs (From Special Education in the Criminal Justice System, P 275-291, 1987, C Michael Nelson, et al, eds. -- See NCJ-113063)

• NCJ Number: 113072
• Author(s): P E Leone
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 17 pages
• Sale Source: Charles E Merrill Publishing Co
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A variety of correctional educational services for adjudicated youth are found in various settings: diversion, probation, and alternative education programs; juvenile halls, training schools, and reform schools; camps and ranches; specialized treatment facilities; and adult correctional facilities.

Abstract

While such programs have traditionally been operated by the criminal justice system, increasingly they are being provided by private agencies and public schools. Competencies for correctional special education teachers, identified in a 1984 survey, gave priority to instructional methods, classroom management, assessment and test interpretation, and individualizing instruction. Other areas for training included knowledge of the juvenile and criminal justice systems, correctional institutions, and service delivery systems and relevant laws and regulations. In addition to these areas, correctional educators need a variety of more specialized streetwise and political skills. The heterogenous nature of adjudicated handicapped youth and the diversity of programs serving them make it difficult to describe typical administrative arrangements and classrooms. Teaching handicapped students in correctional facilities is challenging. Teachers typically work on a year-round basis, and class sizes are usually smaller than in public schools. Among rewards associated with the work include being able to provide positive learning experiences to youth who may not previously have received appropriate educational services. 45 references.