Bilingual Special Education and This Special Issue

Bilingual special education is a new discipline that has emerged because of the problems faced by linguistic minorities with the conduct of special education. As current research studies indicate, the progress and innovations ushered in by P. L. 94–142 have not been extended to linguistic minorities, particularly Hispanic children. This special issue suggests that the medical-model, reductionistic paradigm underpinning special education is inimical to bilingual pupils. It proposes a paradigm shift and a redefinition of bilingual special education.