Rural School Services for Students with Severe Disabilities: Changes in Personnel and Programs

Since the enactment of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act in 1975, the provision of special education programs for students with severe disabilities has been a challenge for school systems in rural America. This study assessed the changes in patterns of personnel deployment and program implementation used by rural schools providing services to students with severe disabilities. Findings showed that teacher certification, recruitment, and retention problems remain despite increased availability of personnel. Difficulties in providing least restrictive placement options and an array of related services persist as barriers to effective educational programming.