THE CHANGING ROLES OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN A FULL-TIME MAINSTREAMING PROGRAM: RIGHTS WITHOUT LABELS

We describe the development and implementation of a full-time mainstreaming initiative in one elementary school and its effects on the behaviors and perceptions of the special education teachers involved in the project. We discuss the cooperative teaming of special education teachers with classroom teachers and the model used to deliver literacy instruction (the Project READ/ Inquiring School Initiative model). Our focus is on the changing role of the special educators who moved from pullout to in-class settings and on the identification of the issues that need to be addressed in this type of program change.