George B. Brain Education Library
Guide to Information Resources in Education

Starting Your Research in Special Education


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Legend | What is "Special Education"? | Finding Books | Finding Articles
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Legend

The resources listed below may include freely-available sites on the World Wide Web, printed materials available in the Washington State University Libraries, and electronic resources available only to WSU-affiliated users. One or more of the following symbols should be found next to each of the individual resources listed below:

(WWW) - World Wide Web (a site that is freely available to all users);

(PDF) - World Wide Web Resources created in a "pre-defined data format." Requires you to install the Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer;

(WSU) - WSU Library Resource (an item that is physically available in the George B. Brain Education Library, or elsewhere in the WSU Libraries. The call number that follows the WSU designation may point non-WSU users to similar resources in their local libraries):

Note: Clicking on any of the links to external resources provided below will open a new browser window.

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What is "Special Education"?

"Special education" is an overarching term used to refer to educational programs provided for individual students who, for a variety of reasons, are not having all of their educational needs met by the predominant instructional program in an academic institution. Students taking advantage of special education programs may exhibit physical disabilities, learning disabilities, sensory impairments, or behavioral or emotional disorders. Students who exhibit a particular talent, or who have been identified as academically or artistically gifted, may also benefit from special educational services, although the provision of such services is not equally mandated by law. Terms such as "exceptionality" are commonly used to refer both to educational programs for students with disabilities and to special services for the gifted and talented.

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Finding Books

Griffin (WWW)
Use Griffin, the WSU Libraries' online catalog to locate books and other materials relevant to the study of special education. You may search Griffin by author, title, or subject. Among the subject headings that may help you locate books at WSU are the following:

You may also locate relevant information by using the name of particular conditions as a subject heading, for example:

URL: http://griffin.wsu.edu/search~

For additional assistance in using Griffin, please consult the Guide to Using Griffin (PDF).

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Finding Articles

ERIC (1966- ) (WWW)
This database is available online through the WSU Libraries home page. The Educational Resources Information Center produces this index to over 750 scholarly journals in the field of education. Also included is an index to thousands of "education documents," unpublished materials of all types that have been archived by ERIC and made available through the ERIC microfiche collection (including conference papers, speeches, government reports, etc.). The ERIC microfiche collection is available in the Brain Education Library.
URL: http://www.systems.wsu.edu/griffin/INDEXES.htm (select database by title)

Education Abstracts (1983- ) (WWW) (WSU Z5813 .E23)
This database is available online through the WSU Libraries home page. Over 350 educational publications are indexed in this database, including periodicals, yearbooks, and monographs. The print counterpart to this database, Education Index (1929- ), is available in Brain Education Library Reference.
URL: http://www.systems.wsu.edu/griffin/INDEXES.htm (select database by title)

Exceptional Child Education Resources (1978- ) (WSU LC3965 .E92x)
This print index is available in Brain Education Library Reference. Over 200 periodicals from North America and the United Kingdom is produced by the Council for Exceptional Children and provides access to a wide variety of topics in special education and gifted education. There is no electronic counterpart to this index currently available through the WSU Libraries.

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Selected Reference Books

Note: All titles listed are held in the Brain Education Library.

Mary Buchanan, et al., eds., Special Education Desk Reference (WSU LC3981 .E45 1997)

Kurt A. Heller, et al., eds., International Handbook of Research and Development of Giftedness and Talent (WSU LC3993 .I596 1993)

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, U. S. Department of Education, A Guide to the Individualized Education Program (WWW)
URL: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/IEP_Guide/

Cecil R. Reynolds and Elaine Fletcher-Janzen, eds., Encyclopedia of Special Education, 2nd ed. (3 vols.) (WSU LC4007 .E53 2000) (on order) [earlier edition available]

Glenn A. Vergason & M. L. Anderegg, Dictionary of Special Education and Rehabilitation, 4th ed. (WSU LC3957 .V47 1997)

Margaret C. Wang, et al., eds., Handbook of Special and Remedial Education: Research and Practice, 2nd ed. (WSU LC3965 .H263 1995) (on order)

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Educational Law

Note: All titles listed are held in the Brain Education Library.

Laura F. Rothstein, Special Education Law, 3rd ed. (KF4210 .R68 2000)

H. Rutherford Turnbull, et al., Free Appropriate Public Education: The Law and Children with Disabilities, 6th ed. (KF4210 .T87 2000) (on order)

Note: There are a variety of Web sites that provide information on educational law in this area, including:

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Washington Resources

Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction - Special Education (WWW)
URL: http://www.k12.wa.us/specialed/

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Selected Journals

Note: All titles listed are held in the Brain Education Library.

Exceptional Children (WSU LC3951 .J6)

The Gifted Child Quarterly (WSU LC3991 .G5)

Journal of Learning Disabilities (WSU LC4001 .J6)

Journal of Special Education (WSU LC4001 .J65)

Teacher Education and Special Education (WSU LC3969 .T43)

Teaching Exceptional Children (WSU LC3950 .T4)

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Web Sites

Children With Disabilities (WWW)
URL: http://www.childrenwithdisabilities.ncjrs.org/

ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education (WWW)
URL: http://ericec.org/

LD Online: Learning Disabilities Information and Resources (WWW)
URL: http://www.ldonline.org/

United States Department of Education - Office of Special Education Programs (WWW)
URL: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/index.html

Note: For additional Web-based resources in education, please consult the other guides, as well as the Web Portals page on this site.

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