Montgomery College Libraries > Pat Semple, Librarian > ED140 Introduction to Special Education

As we discussed in the library instruction session, here are some reminders about how to locate the articles and Web sites you need for this course. Still have a question? Send me an e-mail and I will do my best to reply within 24 hours.

CQ Researcher: "No Child Left Behind"

This report comes from our CQ Researcher database. It was issued in May 2005 and provides an excellent overview of the implementation of this legislation since its enactment in 2002. The report is approximately 20 pages long, and it asks the following questions:

• Has NCLB raised sutdent achievement?
• Are too many schools being labeled "in need of improvement"?
• Is NCLB improving the quality of teaching?
• Is NCLB adequately funded?

It also provides a host of leads to opinions both pro and con in journal articles, books, reports, and Web sites.

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Here are a few good places to start your search for scholarly journal articles on any topic in the area of special education:

Education Journals

Remember that less is more--just enter keywords and Boolean operators (see below).

ERIC

To get these articles in full-text, you will have to visit the MCPS Professional Library. See information and directions in section 4.

SIRS Knowledge Source

Don't overlook this resource. Full-text articles exploring social, scientific, health, historic, economic, business, political and global issues.

Academic Search Premier

Full text articles from 5,000+ scholarly publications, indexing and abstracts for 3,500 peer-reviewed publications. Covers all subject areas.

National Newspapers

Full text of New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Baltimore Sun.

Expanded Academic ASAP

Indexes over 3,500 titles; 2,000+ are full text. Covers all subject areas.

Results: Remember, you can sort by date (most recent first) or relevance (highest occurrence of keywords).

Search Expressions: Here are some sample searches using keywords (they tend to be nouns) and Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT):

disabilities AND "special education"

standardized AND (testing OR tests)

gender AND "learning styles"

"mental retardation" AND "speech delay"

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Education Issues & Research

National Center for Education Statistics

"The primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data that are related to education in the United States and other nations." (U.S. Department of Education)

House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce

Search in Issues or Legislation sections. (U.S. Congress)

Education Commission of the States: Education Issues

Browse or search the Education Issues page, and don't overlook their collection of Links. (Education Commission of the States)

The Educator’s Reference Desk

Formerly AskERIC. (Information Institute of Syracuse)

The Institute of Education Sciences

It's mandate is to "to advance the field of education research, making it more rigorous in support of evidence-based education." (U.S. Department of Education)

International Education Indicators

Browse sections in menu. (National Center for Education Statistics)

Learning First Alliance

A private partnership of "twelve leading education associations . . . dedicated to improving student learning in America's public schools." (Learning First Alliance)

Center on Reinvention Public Education

"From its beginning, one question has dominated the Center’s work: How can urban school systems provide strong, coherent schools that create equal opportunity for all children?" (University of Washington)

Special Education

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

(National Institute of Mental Health)

IRSC

A large collection of links on a range of special education subjects. (Internet Resources for Special Children)

LDOnLine

Devoted to the issue of learning disabilities; designed for parents, teachers, professionals. (WETA; Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities; Lindamood-Bell; Mitsubishi)

The International Dyslexia Association

Visit the "Educators Community" for fact sheets, research, forums. (The International Dyslexia Association)

Learning Disabilities Association of America

In menu on left, select "Research" or "For Teachers." (LDA of America)

National Center On Educational Outcomes

(University of Minnesota)

National Center for Learning Disabilities

In menu on left, select "LD InfoZone." (NCLD)

National Dissemination Center for Children

In menu on left, select "A-Z Topics." Coverage is a little uneven, but there's something for everyone here. (NICHCY)

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

(OSERS, U.S. Department of Education)

TeachingLD

"The purpose of TeachingLD is to provide trustworthy and up-to-date resources about teaching students with learning disabilities." (Division For Learning Disabilities of the Council For Exceptional Children)

IDEA Data Web Site

"This web site provides public access to the most recent data about children with disabilities served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)." (U.S. Office of Special Education Programs)

Education in Maryland

MarylandPublicSchools.org

Events, recent publications, educational services for students, teachers, parents. (Maryland State Department of Education)

School Improvement in Maryland

Examines the standards, process, data, and instruction. (Maryland State Department of Education)

"No Child Left Behind"

No Child Left Behind

Introduction, overview, executive summary, and fact sheets on this legislation. (U.S. Department of Education)

Tools & Resources for Teachers

Discovery Channel School

Everything from clip art for handouts to video clips for online lessons. (Discovery Communications)

The Gateway

"The key to one-stop, any-stop access to high quality lesson plans, curriculum units and other education resources on the Internet." (U.S. Department of Education)

Just For Teachers

Toolkit, teacher Web site initiative, lesson ideas, resources from federal agencies, publications, professional development. (U.S. Department of Education)

MiddleSchool.net

"For teachers by teachers"; curriculum resources, lesson plans, educational standards listed by state. (Virginia Department of Education)

Teachers' Domain

Free multimedia resources for K-12 teachers, although registration is required. Because it is produced by Boston's public television group, WGBH, lots of access to video clips from NOVA, American Experience, and other high-quality shows. (WGBH Educational Foundation)

ThinkPort

"A free comprehensive online resource for Maryland educators, families, and community members"; links to online lesson plans, online courses, technology tips, resources. (Maryland Public Television; Johns Hopkins University)

Smithsonian Education

The central Web site for the Smithsonian Instutition; resources for teachers, students, and families. (Smithsonian Institution)

Web English Teacher

K-12 English/Language Arts teaching resources: lesson plans, WebQuests, videos, biography, e-texts, criticism, jokes, puzzles, and classroom activities. (Independently maintained by Carla Beard)

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If you are looking for a book and you are confident about your searching abilities, feel free to visit their Web page and search their online catalog.

If you are curious about their journal subscriptions, then check their 2005 Periodical Holdings List.

It is also worth noting that while Montgomery College does not have access to the full text of many of the articles in ERIC, the Professional Library can offer you access to the full text of most of the articles if you do your searching from their computers.

If you are not confident about your ability to locate items in their collection, use their Web site to check their hours. They are across Mannakee Street in the Carver Education Building. From the duck pond, head towards what appears to be the back of the building (away from Hungerford Drive/Rockville Pike). Enter at the first doorway, find Stairway 8 and go up one flight, and then look for signs to the Professional Library, Room G50. Once there, introduce yourself to a librarian and ask for help.

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Here are two handouts on formatting citations. Each is a six-page MS Word document; one is for the APA References Page and the other is for the MLA Works Cited Page.

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