Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today's Schools (3rd Edition) [Paperback]

Ann P. Turnbull (Author), Marilyn Shank (Author), Sean Smith (Author), Dorothy Leal (Author), Rud Turnbull (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2001 | ISBN-10: 0130308536 | ISBN-13: 978-0130308535 | Edition: 3rd

For introductory courses in Special Education. The authors of this introductory text have a vision for special education-to equip general and special education teachers with the principles, values and teaching practices that support the education of the majority of students with disabilities in general education programs. Beginning with a thorough review of the principles that undergird IDEA and the process of nondiscriminatory evaluation, the authors explore the teaching and collaborative processes necessary for implementing best practices and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997. Using a categorical approach, the authors highlight real students with real disabilities and use their stories as a vehicle for describing the characteristics, causes, and challenges that people with exceptionalities face and that both general and special education teachers must consider when making decisions about how, where, and what to teach.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A Principled Approach: Strategies and interventions are based on six core values for working with students with exceptionalities: envisioning great expectations; enhancing positive contributions; building on strengths; acting on choices; expanding relationships; and ensuring full citizenship.

Real People, Real Issues: Every student in each chapter's opening vignette is a real person. Within each chapter as well as in the My Voice and Making a Difference boxes, real people's stories are integrated to provide additional insight into the exceptional lives of students with disabilities, their families, and their teachers.

A Focus on Inclusion: While acknowledging the very real challenges of inclusion, the authors believe that the great majority of students with disabilities can receive an appropriate education in general education classrooms if programs and classrooms are designed for individualized instruction, if supplementary supports and services are available, and if educators are prepared to work in inclusive environments. This book prepares educators to make inclusion work.

Practical Ideas for Today's Classrooms: Newly organized chapters spotlight curricular goals and teaching methods, which are demonstrated in the Programs in Practice section of each categorical chapter. Into Practice boxes also share best practices for inclusive education.

The Most Current Coverage: New coverage of important topics such as behavior management, assistive technology, and universal design as well as an increased focus on collaboration and early intervention. Hundreds of new references and resources have been added.

Integrated Multimedia: State-of-the-art topical coverage is matched with new, integrated technology features:

• New Multimedia My Voice, Multimedia Making a Difference, and Multimedia Into Practice feature boxes have links to the companion website and ABC/Prentice Hall video library.
• Six new segments have been added to the ABC/Prentice Hall video library, for a total of 22 current and issues-based segments.

Product Details

• Paperback: 704 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall College Div; 3rd edition (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130308536
• ISBN-13: 978-0130308535
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,495,864 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have book, November 21, 2002

By 

"studio_armada" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today's Schools (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

A well organized and thought provoking book, the authors successfully translates Special Education topics into easy to comprehend case studies, sidebars, and resources without overwhelming readers with medical terminology. Each chapter contains a vignette- a short portrait of students, parents and teachers- which humanizes the exceptionality under discussion. Special features include tips for inclusion, effective teaching practices,
evaluation procedures, and resources for further study.

I found the chapter on autism particularly helpful as I had always been confused by the origins of this spectral disorder and did not realize all the variables involved in diagnosis.
I'm particularly grateful that their research and resources are extensive and well organized. There is an interactive website that is a great companion to the book complete with a message board, and chat room. The opportunity to dialog and collaborate with other educators seems essential to working with special needs students and I was happy to see they've created a forum for it online. This book had raised my consciousness and level of sensitivity regarding advocacy for children with special needs. I suspect I will be using it for years to come.

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, April 27, 2008

By 

Charmaine Tilly "Charmaine" (Castro Valley, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today's Schools (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

I bought this a long time ago for a class I was taking to complete my credential as I recall and it was a decent read.