I applaud Prof. Lloyd, not only because of his always impressive knowledge about what’s going on, where, and by whom, but his ability to generate a list of current researchers and influencers who are women. That requires considerable engagement and that he is so engaged makes SET required reading for me. I hope you all feel the same.
I will add just a bit of history of women in special education to remind those who are younger and newer to this field. I have written an introduction to this history, “A History of Special Education” for the fist and second editions of the Handbook of Special Education (1981, 2017 ) that readers might enjoy to go deeper.
You might say there are three or four “histories” of special education that should be read. One is a history of (usually) men who developed ideas that were the basis for much thinking about special education. Most of these men were physicians, psychologists, medical doctors, or professors in education and allied fields. You should note the absence of women from most such histories.
Second, there are (especially after 1975) histories of social processes that produced public policies that supported the realization of a “special” education of some kind, both in schools and clinical settings.
Third, there are narrow histories specific to disability types that focus on details and treatments for specific categories, like deafness, mental retardation, autism, etc.
Fourth, there are a few histories of educational practices that focus on problems and management of students by teachers in real (often public) classrooms. The chapter I noted above is in this category and the only one I know that has focused on women’s ongoing contribution to special education practice and research.
In those chapters, I argued that early special education development as it existed in schools sprang from early feminism in the first decades of the 20th century, particularly in large urban public schools. The most prominent example was Elizabeth Farrell, a teacher in New York City from 1899 until the late 1920’s and the founder of the Council for Exceptional Children.
Mike, thanks for the reminder about your fine chapters. I think they should be required reading for anyone who wants to be considered educated about special ed.
I applaud Prof. Lloyd, not only because of his always impressive knowledge about what’s going on, where, and by whom, but his ability to generate a list of current researchers and influencers who are women. That requires considerable engagement and that he is so engaged makes SET required reading for me. I hope you all feel the same.
I will add just a bit of history of women in special education to remind those who are younger and newer to this field. I have written an introduction to this history, “A History of Special Education” for the fist and second editions of the Handbook of Special Education (1981, 2017 ) that readers might enjoy to go deeper.
You might say there are three or four “histories” of special education that should be read. One is a history of (usually) men who developed ideas that were the basis for much thinking about special education. Most of these men were physicians, psychologists, medical doctors, or professors in education and allied fields. You should note the absence of women from most such histories.
Second, there are (especially after 1975) histories of social processes that produced public policies that supported the realization of a “special” education of some kind, both in schools and clinical settings.
Third, there are narrow histories specific to disability types that focus on details and treatments for specific categories, like deafness, mental retardation, autism, etc.
Fourth, there are a few histories of educational practices that focus on problems and management of students by teachers in real (often public) classrooms. The chapter I noted above is in this category and the only one I know that has focused on women’s ongoing contribution to special education practice and research.
In those chapters, I argued that early special education development as it existed in schools sprang from early feminism in the first decades of the 20th century, particularly in large urban public schools. The most prominent example was Elizabeth Farrell, a teacher in New York City from 1899 until the late 1920’s and the founder of the Council for Exceptional Children.
Mike, thanks for the reminder about your fine chapters. I think they should be required reading for anyone who wants to be considered educated about special ed.
And thanks for the kind words, too!