Technical Assistance Makes a Difference: The Alliance 2000 Story

Abstract

This country is evidencing a shortage of special educators from diverse backgrounds. The current, scant supply of certified teachers in special education, coupled with the lack of teachers from diverse backgrounds in this country, along with the growing numbers of culturally and linguistically diverse children, has created a national awareness about special education teacher training issues. This article provides a brief summary of the need for diversity in the teaching force and Congress's efforts to address this issue. The Alliance 2000 Project* was a federal project created to provide technical assistance to the nation's minority colleges and universities to increase their access to personnel preparation funds available through the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs. Outcomes of the Project are provided.