Voices in Rural Special Education: Retrospectives, Prospectives, Possibilities

Abstract

There is a richness of history, tradition, customs, and lore about rural America and rural schooling. Education in rural locales has had a significant and positive impact on education in suburban and urban areas. The same can be related about rural special education. In this article, retrospective views of the past and prospective thoughts about the future in the mix that occurs in rural education and rural special education were joined as voices to celebrate the successes and challenges confronting professional school people as they go about their daily work with students with disabilities in integrated settings and in separate classrooms. Teaching, working, writing, and living in a rural locale either for part of one's life or for all of one's life adds a degree of realism and practicality no matter how much one can be influenced by city life. In particular, for the one author while in the city, I always feel that I am from away, and while in New Hampshire, the country, I never feel that I am here enough. For both of the authors of this article, rural roots, deep or not as firm, color our appreciation and caring for a way of life too few people speak about and too few other people know about. It is in this spirit that we hope these thoughts are considered.