Author Description

Although special education is beneficial to countless people, for more than a decade it has been the target of a plethora of criticism. As a result, feelings of disappointment and frustration occurred, leading to the creation of this special issue. An appropriate response to all the disparagement that special education has faced over the latter part of the 20th century did not exist--until this issue of Exceptionality. This special issue: * provides discourse around seven specific ways in which special education is befitting of continued praise and support, * examines the positive aspects of special education for those with behavioral and emotional abilities, * justifies the existence of the construct called learning disability and discusses why it is appropriate that special education serves such persons, * provides a historical perspective of how the concept of least restrictive environment (LRE) entered into the late 20th century vernacular of special education, and * discusses how traditional special education might meet its demise or is saved from destruction.