In this exciting new text, Marilyn Friends contemporary treatment of special education prepares teachers for their evolving role in the education and well-being of students with special needs. Informed by her years of experience working with exceptional students and their teachers, this trusted author combines validated research with practical information for educators working in the challenging age of inclusion, professional collaboration, student diversity, and legislative change. Throughout the book, she grounds the discussion in the realities of todays classrooms in a way that is concrete and compelling to future teachers whose concerns must always be the practical, yet whose actions must also consider the broader human needs and experiences of students with exceptionalities and their families.