What special education teachers do often differs substantially from what general education teachers do and, as a result, compilations of research on teacher preparation often include no more than cursory mention of the roles, needs and issues facing special education teachers. The purpose of this seven-part handbook is to expand our knowledge of teacher education to include research on the preparation of special education teachers. The introductory section provides a historical and global overview and is followed by sections that delve deeply into issues related to the current state of our special education workforce and preparing and sustaining that workforce. The final section addresses the state of current research in special education teacher preparation and development and sets an agenda for future scholarship.