Equity from a Special Education Perspective. Research and Development Series No. 214H.

Overview & Synopsis

Equity in vocational education is of concern for the 17.5 million handicapped persons (ages 17-65) who are potential beneficiaries of vocational education. Handicapped persons meet inequities and barriers of all types, such as architectural, societal, and communication. For equity in vocational education to have genuine relevance for handicapped persons, there must also be equity in employment. Unfortunately, inequities they face in employment are too numerous and complex to be resolved without government intervention, which has come all too slowly. To ensure equity for the handicapped in vocational education, certain issues must be addressed, including compliance with state and federal laws, availability and accessibility of comprehensive vocational education, least restrictive environment and mainstreaming, making individual and programmatic accommodations, policymaking, equity in vocational education funding, preparation of vocational education personnel to teach the handicapped, and need for revision of curriculum materials for fair representation of handicapped persons. (YLB)