Students with learning disabilities in teacher education programs

Education faculty are dedicated to preparing competent teachers. At the same time, they must provide reasonable accommodations in the teaching and evaluation of qualified students with disabilities, in compliance with the mandates of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This article describes some of the reasons that students with learning disabilities (LD) choose teaching as a profession, and the difficulties that some students with LD have in teacher preparation programs. It discusses the underlying legal and ethical issues encountered when working with students with LD in teacher education programs, as well as some ways to enhance success.