International Association of Special Education
The mission of IASE is to promote awareness and understanding of issues and developments related to the education and welfare of individuals with special needs throughout the world. They also work to promote professional exchange between professionals in special education, family members and organizations in related disciplines internationally.
CASE is an international professional educational organization which is affiliated with the Council for Exceptional Children whose members are dedicated to the enhancement of the dignity, potential, and uniqueness of all individuals in society. CASE asserts that those who receive special education services are individuals who have basic rights and responsibilities and command respect at all times.
TASH (http://tash.org)
TASH is an international leader in disability advocacy for human rights and inclusion for people with significant disabilities and support needs. TASH works to advance inclusive communities through advocacy, research, professional development training, policy and information and resources for parents, families and self-advocates.
The above are three international organizations that interest me. Special needs and disability inclusion are worldwide issues. We tend to forget that other countries suffer with racism, inclusion, poverty and other issues that we debate so often on in the United States. These organizations work towards increasing levels of literacy, improving equity in school systems and improving support within mainstream schooling for students with special needs. Their goals are to improve the quality of teachers and school staff and offer help to school leaders who are focusing on inclusion and overall school improvement.
There are several teacher openings for international positions. An international teacher is needed for core subjects but the listing stated if the qualifications and experience are related to the US school system, a school that employs a British National Curriculum (NC) is not the best option.
Most international schools have switched to the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. IB sets high standards and emphasizes creative, individual and critical thinking. IB encourages students to work together and learn from each other. I would love to work in this international atmosphere. My challenge is that I only speak one language and it would be very difficult to teach and communicate. Being able to communicate effectively is key to teaching and understanding. Language comprehension is a critical skill needed for this position.
fevans 