ABSTRACT
The field of special education currently represents a major area of change within the education system, the pressure for change resulting in the setting up of the Warnock Committee followed by legislation in the form of the 1981 Education Act. The new special education legislation has caused schools to reappraise the arrangements they make for meeting pupils' special educational needs with a view to increasing their capacity to respond to the needs of a wider range of pupils. As well as encouraging closer cooperation between teacher colleagues, the new legislation also demands effective working relationships with parents, and a range of professionals to provide support for the child, his family and his school. For teachers to develop more effective strategies for working with pupils with special educational needs and the above range of concerned adults, their professional development needs to be enhanced to improve their competence for meeting the needs of such pupils.
