Tensions and Transformations

Abstract

Educational professionals have the challenging responsibility of serving a highly diverse population of students. Laws such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2001), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004), the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act (ADAA, 2008), underscore the obligation to account for the needs of both children and adults with disabilities. As leaders face competing needs and demands, they confront ethical dilemmas that require a sophisticated framework to help resolve such issues. Relying on narrative analysis, this article explores the authors’ experience using an ethical framework to teach a course on disability law to graduate level education students. The reflective process that led to the integration of an ethical framework into the curriculum and instruction of a law-related course is discussed, as is the actual implementation of the model and its effect on students as evidenced through coursework, class discussions, course evaluations and personal communication. Further, the article documents the impact of utilizing an ethical framework in the evolution of the course over time providing practical information on course structure and delivery. The article concludes with implications for leadership preparation particularly with respect to education and understanding of students with disabilities. Recommendations are made for additional research and inquiry regarding the infusion of ethical frameworks into the overall curriculum and coursework within leadership preparation programs.