Special Education in Australia and the United States

Abstract

This paper presents a cross-cultural contrast of Australian and American special education practices. Although there is substantial overlap in the issues confronting each country, significant differences exist in the areas of constitutional and legislative foundations as well as in professional roles. As a result, policies have evolved along separate paths within each national context. Several topics, specifically the recent Honig v. Doe (1988) decision, the learning disabilities/learning difficulties dichotomy, and the integration policies of the state of Victoria, are analyzed, as they provide examples of how legal and political considerations have differentially affected the special education policies of the two nations. Implications for U.S. and Australian special education practices are discussed.