2.  Ethical considerations for special educators.
 Ethics of teaching self-determination.
 Ethical practices and parental participation.
 Ethics and teacher preparation.
 Ethical dilemmas in rural special education.

3.  Geography, population density, and
availability of specialized services.
 IDEA poses the challenge of providing a
free, appropriate education.
 Confidentiality and procedural
safeguards.
 For a field filled with complexities of
interest, there is little attention paid to
applied ethics.

4.  The good intended by educators is meant to
improve educational outcomes for all
students.
 Choice morality – a moral choice becomes
the utmost of importance in responsibility.
 Creating an appropriate education for all
students.
 Those who work with exceptional children,
agree to hold themselves accountable for
ethical principles and standards.

5.  Includes a set of skills that are described
as self-regulatory, goal oriented, and
independent.
 Self-determination in the context of rural
special education.
 How to make ethical choices in regard to
the nature of instruction of self-
determination.

6.  Several considerations that may affect the
challenges of teaching self-determination
instruction in rural settings.
 New federal plans place significant
demands on educators.

7.  Parental participation in special education is
very important.
 A code of ethics created by the CEC.
 Rural parents do not participate to the same
extent as their urban counterparts.
 Parents are given equal authority in making
decisions about their child’s education.

8.  Moral obligation on special educators to
prepare and assist parents.
 Legal and ethical responsibility to involve
parents in the special education process.

9.  Ethical considerations are paid little attention
in most teacher training programs.
 Teaching should be guided by ethical standards
that provide all students with high quality
educational opportunities.
 Rural communities have high unemployment
rates and low socioeconomic levels.

10.  American Council on Rural Special
Education.
 Beliefs, attitudes, and characteristics that
reflect courage, empathy, honesty,
impartiality, and practical wisdom.
 Teacher training programs must reflect
the field of special education.
 Teachers must be prepared to work with
students with severe disabilities.
 Little agreement on how teachers should
be prepared to deal with these issues.

11.  Precepts that reflect the best of who we are
and the best we hope to offer the students we
service.
 A long-term self-examination and part of a
continual conversation in our professional lives.

12.  Holding the bar high.
 Develop a language of ethics and a
commitment to social justice.
 A higher calling, a need to move toward
ideals in special education.

13.  Ethical considerations for special educators in
rural settings.
 Ethics in teaching self-determination in rural
settings.
 Parental involvement and ethical practices.
 Ethics and teacher preparation programs.
 Ethical dilemmas in rural special education.