"Faced with a marked decline in the timber industry, our small community recognized that developing a niche for special education students within the community is more important than helping them develop specific job skills," says Theodore Martch, who teaches special education at Douglas High School in Winston. In effect, Mr. Martch's self-described "resource management" approach to education has served not only as a case-by-case job placement program for students, but also as a means to educate the community about its various members. Programs such as Community-School Partnerships and the Partner's Club, both of which Mr. Martch has helped establish at his school, are designed to create opportunities for all students. In citing technology as a valuable classroom ally in the delivery of special education, Mr. Martch notes the urgent need for more software with applications for the severely disabled.
1979 University of Pittsburgh, M.A.
