Based on my experience and the available literature I believe that many art teachers perceive that they are unprepared to adequately teach special needs students in their art classrooms. The review of literature supports the visual arts for individuals with disabilities. The inclusion movement in schools increases the likelihood that a teacher will have students with disabilities in their art classroom. It is suggested that art educators would benefit from at least one course in their pre-service training that specifically addresses art education for students with special needs. This content analysis of pre-service art education programs reveals that 5 of 18 programs studied, (28%), require such a course, with no other option, to fulfill the special education requirement. Using the published literature, my own experience, and current practices a proposed curriculum was created for an undergraduate course in art education for special needs in the inclusive art classroom.

Based on my experience and the available literature I believe that many art teachers perceive that they are unprepared to adequately teach special needs students in their art classrooms. The review of literature supports the visual arts for individuals with disabilities. The inclusion movement in schools increases the likelihood that a teacher will have students with disabilities in their art classroom. It is suggested that art educators would benefit from at least one course in their pre-service training that specifically addresses art education for students with special needs. This content analysis of pre-service art education programs reveals that 5 of 18 programs studied, (28%), require such a course, with no other option, to fulfill the special education requirement. Using the published literature, my own experience, and current practices a proposed curriculum was created for an undergraduate course in art education for special needs in the inclusive art classroom.