5 Great Jobs in Special Education

5 Top Special Education Careers

Special Education Teachers
Instructional Diagnosticians
Special Education Tutors
Speech and Language Pathologists
Educational Audiologists

Jobs in special education are some of the most rewarding careers available today and are perfect for graduates looking to work with special needs children. These careers are also highly flexible providing applicants with opportunities to work directly with special needs kids or as administrators higher up on the career ladder. Although the possibilities are abundant, the following five jobs are among the best.

1. Special Education Teachers

Some of the most common special education jobs available to childhood education grads are those involved with teaching special needs students. Also known as special needs or exceptional needs teachers, special education teachers work in a variety of school settings including traditional or special needs classrooms in both public and private schools. Their main goal is to instruct students according to their Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs.

2. Instructional Diagnosticians

Sometimes referred to as instructional coordinators, instructional diagnosticians are those professionals who work behind the scenes to evaluate the abilities of special needs children. After assessing each student’s abilities, the diagnostician then creates a unique IEP that is given to the student’s special education teacher. Careers in this area are in moderate demand, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, positions are expected to increase by around 11 percent until the year 2026.

3. Special Education Tutors

At times, special needs students may need more help outside of the traditional or special needs classroom. Special education tutors provide assistance to these students in a variety of areas including reading, mathematics, general study skills, and standardized testing preparation. Persons who choose these special education jobs often work independently but can also be employed by a variety of educational facilities as well as companies that provide tutoring services to special needs students.

4. Speech and Language Pathologists

Often known simply as speech therapists, speech and language pathologists work with children of various ages who have some form of speech or language impairment. Following the unique IEP of each child, speech therapists not only help students in the area of speech and language but they also assist them in such areas as communication interactions, alternative communication skills (non-verbal), swallowing and eating disorders, and abstract reasoning skills.

5. Educational Audiologists

Educational audiologists are terrific special education jobs for people who would like to work with hearing-impaired children. People who choose this path typically hold a degree in special education as well as some sort of degree or certification in audiology and licensing with the American Board of Audiology. The main goals of educational audiologists are to assess the abilities of hearing-impaired students and create treatment plans to help them succeed in classroom settings.

Childhood education graduates who wish to specialize in special education have a wide range of career options. Whether they would like to work directly with special needs kids as special education teachers or work behind the scenes as instructional diagnosticians, there are many exciting jobs in special education available today.