Career Overview
Teach academic, social, and life skills to middle school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.
Also Known As
- Intervention Specialist
- Middle School Special Education Teacher (MS SPED Teacher)
- Special Education Teacher (SPED Teacher)
- SPED Resource Teacher (Special Education Resource Teacher)
Alternate Job Titles
- Blind Teacher
- Braille Teacher
- Deaf Teacher
- DHOH Teacher (Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher)
- Early Intervention Specialist
- EBD SPED Teacher (Emotional-Behavioral Disabilities Special Education Teacher)
- ED SPED Teacher (Emotional Disabilities Special Education Teacher)
- Emotionally Impaired Teacher
- Exceptional Children Teacher (EC Teacher)
- Exceptional Student Education Teacher (ESE Teacher)
- Handicapped Teacher
- Hearing Impaired Teacher (HI Teacher)
- Inclusion Teacher
- Interrelated SPED Teacher (Interrelated Special Education Teacher)
- Intervention Specialist
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Develop or write Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
- Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, and food preparation.
- Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
- Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Track students' progress on computer-based programs, such as reading fluency and comprehension.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Mathematics
- Administrative
- Customer and Personal Service
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Social Perceptiveness
- Instructing
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Coordination
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Speech Recognition
- Written Comprehension
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Clarity
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Expression
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Empathy
- Cooperation
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Self-Control
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Independence
- Support
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Apple macOS
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Alternative computer keyboards
- Assistive amplification systems
- Audio tape recorders or players
- Braille slates
- Braille styluses
- Bunsen burners
- Communication boards
- Computer laser printers
- Desktop computers
- Digital video cameras
- Dissection scalpels
- Document cameras
- Emergency first aid kits
- Enteral feeding equipment
- Eye controlled computer mouse equipment
Work Environment
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Conflict Situations
- Physical Proximity
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $48,070 |
| Median | $64,880 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $102,730 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 95,330
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: Varies
Special Education Teachers, Elementary School
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: Varies
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $69,590
Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $62,190
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $59,950
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.