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When one compares educational systems of western cultures with those of eastern cultures, many distinct differences exist. These differences become more apparent when the education of students with disabilities is part of the discussion. Can East meet West when it comes to serving students with disabilities? Elllsworth and Zhang (2007) found when surveying school leaders in China, that one way to improve special education services in China was to provide more qualified teachers. In conceptualizing the work discussed in this article, the authors' experiences mirrored those found in the literature that indicated a lack of special education teachers and special education services in China. The authors, two from China and one from the United States, created a project to provide a week long model of professional development concerning the education of students with disabilities to teachers in China. The project personnel, at the invitation of the principal of the Alexaman School (name changed for privacy) outside Beijing, implemented the training in July 2007. Five modules concerning the education of students with disabilities were delivered to 88 educators who work with children who have disabilities in China. Data on effectiveness were gathered through the use of a survey. Demographic data on participants, gathered at the initial session, are discussed. Data analyses indicating differences in teachers' perceptions of teaching students with disabilities also are discussed. Implications for future initiatives are presented. (Contains 1 table.)

Preparation of high quality personnel to provide educational services to students with disabilities living in rural areas is, at best, challenging. Findings from a comprehensive study concerning the status of the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in rural settings and the issues such implementation presents to teacher education programs in these areas are discussed. Members of the American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES) participated in the study. Results indicated that strategies for enhancing personnel preparation, recruitment, and retention of individuals to institutions of higher education and K-12 schools in rural settings include distance learning, on-site professional development opportunities, salary incentives/increments, and benefits. Linking evaluation data to the general education curriculum and determining how the student's disabilities affect his/her progress in general education are issues for practitioners implementing IDEA in rural settings. Recommendations are provided for enhancing personnel preparation and service delivery based on the results. [Reprinted from "Rural Special Education Quarterly," v21 n4 Win 2002.]

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