Abstract
Rea (a fictional composite case) is one of many adolescent girls who has been identified as having severe emotional disturbance (SED). Her poor academic progress, coupled with her emotional and behavioral problems, has resulted in her being placed in the special education program at her school, the school system’s attempt to provide intervention services. The provision of special education for students with severe emotional and behavioral disturbances has been mandated under the federal program, the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), which was first implemented in 1975 (Kavale et al. 2005).