ROTE: Reality Oriented Teacher Education.

In 1971, the State of Alabama Legislature passed Act 106, "Mandatory Education for the Exceptional Child," which mandated that all exceptional children were to receive appropriate special education services no later than 1975-76. Five hundred new teacher units were authorized for each of the interim fiscal years, and new graduate and preservice teacher programs were initiated. Unfortunately, too many teachers remained untrained and uncertified, and in-service training received a low priority compared to preservice. A Reality Oriented Teacher Education Program (ROTE), requiring both faculty and students to work in the field, was instituted. This program placed advanced undergraduate special education majors (prior to student teaching) in classrooms where they had full responsibility for instruction on a one-day or half-day basis. Their presence released the regularly employed teacher to attend, for credit and with no cost to the school system, field-based course instruction from college and university instructors. Thus, faculty members not only taught in the field but also interacted with school personnel in actual school settings. Courses were based strictly on teacher needs. Student interns coordinated their teaching activities with the regular teacher to ensure maximum continuity and interrelation of instruction for the children.