Bilingual special education provides special education services to students who are English learners. These students have two distinct sets of needs. They are developing language skills while also managing a disability. The online Master of Science (M.S.) in Curriculum and Instruction with a Specialization in Bilingual Education program at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) prepares teachers to serve this population, and bilingual special education addresses both needs in a single approach.
CDC data shows that about 1 in 12 children aged 3 to 17 have a developmental disability. Many of these students are also learning English. IES research found that 11.3% of students with disabilities were English learners. That share was slightly above their share of total student enrollment.
Why Identifying These Students Is Complex
English learners face a particular challenge in the special education system. Language development can look like a learning disability. A student who struggles with reading in English may have a disability. Or they may still be developing language skills. Teachers must be able to tell the difference.
NCELA calls this the dual identification challenge. Districts must assess students in both their home language and in English. They need to consider cultural background and past experience. Assessment that does not account for language can lead to errors in either direction.
TESOL International Association research finds that schools often treat these students as though they have a single identity — either an English learner or a student with a disability, but rarely both at once. That framing narrows the services students actually receive, since each side of their needs gets addressed in isolation rather than together.
NCELA’s English Learner Toolkit also provides guidance on supporting English learners with disabilities. It includes tools and checklists for reviewing identification processes and service delivery.
How Bilingual Special Education Works in the Classroom
Bilingual special education draws on several core principles, spanning students’ cultural resources, tailored instruction, and staff teamwork. Cultural resources are central to the work. Students bring knowledge, language, and experience from their homes and communities. Effective bilingual special education builds on those strengths.
Tailored instruction meets students where they are. Teachers use explicit instruction and scaffolding. Goals within each student’s IEP are tied to their language level and their specific needs. This means goals reflect both language growth and disability-related challenges.
Teamwork is a key part of the model. Bilingual special education teachers often work alongside general classroom teachers. They help adapt content and support language goals across all subjects.
How Teachers Prepare for This Work
Bilingual special education requires skills in two areas at once. Teachers need to understand language acquisition and how to support students with disabilities. Graduate training builds both.
Qualified teachers for this work are also hard to find. A National Council on Teacher Quality report found that shortages in both special education and English learner instruction have persisted for decades, even as both student populations continue to grow. Districts often struggle to find teachers prepared for either role, let alone both at once.
The M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction – Bilingual Education at TAMIU prepares teachers for complex bilingual classrooms. The program covers language acquisition theory, bilingual curriculum design, and culturally responsive practice. TAMIU designed it for working educators and offers it fully online, from a campus on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Prepare to serve bilingual learners with disabilities in the Master of Science in Bilingual Education online program at TAMIU.
About Texas A&M International University
Texas A&M International University is located in Laredo, Texas, and is a member of The Texas A&M University System. TAMIU offers online graduate programs for working educators, including the M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in bilingual education, designed for teachers balancing full-time classroom work with graduate study.
Graduates are prepared to support English learners with disabilities through coursework in language acquisition, bilingual curriculum design and culturally responsive instruction. The university serves a diverse student body along the U.S.-Mexico border and holds accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
