To Fix or to Cope: A Dilemma for Special Education
ation about which something can be done. This attitude reflects two important historical situations, the empty landscape which our forefathers found here-a landscape which could be built on, farmed, landscaped, in any way the new settlers pleased-and the extent to which adults came to America so that their children could have a different life. So, as a people, we have learned to &dquo;fix&dquo; anything we don’t like, rather than to &dquo;cope&dquo; as the British do-&dquo;fix&dquo; being defined as changing the environment, &dquo;cope&dquo; as changing one’s character so as to deal with the environment. Americans think coping is dull, unenterprising, old-fashioned. If something is wrong, fix it! (p. 497). It is evident that we in special education are at a point in time where we