Center for Persons with Disabilities Director Sarah Rule and her husband, Utah State University Special Education Professor Charles Salzberg, jointly received the 2008 Eagle Award from the American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES).

The national award recognizes the career-long leadership of Rule and Salzberg in bringing education to people with disabilities in rural settings, both as individuals and as a team. The couple received the award during the ACRES annual conference in Charleston, West Virginia.

 

“Between the two of them, they’ve offered service to the field of special education for 80 years,” said David Forbush, the special education director for the Cache County School District. Forbush chaired the ACRES board at the time Rule and Salzberg were selected.

 

Once the board had reviewed the couple’s accomplishments, the decision was unanimous, Forbush said. Rule and Salzberg have not only published, received grants and given presentations in their field; they have also served as strong mentors to special education graduate students and educators.

 

The award has existed for about five years and has gone to people from different parts of the country. This is the first time the award has been presented jointly to a couple, Forbush said.

 

Salzberg and Rule worked together on at least 14 publications and seven presentations, many of them dealing with the use of technology to train special education teachers.

 

Using technology to provide distance education in rural areas is important for delivering services to children with disabilities, Rule said.

 

“If we can find people in rural areas and bring higher education to them, they’re more likely to stay in rural areas and teach,” she said.

 

Technology is one of many areas that has grown in the field of special education, said Salzberg. “Every year brings new and improved methods.”

 

Over the years, a change in attitude has also taken place.

 

“We have more and more come to understand that people with disabilities are, first and foremost, people,” Salzberg said. “People with disabilities are more and more taking their place as equal citizens.”

 

College of Education and Human Services 

 

Contact: Sarah Rule, 797-1987, Charles Salzberg, 797-3234
Writer: JoLynne Lyon

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