This paper provides an overview of the demographic characteristics of students in special education, outcomes associated with their schooling, and the nature of special education programs and services. Three issues relevant to the impact of standards and assessment on special education are then discussed: (1) regular education should assume responsibility for the learning of all students; (2) programs and activities should be linked by a common set of goals for all students and a shared vision of the standards used to judge them; and (3) schools and students should be judged in terms of the outcomes they achieve and should receive rewards and sanctions based on those outcomes. Several strategies are presented for increasing the positive impact of standards and assessment for students in special education, such as developing a set of agreed upon outcomes and standards of performance that have relevance for all students, and adopting reporting formats and conventions that accommodate students with disabilities. (Contains approximately 40 references.) (JDD)