A special education teacher's views on the 10 years since enactment of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, and thoughts about the future of special education are offered. Characteristics of the first years following P.L. 94-142 included an exuberant pioneer spirit among teachers, informal curricula, and lack of rigor in individualized education programs (IEPs). Although current classrooms are much better supplied and IEPs more systematically developed, much of the flexibility in programming has been lost and IEP meetings often become adversarial in nature. Other trends growing out of the federal mandate include increased categorization of disabilities, increased visibility and media exposure of individuals with handicaps, and a lower morale among special education teachers. Ongoing changes in rules and frequent building changes as well as the strain of coping with the emotional impact of working with handicapped children contribute to teacher frustrations and low morale. Teachers are also concerned about the large number of related services they are responsible for and the need for maintaining quality in their profession. Needs for the future are improved teacher attitudes, the individualization of all education, better programs to aid school to community transition, more translation of research into practical programs, and better communication among all concerned. (DB)