Given the critical shortage of certified special education teachers, the special education paraprofessional-whether known as a classroom aide, an instructional assistant, or a paraeducator-plays an increasing critical role in serving the needs of both special education students and their schools. This six-part professional development series, produced in partnership with the Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute at the University of Kentucky, defines and explore the various roles of the paraeducator working with special-needs students: as a member of the instructional team, as an instructor who teaches new skills and collects progress data, as a connector to other students and to the community, and as a personal-needs assistant responsible for the student's physical well-being. A 2001 KET production.