Introduction to Special Education

2009-11-23T04:16:00.000-08:00

Exclusive Education

In the past, children who were different because of disability were sometimes deprived of full access to educational opportunities. Teachers do not pay attention to the special needs of the exceptional children. Many states had laws allowing public schools to turn away the enrollment to children with disabilities or mentally incapacitated for schoolwork. If children with mild learning and behavioral problems do not achieve academically, they were termed dumb. These children were not part of the government supported educational program, no federal funds was allotted for disabled children. They have experienced overt discrimination and were often condemned to poverty and isolation. As a result they became dependent to their families and to the society at large.

People with disabilities should have the right to enjoy, experience, and participate in the same settings in school, home, workplace and community like people without disabilities do. They should be allowed to attend in public schools, join community activities and should be a full pledge member of society.

At present, special education are given to exceptional students who have special educational needs one of their need is to have an individualized educational program of instruction. An interdisciplinary team should collaborate to help the student learn. The team includes the teacher and other group of professionals such as occupational therapist, speech and language pathologist, physical therapist, and etc.

Although the students with disabilities should participate with nondisabled peers in the general academic curriculum, some Individualized Educational Program (IEP) goals may not be found in the general education curriculum. Some exceptional children needs explicit instruction to learn some skills that a regular learns without instruction. A good example of it is the functional curriculum where in exceptional children were taught some self-help skills such as dressing, toileting, eating, and more.

Special education also differs to regular education on the way instruction is delivered. A teacher of students with hearing impairment will use sign language in teaching. A special educator who works with a child with learning disability may provide explicit instruction by using task analysis in teaching problem solving skills.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (www.novelguide.com)

In 1975, Congress passed the Public Law 94-142, a landmark piece of legislation that has completely changed the face of education. Public Law 94-142 was originally called the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Since it became law in 1975, Congress has reauthorized and amended P.L. 94-142 five times. The 1990 amendments renamed the law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act-often referred to by its acronym, IDEA. The most recent reauthorization of IDEA is titled the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.

As a result of the passage and enforcement of the IDEA, nearly all children with disabilities do receive a free public education. The courts have heard cases dealing with questions such as the content of that education, whether services should be offered in a segregated or integrated setting, and whether school districts can exclude children who pose disciplinary problems. Each time that Congress has reauthorized funding for the IDEA, it has tinkered with the discipline rules. The IDEA was reauthorized in 2003, giving school districts additional latitude to exclude students with disabilities who presented significant discipline problems.

Here is a video that covers the special education process, including Evaluation, Referral, Creation of the Individualized Education Plan, Placement, and Annual Review. Also touched on are Extended School Year Services and strategies for resolving disagreements. Brought to you by the DPI and the Wisconsin Statewide Parent Educator Initiative.

SPED101

Introduction to Special Education