Special Education Essays (Examples)

It is also worth noting that the evolving nature of special education can be attributed to the cultural changes, family values, and civilizations taking place. esearch attitudes towards people with special educational needs exhibit considerable variation as one move from one culture to the other. Findings show that people of different culture may perceive the similar conditions differently. For instance, Yoruba perceived that albinism as a punishment from God (Wilson, 2003). Consequently, such ideology tends to promote segregation. In fact, some cultures stigmatize disabled people by alluding that the condition is incurable and as such, they remain abnormal to the society. However, this situation has slowly had slowly been wading away as families, and individuals become more civilized. In these regards, families have started accepting the fact that disabled people are normal people, but challenged in one aspect or the other. This acceptance has made the society embrace them in…

Special Education
Some people need education which is special to their lives. Special education provides an additional services or support to the students' educational needs. In most schools and colleges across the country, special educations are sometimes provided at no cost to those students who are qualified and are eager to proceed with their studies.

Today, there are special students who need special learning needs and the only way to address this is by providing them with a special education. The range of support given to students with special education is normally based in their needs. This paper therefore gives a summary of the need for special education, and distinguishing the needs of the exceptional learners and non-exceptional learners.

There are different people with different needs who need special education in their lives. It sometimes become hard to understand people with uniqueness, therefore, taking time to understand them becomes a significant part to…

"By the 1980s, the field had moved to a functional skills model. As the evidence for this approach mounted, the field refocused on age appropriate skills and knowledge performed in authentic settings and the functional life skills curriculum became best practice. The functional, age-appropriate curricular focus resulted in these students demonstrating skills and knowledge not thought possible earlier" (Quenemoen, 2008).
In the 1990s, added significant new practices were acknowledged as best practice in teaching and learning for students with severe disabilities. The practice of including students with severe disabilities with representative peers in classroom settings for reasons of social inclusion, along with a new focus on self-determination skills, revealed a new approval of the students, and an accepting of values related to social development. The arrival of more complicated assistive technology opened the world of communication for the first time for some students, and improved the ability of teachers and…

Thus, efforts aimed at helping teachers to avoid harmful stereotyping of students often begin with activities designed to raise teachers' awareness of their unconscious biases." (1989) Cotton goes on the relate that there are specific ways in which differential expectations are communicated to students according to the work of: "rookover, et al. (1982); rophy (1983); rophy and Evertson (1976); rophy and Good (1970); Cooper and Good (1983); Cooper and Tom (1984); Cotton (1989); Good (1987, 1982); Good, et al. (1980); Good and rophy (1984)" which are the ways as follows:
Providing fewer opportunities for high-expectation students to learn new material than for low-expectation students to learn new material;

Allowing less waiting time for low-expectation students to answer questions in class than is allowed high-expectation students;

Providing low-expectation students with the answer or calling on another student "rather than trying to improve their responses by giving clues or repeating or rephrasing questions;

Providing inappropriate…

Special Education
According to the Federal Laws of the United States of America, "Special Education means specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability [IDEA 97-300.26(a)]." The revised statutes of Arizona defines a child with disability as "a child who is at least three but less than twenty-two years of age, who has been evaluated and found to have a disability and who, because of the disability, needs special education and related services [ARS 15-761(2)]." Under federal law, a student can qualify for special education services under the disability categories of mental retardation, hearing impairments (including deafness), speech or language impairments, visual impairments (including blindness), serious emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities [IDEA 97-602(3)(a)]. (Special Education - Definition), (Learning Disability Resources) & (Legal Definition of Special Education)

According to the U.S.…

In the past, students with disabilities tended to be isolated from their peers by pecial Education paradigms that obliged them to receive learning in a physically isolated setting. Far from helping these children to achieve their full potential, such setups tended to stigmatize them, making, making it even more difficult to look beyond their ability for their own identity and how this could be applied for the benefit of society both during their school careers and thereafter.

A collaborative environment, on the other hand, can lead to a greater understanding of the challenges these children face, as well as to provide them with the potential to make the most of their abilities rather than their disabilities. When parents collaborate with educators, for example, the latter can draw up strategies that specifically target the need of the students in question. Educators can then collaborate with students in the classroom to help with…

As a result, children within the middle class and above receive adequate attention and treatment for special education needs at an early stage. Young children of educated parents are read to more consistently, and are encourage to read by themselves at an early age. Statistics show that most children with parents who have college degrees are read to on a daily basis before they begin attending kindergarten. In application to special education access this implies that the majority of children from affluent families will have the greatest access to the provisions of IDEA because they will have diagnosis at an early stage. Parents who care strongly about the future of their children will most likely conduct the most research and to seek special education facilities much more than underprivileged children.
The problem with delivery of special education facilities is that IDEA provides for special facilities as well as schools to…

Despite all this information, little data is actually available with regard to why teacher shortages continue. Further research is necessary the authors conclude to help alleviate the problem.

Conclusions/Evaluations

This article is important for several reasons. It points out the critical shortage of special education teachers that is prevalent in a majority of school districts across the nation. It suggests there are several different reasons for teacher shortages, including lack of educational opportunities for special education teachers, lack of incentives for entering the field, and the difficulty associated with this particular job field. There is some evidence suggesting that teacher attrition rates and lack of new teachers entering the filed have contributed the most to special education problems in the U.S.

I agree with the authors concern over the special education crisis in the United States. The authors sampled numerous national educational authorities to draw their conclusions. They suggest that increased or improved…

Special education is presided over by federal law in most educational jurisdictions. According to the Indviduals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Special Education is defined as: specifically planned instruction used to meet the distinctive needs of a child with a disability, at no cost to the parents. This kind of service is in place to provide supplementary services, support, programs, specialized placements or surroundings to make sure that all students' educational needs are met. Special education is given to qualifying students at no cost to the parents. There are a lot of students who have special learning needs and these needs are addressed by way of special education. The array of special education support varies based on need and educational jurisdictions. Each state or educational jurisdiction has different policies, rules, regulations and legislation that governs what special education is and how it is used (Hallahan, Kauffman, & Pullen, 2011).
At the…

Special Education and Gifted -- Talented Students
Over the last several years, the issues surrounding gifted and talented as well as special needs students have been continually brought to the forefront. Part of the reason for this, is because a number of different pieces of legislation have been directing educators to improve the various techniques that they are utilizing to reach out to these individuals to include: IDEA 2004 along with the Gifted and Talented Students Act of 1988. This is just one part of the larger effort to address a host of issues that are affecting these students. These pieces of legislation are significant, because they are having a major impact on the way educators are reaching out to these individuals when addressing the different needs that they have.

As a result, number of themes and trends has begun to develop in effectively dealing with these students. A few of the…

Special Education Legislation
Individualized Education Program

Developing Standard-Based Individualized Education Program Objectives for Students with Significant Needs. By Sharon Lynch and Paula Adams.

Due to the need to provide equitable education and knowledge to children with special needs, the idea of Individualized Education Program (IEP) comes in handy to help make this a reality. It is upon the government's recognition of the needs of the children who have conditions that may not allow them to learn effectively or at the same speed with other children given the standard learning environment that it implemented various measures to ensure that no child is left behind in fulfilling their learning needs. Factually, these kids with learning impediments may not necessarily learn the same level of concept and complexity of ideas, hence the need to have their own individualized system that will impart the necessary skills and knowledge in them.

The attached article articulates some of the tenets…

.." (2004, p.3) the hands-on experience is also related as being important in the science class in the work entitled: "The National Curriculum" which states that science through inquiry: "...stimulates and excites pupils' curiosity about phenomena and events in the world around them" (the National Curriculum, 2006) and that science also "satisfies this curiosity with knowledge." (the National Curriculum, 2006) Scientific inquiry teaches students investigate skills in the areas of: (1) Planning; (2) Obtaining and Presenting Evidence; (3) Exploration; and (4) Consideration of evidence and making evaluations. In the area of planning students ask questions and then make decisions how to search out the answers to those questions. Students use first-hand experience and simple information sources for locating answers to these questions and as well enter a thought process about the results of decisions and learn to make comparisons. In obtaining and presenting evidence the students learn to follow instructions…

This plan should address the concerns of the parents and must be tailored to suit the specific needs of the concerned child. Developing an IEP involves a collaborative approach from the teachers, parents and students and other special education staff. Team effort is central to the success of the program as only when input from all the members are garnered can a successful plan be charted out. Once the eligibility criterion is established the next step is to put in written form the IEP. The present level of education performance document is an important source to be drawn from while developing a comprehensive IEP. It includes all information pertaining to the student's strengths, weaknesses and other qualities. Observing the performance reports of the student would provide a good idea of the strengths and weakness of the student in all areas. ased on this the expectations or goals for the…

It would not only be time consuming and expensive for each classroom teacher to develop an effective basic reading skills curriculum but such a curriculum is also fraught with a high degree of error. There is compelling evidence that supports the use of scripted programs rather than teacher-developed approaches to teach complex skills (Benner, 2005).
Second, apply positive behavioral supports to manage the behaviors of students with behavioral difficulties during reading instruction. esearchers have found that the problem behaviors of students with emotional disturbance are moderately to strongly relate to their responsiveness to reading intervention. Coercion theory offers an important rationale for the use of positive behavioral supports to improve responsiveness. Coercion theory asserts that many students with severe behavioral challenges have learned that arguing; escalation, confrontation, aggression, and noncompliance often lead to escape from undesirable tasks such as homework completion or from compliance with repeated requests to behave appropriately,…

" This kind of paperwork is time-consuming and meticulous.
This IEP can be reviewed as often as parents or teachers request it, and "must be accessible to all staff responsible for its implementation," which includes general education teachers and other school staff. Meanwhile, if a special education student is having problems in class, for whatever reason, he or she may be brought before the school's "Instructional Study Team," which consists of staff from the school and other professionals who have a grasp of the special education program at that school. Parents are also brought in to these meetings; also, following the meeting there is a large volume of paperwork for the teacher to address.

Meanwhile, in some states a special education teacher may have as many as 100 students; but not in Illinois. In June, 2007, after 9 public hearings throughout the state, the Illinois State Board of Education (Burke, 2007) revised…

, 210-221).
It would appear that the pre-training of parents in dealing with autism augments the hands-on training that the children receive. While there is need for more research, it appears that this relationship has been demonstrated to be significant.

Dawson, G., et. al. (2009). Randomized, controlled trial of an intervention for toddlers with autism:

The early start denver model. Pediatrics, 125, 17-23.

In the journal Pediatrics, a study was published regarding a controlled trial in order to evaluate the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) as a comprehensive developmental behavioral intervention that improves the outcomes of toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The population studied consisting of 48 children with ASD 18 to 30 months that were randomly put in to 1 of 2 groups. The first of these was an intervention group that was run by trained therapists and parents for 2 two years. The second of these involved referrals to community special…

This is often complemented with anger and job depression.
There is also the challenge of extreme mental and physical fatigue. This fatigue does not have an identifiable physiological source. The individual may have a good diet and may sleep well but the awake exhausted and tired. They are not prepared to engage in the task of preparation of class materials or lessons. The mind is tired and it may be difficult to concentrate for even short periods. This is further exacerbated by a lack of motivation and excitement they speak and appear demotivated. These symptoms are usually accompanied by a negative attitude toward the children and the job itself. This may be in stark contrast to the earlier statements of the individual who may have had very positive feelings and attitudes towards their job and the children under their care. From the list of symptoms it is obvious that such…

Special Education
According to the law as well as generally accepted principles of humanity, each child who enters the school system in the United States has the right to an effective education. For average and above average children, this is usually not a problem. However, there is a wide diversity of children who enter the school system today. In addition to many different cultures and backgrounds, teachers are also challenged by a wide variety of learning needs. Some students, for example, struggle with specific areas of learning such as reading, where such a student then requires specialized assistance to meet the demands and challenges of the school environment. One such student is Eric, a first-grade student who struggles with reading. He struggles with the sounds of letters and building words from the different sounds. Since this is such a fundamental skill in early education, it was decided that Assistive Technology (AT)…

"
According to Patton (1998) the overrepresentation of African-American children in special education programs that are intended for students that have serious emotional or behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, and mental disabilities has continued to be a problem even though many researchers have recognized the problems that have occurred as a result of such overrepresentation. In fact there is exhaustive amounts of literature that explains the "causal factors that range from failure of the general education system (Artiles & Trent, 1994; Deno, 1970; MacMillan & Hendrick, 1993; McDermott, 1987; Townsend, Thomas, itty, & Lee, 1996) to inequities associated with the special education referral, assessment, and placement processes (Harry & Anderson, 1994; Mercer, 1973)."

ith all these things understood, the problematic issue of overrepresentation of African-Americans in special education continues even after the causes of such overrepresentation have been found and accepted as accurate. For instance, research over the years has found that in…

Special Education in the Context Of Education Reform
This monograph by the Center on Education Policy (CEP) looks at how well three major Midwest cities -- Cleveland, Milwaukee and Chicago -- have been able to comply with the federal special education law IDEA. A guiding principle of this study is that "children placed in special education are general education first," emphasizing that both branches of education share responsibility for students with IEP's.

CEP found significant difficulty with compliance, especially that inner city residents need help understanding the laws and that they need better access to advocates.

CEP found specific improvements: in Chicago in identification, referral staff training, and ongoing classroom assessment; in Cleveland, with general education teachers accepting their role in teaching these students, with improved access to regular curriculum and classrooms; and in Milwaukee, a more streamlined IEP process and improved collaboration among staff. However, they also found significant problems.

A large gap…

An IQ level below 70 signifies a deficiency in adaptive functioning.
The possible causes of mental retardation may be attributed to three genetic disorders - down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome and fragile X syndrome. The impaired genetics conditions are believed to be the most common causes of mental retardation. In addition, researchers have identified few other causes that may profoundly heighten the risk for developing mental retardation in a child. Difficulties during or following pregnancy may also result in severe problem in the fetus such as genetic mutation occurring during fetal development or if the mother suffers from rubella during her pregnancy. In addition, if the baby is not exposed to sufficient oxygen during pre and post-birth phases, it may lead to developmental disability following brain damage. Malnutrition or iodine deficiency may contribute to the development of mental retardation. Institutionalization at a very young age as well as sensory deprivation…

The teachers of tomorrow can become better prepared to better handle the diverse needs of students in a special education setting. In “Effects of a Professional Development Package to Prepare Special Education Paraprofessionals to Implement Evidence-Based Practice,” Brock & Carter (2013) fill a gap in existing literature on teacher preparation for special education, and offer suggestions for improving paraprofessional teacher training in special education. The study focuses on a subset of educational professionals: paraprofessionals. A thoughtful introduction “sets the stage for the entire project,” establishing the central issues and concerns and building up to the purpose statement in effective empirical research using the scientific method (Creswell, 2013, p. 107). As Creswell (2013) points out, research problems can stem from many potential sources of inspiration in which a need or pressing problem has been identified in the real world. In the Brock & Carter (2013) research, the authors point out that paraprofessionals…

Abstract Students with disabilities or suspected disabilities are evaluated by schools to determine whether they are eligible for special education services and, if eligible to determine, what services will be provided. In many states, the results of this evaluation also affect how much funding assistance the school will receive to meet the students.  This study provides a brief detail historical background on special education screening.  It focuses on the philosophies of leaders in education who have promoted special education services for students. It identifies the Montessori method as significant because it adopts an approach to the screening issue which uniquely views all students as special and deserving of individualized education.
Overview
How Screening was Before Becoming Recognized by Law
Part of why special education became an issue in America was the implementation of the standard grade, which “was first introduced in Massachusetts in 1847 in response to the organizational needs of the evolving school…

Assessment Type Developed in the early 20th century, the Stanford-Binet is one of the most commonly used formal assessments measuring cognitive functioning. While it is a general assessment test instrument, the Stanford-Binet is commonly used as a means by which to screen children for exceptionalities in specific types of cognitive functioning. The specific types of cognitive functioning the Stanford-Binet test measures include memory, cognitive, processing, and general intelligence (“When Is the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale Not Valid?,” n.d.). Because the Stanford-Binet test measures general cognitive functioning along certain core parameters, it may not be the most reliable means by which to evaluate the potential for specific learning, intellectual, or developmental disabilities. Nevertheless, the Stanford-Binet is among the most reputable and valid assessment tests of cognitive functioning used in education and psychology. In fact, the Stanford-Binet measures cognitive functioning in various categories including verbal and non-verbal communication, which also allows the instrument to…

Article 1 Matthews, N. L., Ly, A. R., & Goldberg, W. A. (2014). College Students’ Perceptions of Peers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(1), 90–99. doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2195-6
When considering best classroom instructional strategies and classroom management techniques to use in special education, educators often need to know how neurotypical students perceive their peers who have autism. Moreover, information related to peer perceptions of students with autism spectrum disorders can help improve therapeutic interventions. Understanding peer perceptions of autism spectrum disorders is also essential for helping colleges and universities create the most effective support services, programs, and systems for transitioning students. In “College Students’ Perceptions of Peers with Autism Spectrum Disorder,” Matthews, Ly & Goldberg (2014) aim to improve understanding of the needs of students transitioning to college who have autism spectrum disorders. The researchers also aim to assess general student knowledge about autism in relation to gender and…

Special EducationPart 1I have chosen Kate from among the students described in the case to complete this part. Kate is an 11th grader with moderate bilateral hearing loss (i.e., asymmetrical or symmetrical loss of hearing in both her ears). She barely scrapes through exams and has ceased to use personal amplification at school. She had already ceased using her FM system during her middle school days when she started cycling through classes. Symmetrical bilateral hearing loss implies an equal loss of hearing in both the ears, whereas in case of asymmetrical hearing loss, one ear will be able to hear better as compared to the other; nevertheless, in either case, both ears are affected (Hear-it, 2020).Access to curriculumEqual learning opportunity calls for hard-of-hearing or deaf students like Kate to be able to access information that the majority of their peers (i.e., normally-hearing peers) can access via listening. Captioning, sign language…

Kenny, L., Hattersley, C., Molins, B., Buckley, C., Povey, C., & Pellicano, E. (2015). Which terms should be used to describe autism? Perspectives from the UK autism community. Autism, 20(4), 442–462. doi:10.1177/1362361315588200 Autism spectrum disorders are diverse, as are the populations affected by them. Cultural diversity and additional factors like socioeconomic class can confound approaches to autism in special education programs. One of the most important issues when working in special education generally, and with children with autism specifically, is communication. Communication includes how to speak about autism, whether or how to label students, and which terms the students and their parents prefer to use. Educators, special education teachers, and school administrators need to be aware of parent and student perceptions of different autism-related terms, and remain sensitive to their needs. In “Which Terms Should Be Used to Describe Autism? Perspectives from the UK Autism Community,” Kenny, Hattersley, Mollins, et al.…

Part One Students with emotional, behavioral, and communication disorders have special needs that instructors can address in the classroom through best practice instructional strategies. Working with a strong, evidence-based definition of terms, instructors can also identify students with emotional, behavioral, and communication disorders by recognizing their core characteristics, even while acknowledging and appreciating their students’ individuality and unique self-expression.
Definitions of Terms
Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Emotional and behavioral disorders are defined differently at the state and federal level, with IDEA language referring to the term “emotional disturbance,” which is eschewed in most states (Taylor, Smiley & Richards, 2009, p. 167). The IDEA definition of emotional disturbance includes children with schizophrenia as well as those who exhibit an inability to learn or to develop social relationships for other reasons (Taylor, Smiley & Richards, 2009). Controversies and disagreements over the IDEA definition has led to new nomenclature to refer to students with emotional or behavioral…

Emotional & Behavioral Disorders of Special Education Students Describe your topic of interest and why it is important to you
My topic of interest is emotional and behavioral disorders of special education students. This topic is important to me for the reason that these disorders are those that take place over a protracted period of time and hinder children from prospering not only from an educational standpoint but also from a social perspective. Taking this into consideration, I believe that it is imperative to delve into this topic extensively in order to ascertain the suitable special education services to the student and providing education in a special classroom (Braxton, 2004). Aspects such as visual modification, less cluttering and individual work stations are aspects necessitated by teachers. Furthermore, when these disorders usually generate issues for the student, they can be addressed and dealt with support, conducting accommodations together with specially designed instructions. Moreover,…

Part I: Best Practices Learning disabilities, or specific learning disabilities, is a fairly well defined category that refers to impairments in functioning, typically related to language, perception, memory, or mathematical processing. The classification includes a number of conditions including dyslexia, developmental aphasia, and brain dysfunctions but does not include intellectual disabilities or emotional disturbances (Kavale, Spaulding & Beam, 2009). Moreover, learning disabilities manifest regardless of access to opportunity and other socioeconomic or environmental factors (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2018). Learning disabilities also need to be distinguished from intellectual disabilities. Formerly known as mental retardation, intellectual disabilities refer to low general functioning including low IQ scores and problems with adaptive behavior (Kavale, Spaulding & Beam, 2009). Therefore, intellectual disabilities are typically concurrent with impaired social functioning and other global factors.
Specific learning disabilities, on the other hand, usually manifest in specific ways. Each person will have different types of specific learning disabilities.…

IDEA LAW IEP Special Education Abstract
Since the majority of parents of disabled students struggle with navigating special education systems, advocacy training provides a means of helping parents secure the right educational service for their disabled child. In this paper, parents' need for advocates for asserting special education rights as well as advocate training in the areas of special education advocacy and legislation will be addressed. Additionally, the impacts of advocacy training for disability-linked special education will be discussed.
Overview
Parental engagement in child education is a raging topic these last twenty-five years. Before the 80s, school-family partnerships were not the norm but an exception. But ever since, a growing research pool indicates that parental engagement positively influences both child learning and academic performance. The subject of parental engagement is accorded, even greater focus when it comes to special education. Before the 80s, several parents depended on professionals to receive emotional aid and training.…

Transition Planning in Special Education Transition planning is one of the most critical components of effective special education policy and program design. In fact, transition planning is required by law, ensconced in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Carter, Brock & Trainor, 2012). Due to IDEA’s provisions for special education transition planning, the number of students with disabilities and special needs enrolling in colleges and universities has increased (Hamblet, 2014). Successful transition planning should also include college-level supports that extend special education services. As Hamblet (2014) points out, students with disabilities have a much lower rate of college completion rates versus the general population. Transition planning in special education warrants further study to improve outcomes for students with special needs whose successes in high school can and should carry over into higher education.
Self-Determination
One of the prevailing themes in the research on transition planning in special education is the role of…

Observation Portfolio – Special Education Classroom Introduction
This observation portfolio paper presents a summary of my experience and knowledge gained from analyzing four observation sessions in a special education classroom setting. Observation 1 and 2 was conducted in the morning, observation 3 of 4 took place during lunch break, and observation 4 of 4 was conducted in the afternoon. Each of the four observation sessions is discussed below.
Observation 1 of 4
Observation Summary
The class consisted of nine students; eight students were male and one was female. During my observation, I walked and looked around as the students started each morning with snacks, milk, and orange juice for breakfast followed by typing lessons, mathematics lessons, group calendar practice, and personal information binders. Before starting the mathematics lesson, the students played a game as a way to facilitate smooth transition from one activity to another. Personal information binders included practicing name, age, phone number, address,…

Educators and school administrators have a legal and ethical obligation to create learning environments that serve all students, include those who have been labeled with emotional or developmental disabilities, or with behavioral disorders. I believe that educators frequently become frustrated due to lack of knowledge about best practices in special education, especially when working in a universal classroom. The entire school benefits from serving children with special needs through effective classroom design, in terms of higher overall achievement scores (Carrero, Collins, Lusk, et al., 2017). Therefore, I am proposing low-cost, unobtrusive alterations to classroom design that all teachers and schools can implement. The preliminary research I have done to investigate my research question has revealed a fairly large body of research demonstrating what works and how to create an optimized classroom environment for all students. Also, I believe that changes to the classroom environment do not need to be costly, and…

Special Education Diverse Learners Project Guidelines Section 1: Abstract
This paper provides an overview of Butler College Prep, its demographics, and its programs and services for special needs students. It looks at curriculum and instruction efforts as well as at the role of the principal in the school and how he oversees special education services and promotes the power of collective efficacy to motivate and help teachers and parents collaborate. It concludes with a personal reflection on what I have learned during the course of this project and what challenges the school faces in terms of a leadership structure to close the achievement gap.
Section 2: Demographic Overview
Butler College Prep is in Southside Chicago. Its student body is 95% African American and 4% Hispanic, and it serves as a school for social justice and the arts (School Performance, 2017). The socio-economic background of the vast majority of the families of students is challenged.…

At-risk preschoolers and students with ADHD The growth and development of children under the school going age is often expected to be normal and almost similar among all children. However, this is often not the reality in the society as some children are predisposed to some factors that curtail their normal growth and development. This developmental deficiency can be detected as early as 24 months where some children are detected to display a significant lag in cognitive and behavioral development. There are children in various categories that are predisposed to such lag in developmental issues yet they have not achieved the school going age, these are the ones referred to as the at risk preschoolers. There are various factors that have been seen to significantly subject young children to risk. One major factor is the low-income families within which they are born. Children can however be affected by more than one…

Special Education for Exceptional Children
Exceptional children have intellectual disabilities thus require special education different from the ordinary facilities and infrastructure of education. The economic implication of educating these kinds of children can be very high save for the fact that they require specially trained teachers and education facilities. The purpose of my project is to fund the poor and average exceptional children who cannot afford to pay for the special education (Battistone et al., 2016). Therefore, after the purpose of my project, my non-profit organization will be called Support Special Education Foundation.
In the U.S, the population of children with learning disabilities is around 34%. This is approximately 7 million students. My organization will serve around half of this population given that there are those who can comfortably afford to pay for their special education. My NGO is qualified for the education grant (Breathwaite, 2004) based on my aim to support…

Part 1 – UDL Background
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a concept that refers to a series of principles for curriculum development that are used to give people equal opportunities for learning. Through its set of principle, UDL provides guidelines for the development of inclusive classroom instruction and access to relevant learning materials (ACCESS Project, 2011). As part of promoting the creation of inclusive classroom instruction, UDL results in the development of a teaching approach that accommodates the abilities and needs of all learners. This teaching approach also helps to remove unnecessary obstacles in the learning process. Universal Design for Learning was developed in the 1990s during the Universal Design (UD) movement. Since then, it has developed to become an important component in the modern learning environment with respect to creation of inclusive classroom instruction and settings.
The main philosophy behind the concept of Universal Design for Learning is creation of…

Then students use AlphaSmart software to paste the picture and explain in a paragraph why, how and where in the plot they feel that picture relates to the story. This tests three things: (a) student concentration; (b) student level of understanding of the general plot; and - student imagination. This is an important implementation because it opens the students' horizons and allows them to see the general links and relations that their own lives might have with the stories that they read. The implementation of taking the pictures is one way that this has been successfully achieved. This use of a camera is a very flexible application and is being used in different ways for different special-needs students.
May (2003) found that cameras are being used to also expand the span of words or vocabulary amongst the special-needs students. The teacher hands out a set of words to the students…

The IEP takes into account the results of the assessment while developing a plan for the future. The evaluation results include not only behavioral observations but also socio-cultural background. If the student has a physical disability, the IEP might address the need for specialized technologies or classroom adaptations. On the other hand, if the student has a learning disability, the IEP might include recommendations for lesson adaptation.
The IEP is developed in accordance with the principle that the child will thrive in the least restrictive environment (LE). A learning environment must be coordinated to meet the needs of the student. If the mainstream classroom at the child's standard school can provide the LE, then the child will be mainstreamed with some lesson adaptations to suit the child's strengths. However, some students will require special education services in alternative school or classroom settings. The IEP is tailor made and there is…

As the civil rights victories of the Civil Rights era develop in ways that help shape the long-term social culture of the nation, cultural diversity considerations are becoming the standard rather than the exemplary exception to the routine as may have been true throughout much of the last decades of the 20th century. Naturally, as cultural diversity becomes a dominant social theme, it has also impacted all aspects of American education, including special education (Burton, Moore, & Magliaro, 2004; Lascarides & Hinitz, 2000). Naturally, the important need of accommodating cultural diversity within special education programs is at least as important as achieving that objective in traditional education programs. That is because the detrimental effect of every additional barrier to learning and social development is magnified in special education.
Likewise, cultural diversity also entails corresponding lingual diversity. In that regard, the importance of mitigating the potential barriers represented by language issues…

Special Education: Collaboration Between Teachers
The majority of special education students receive instruction in both general education classes as well as special education support classes. Most of these students are enrolled in esource Support Programs in which a special education teacher has responsibility for offering learning supports across the general education curriculum. The job of the special education teacher, or esource Specialist, is to ensure that the student's IEP is properly implemented. This requires ongoing communication and collaboration with general education teachers.

In most cases a special education student in elementary school and above will have a least two to three different teachers in addition to his or her special education support. These general education teachers need to be offered guidance and support regarding how to modify curriculum and how to properly implement any behavior plans.

The most effective way in which teachers can collaborate is to ensure that they spend a sufficient…

J. This limitation is summarized in the following passage:
Sometimes, disagreements about educational benefit are called "Cadillac-Chevrolet" disputes. emember: In owley, the Supreme Court ruled that children are entitled to an appropriate education (i.e. A Chevrolet), not the best education money can buy (a Cadillac). http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/iep_guidance.html#Law_and_egulations

The above accurately describes some of the limitations that public schools have to meet the needs of special education children. This may or may not be helpful to remind the grandparents of at this point in the process. It seem entirely likely that they know this (and certainly any well-run IEP program would have made this information known to the grandparents at the very beginning of the process) but the grandparents may need to be reminded of the legal limits for J.J.'s education.

It is significant that one of the most important objections that the grandparents have is that J.J. will face emotional abuse at work rather…

(4) Have participating teachers develop and lead online collaborative projects for students with emotional and behavioral disorders.

(5) Develop and maintain an online community for teachers in self-contained units where ideas, lessons, and strategies can be shared.

(6) Train staff on the concepts surrounding Positive ehavioral Intervention Support (PIS) and support teachers as they develop preventative behavioral intervention plans that utilize PIS strategies and concepts. (Rush, 2010, p.1)

Rush (2010) states that the key elements of the model were online, collaborative learning and accessible computer-based educational resources. The results are stated to have exceeded initial expectations for "changing the focus in self-contained classrooms from behavior control to academic achievement." (Rush, 2010, p.1) Not only is academic achievement up but as well it is reported that "behavior referrals are down, and teachers report improved student outcomes in all areas." (Rush, 2010, p.1)

The work of Pierangelo and Guiliani (2008) states the effective classroom interventions with…

In their study, "Thinking of Inclusion for All Special Needs Students: Better Think Again," asch and his colleagues (1994) report that, "The political argument in favor of inclusion is based on the assumption that the civil rights of students, as outlined in the 1954 decision handed down in Brown v. Board of Education, which struck down the concept of 'separate but equal,' can also be construed as applying to special education" (p. 36). According to Mcgregor and Salisbury (2002), since then, the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, P.L. 105-17, 1997), and the 1994 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (also known as the "Improving America's Schools Act"; ESEA, P.L. 103-382, 1994), mandate the inclusion of supplementary services and instructional supports in the general education classrooms to provide all students with access to challenging and stimulating learning environments (Mcgregor & Salibury, 2002). In addition,…

The teacher was understanding of the student's disability, but knew he could overcome it and was simply being lazy. I gave the teacher a copy of the student's reading level test results and this sparked an idea and a solution that proved most effective. The teacher mentioned that there were abridged and simplified versions of the books, most of which were at a 4th grade or slightly above reading level. The plan was to use an abridged book for the first novel in order to help the student gain confidence and then allow him to tackle the regular novel for the second book of the year. Additionally, the student would not be made aware of the switch in texts to prevent any additional laziness or excuses from being utilized.
Over the next few weeks I worked with the student using the book. It was a battle getting him to focus…

These are the students who are suffering from sort of problem; it may be a cognitive disorder, a memory problem, a writing problem, or some sort of physical problem that does not allow him to cope with the burden of the educational system without special help and instruction, or anything else. The proponents of the exit exams also state that unless students are held to certain high standards, it would be impossible to identify or address the various inherent flaws and weaknesses in the entire system of examinations. Another advantage of the exit exam system, according to them, is that there will be an increase in the motivation levels for both students and teachers to do better and excel at the exam to the best of their abilities.
This, again, is valid only for those students who are in the normal stream of education, and not for those students who…

55). Hence, good ideas need to be brought to the fore so special education teachers can help students progress in a society that is too often indifferent to their needs. King-Sears presents and then rebuts two fallacies vis-a-vis that students with disabilities cannot master content that "…at times seems to be swiftly passing them by" (56).
The first fallacy -- students with disabilities can't learn general education curriculum -- can be dismissed because it has been shown through "…group work, monitoring and facilitating group thinking, and recursive opportunities for students" that children with learning disabilities can indeed learn (King-Sears, 56). This is true particularly if those disabled students have access to their peers, access to specially designed instructional content, and access to "assessment" strategies showing them what they have learned (which gives them direct feedback). The second fallacy is that teachers are legally required to cover the curriculum as quickly…

" Contributing factors include poverty, racial issues, teachers' assumptions and social positioning, and culturally-deficit instruction. Among these, teacher's assumptions appear to be the most significant. Additional research is recommended to explore these assumptions as they often result in an unwarranted diagnosis of disability and special education placement, especially among male African-American students.
4. Walther-Thomas, C. & Brownell, M. (1999). An interview with...Mara Sapon-Shevin: Implications for students and teachers of labeling students as learning disabled/gifted. Intervention in School and Clinic, 34(4), 244. Retrieved October 4, 2009, from Academic Research Library. (Document ID: 39366792).

Sapon-Shevin, an expert in special and gifted education, talks about the implications of labeling in children. Labels in schools affect both the opportunities for children and their subsequent performance in class. Instead of labeling, she suggests to describe students as being "good at some things" and "having difficulty with others." Noteworthy is a brainstorming activity she usually conducts during trainings…

S. Office of Education (Osgood 1999).
Each federal act preceding the Education for All Handicapped Children Act freed up funds for special education training programs and for special education programs themselves. Moreover, the legislation raised awareness about the breadth and diversity of the disabled community and helped to reduce stigma. President Johnson followed well in the footsteps of his predecessor by establishing the Committee on Mental etardation and helping to pass Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, PL 89-10). The Act opened up funds to be used at the state level for special education and lead to the creation of the Bureau of Education of the Handicapped. Although focused on the needs of the mentally disabled community, the Johnson era legislation was integral in providing precedent for the Education for All Handicapped Children Act.

Osgood (1999) also suggests that impetus for the Education for All Handicapped Children Act came from public awareness…

Additionally, other students must be educated about disabilities and how to include others that are different. (Dybvik 2004)
Purpose and esearch Questions

The purpose of the proposed research study is to determine the effectiveness of the inclusive classroom and the best methods for increasing the positive outcome of inclusive classrooms. The questions to be answered include:

1. How do educators, parents, and others involved in the education currently view inclusion?

2. How do the views of educators affect the implementation of programs such as inclusion?

3. Are disabled students benefiting from inclusive classrooms compared to non-inclusive classes?

4. Are normal students benefiting from inclusive classrooms?

5. What educational models will be most beneficial to students in an inclusive classroom?

Hypothesis

The most destructive expectation of teachers that is harming the inclusion movement is that "Classroom teachers are expected to continue to use the existing curriculum." (King 2003) It is the hypothesis of this researcher that while traditional educational…

Meanwhile, paraprofessionals and special education facilitators are available in greater supply and provide considerable relief to the burdens placed upon dedicated fulltime special education professionals (Suter & Giangreco, 2009).
Whereas the traditional model of separate education for special-needs students requires that school systems rely on fulltime special educators and depends, necessarily, on their availability, that is not the case with inclusion programs. The inclusion of special-needs students within the regular curriculum allows special-needs services to be delivered by paraprofessionals instead of relying exclusively on dedicated special needs educators. Typically, special needs education paraprofessionals can deliver services to several special-needs students simultaneously instead of limiting the number of special-needs students to the same number of special needs educators available on a one-on-one basis (Suter & Giangreco, 2009)

Conclusion

It does not appear that any of the objections to the inclusion of special-needs students in the regular educational environment and curriculum stand up to…

They will not have to sit through lessons that are not meant for them. Every lesson would be targeted towards that particular group of students.
Teacher etention

Special education is a highly specialized field making teacher retention an even more important issue than in the general population of teachers. Teaching a diverse array of students with specialized needs increases the workload of teachers more than those who only have to concentrate on a single subject. When teachers become overwhelmed, they are likely to experience higher amounts of job related stress. This stress translates into job dissatisfaction and can lead to lower teacher retention (Greiner & Smith, 2006). The proposed strategy would reduce teacher workload by allowing them to concentrate on the needs of only one group of students. They could become more proficient in the needs of this particular group of students, resulting in fewer job related stresses.

Every year the number…

Special Education
Word Power

People with disabilities comprise a large portion of contemporary society's population base. As such, it would greatly behoove people today to give more consideration to a host of factors that affect those that are disabled, such as the creation and implementation of proper facilities, courteous treatment, and even the language that is used to refer to them. The terminology used to refer to people who happen to have disabilities is examined in a pair of essays authored by Kathie Snow, which are entitled "The Case Against "Special Needs" and "People Language First." The author believes that by changing the language that is used to describe the disabled and the peculiarities that they need, such people will substantially benefit in virtually all aspects of their lives.

The principle thesis that exists in both essays is that the language used to categorize people with disabilities and the specific tools they use…

More importantly, our appreciative and participatory stance with our co-researchers has allowed us to witness and learn about the cutting edge of leadership work in such a way that is and feels qualitatively different from other research traditions we have used in the past, because it is built on valuing. Even though it is challenging at times (Ospina et al. 2002), our inquiry space is enhanced by our collaboration with the social change leaders. (Schall, Ospina, Godsoe and Dodge, nd)
Qualitative Research Methods

Qualitative research methods are those of:

(1) Phenomenology -- this is a form of qualitative research in which the researcher focuses on gaining understanding of how an individual or individuals experience a phenomenon.

(2) Ethnography -- qualitative research that focuses on the culture of a group and describing that culture.

(3) Case Study Research -- form of qualitative research that provides a detailed account of a case or cases.

(4) Grounded theory…

Inclusion is thought to be a best practice. Under this philosophy most students with mild disabilities spend the greater part of their day in the general education setting with their peers. Students may be allocated an instructional assistant to help them with their work. Some students with learning disabilities often spend time in a resource room in order to receive direct instruction. The special education team may decide that this is not the right path for a student and try a more restrictive setting known as partial inclusion. Partial inclusion refers to when a student partakes in the general education setting for part of the day but receives the bulk of their academic instruction in a resource room. Due to the severity of some student's disabilities, they may be assigned to a self-contained classroom in where they will spend at least 60% of their school day working directly with the…

When people are around her, she feels important and, likewise, so do they.
Most important to Belinda is her hair, a symbol of her lasting beauty. "This nymph, to the destruction of mankind/nourished two locks, which graceful hung behind/in equal curls, and well conspired to deck/With shining ringlets her smooth ivory neck" (II. 19-22). When she loses a lock of her hair, she thus feels a great deal of shame and public humiliation (and fear op losing some of her beauty). She exclaims, "Oh, had I rather unadmired remained / in some love isle, or distant northern land... There kept my charms concealed from mortal eye, / Like roses that in deserts bloom and die" (IV.153-158). She wants to be hidden from society and all those who look upon her, for she is no longer the complete woman of beauty.

What happens to women, and Belinda in particular, if they do…

Instead of the special education teacher and the general education teacher duplicating efforts for many children it has been shown that their efforts are better put to use in collaborating in their teaching efforts. Individuals cannot be effective team members unless they see themselves as being an important part of the team. An effective team should be viewed by others as having all individual members be contributors to the work of the team.
esearch has shown that some children with disabilities learn best in inclusive classrooms. The process of getting children with diverse abilities and typically achieving students together often brings with it the need for general and special education teachers to collaborate. Collaboration between general and special education teachers has been shown to be an effective technique when carried out properly. It is thought that this approach to education can help improve instruction as educators pool their talents in…

It is noted that he tends to make a pattern out which type of structure he decides to use.
Conclusions: ased on the above cited observations as viewed through the Student Written Language Observation Matrix, Joe is performing at a Fully Proficient level, or Phase IV. In terms of his SWLOM Percentile Score: (20 + 1)x4 = 84%.

Whole Language Proficiency

Whole language proficiency refers to the combined assessment of an English language learner's oral language and written language proficiency. Whole language proficiency is determined by the following formula: (SOLOM Score x 2) + {(SWLOM Score + 1)x2} = WLP Percent.

In the case study at hand, Joe's whole language proficiency would be determined as follows: (17 x 2) + {(20 + 1) x 2} = 34 + 42 = 76%. This means that Joe's estimated whole language proficiency is 76% of expected native speaker proficiency for a third grade child.

Conclusions

ased on the…

Schools are pressed in terms of their funding, and cannot always provide as much individualized education as is necessary to help students in the classroom.
The results of this study support the notion that preschool intervention can be extremely valuable for helping children with autism, even before the children enter kindergarten. Unfortunately, early intervention programs are struggling to find financial support even more so than standard public schools. Furthermore, children who lack economic resources may not be diagnosed adequately by parents and physicians at an early enough age to fully benefit from treatment and may receive less individualized treatment in their school environment.

Personal reaction

Early interventions for 'challenged' children has consistently been shown to be valuable, and to 'pay off' in terms of the academic gains children are able to make, provided the students continue to receive support. The article's suggestion for an intervention was relatively simple, but it points to…