Current Status of Special Education
According to Skiba et al. (2008), one of the issues about the current status of special education is the disproportional representation of certain minority groups. This imbalance is quite ironic, considering the emergence of the earliest legislation related to special education was inspired by the Civil Rights Movement promoting equality for all. Their summary of the research literature revealed that African-American students are more likely to be represented in categories of intellectual disability (formerly referred to as mental retardation) and emotional disturbance, while Native American students are more likely to be diagnosed with learning disabilities. On the other hand, Hispanic students are underrepresented in most categories of special education (Skiba et al., 2008). The cause of such disproportionalities is undoubtedly multifaceted, with possible contributing factors including testing bias, socio-demographic factors associated with poverty, and unequal educational opportunities. Due to the complex nature of disproportional representation, a “one size fits all” intervention approach is unlikely to be successful. Therefore, individual and local interventions are recommended (Skiba et al., 2008).
Part of the solution to this problem will certainly come from training teachers to improve the referral process and become more culturally competent. I’d like to think that this MAT program is part of that solution. Throughout this program, one of the major themes has been learning how to meet the individual needs of all our students. We’ve discussed, for example, being culturally competent to make the classroom safe for diverse learners, catering to multiple learning styles in our lesson plans, using reading comprehension strategies for English language learners, and scaffolding instruction for both struggling and advanced students. For these students, differentiating instruction with variety has been the key to meeting all their unique needs (McLaughlin, 2015). This course adds a new challenge to the mix: special education. We know that principles of inclusion and education in the least restrictive environment mean that we’ll have students with disabilities in our classrooms. With the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act identifying thirteen categories of disabilities alone, it will of course be a challenge to meet the needs of all our learners simultaneously, and variety alone cannot be the answer (Understanding Special Education, 2016). I’m confident, however, that this course and program will provide me with the tools necessary to help all my students become the best learners they can be.
Special Education History
Check out my timeline of Special Education History at the following link (it's best viewed in List mode) A preview of the timeline and a link are provided below:
References
Klein, A. (2015). No Child Left Behind: An Overview. Education Week. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-overview-definition-summary.html
McLaughlin, M. (2015). Content Area Reading: Teaching and Learning for College and Career Readiness. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Skiba, R. J., Simmons, A. B., Ritter, S., Gibb, A. C., Rausch, M. K., Cuadrado, J., and Choong-Geun C. (2008). Achieving Equity in Special Education: History, Status, and Current Challenges. Exceptional Children, 74 (3), 264-288. Retrieved from https://blackboard.stevenson.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1394859-dt-content-rid-7433719_1/courses/17U7W2_ED_630_OL1/Achieving%20Equity%20in%20Special%20Education.pdf
The United States Department of Justice (2016). Title VI of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 U.S.C. § 2000d Et Seq. Retrieved from https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs/TitleVI-Overview
Understanding Special Education. (2016). A Parent Guide to Special Education, the IEP Process and School Success. Retrieved from http://www.understandingspecialeducation.com/section-504.html
United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. (2017). The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Revised ADA Regulations Implementing Title II and Title III. Retrieved from https://www.ada.gov/2010_regs.htm
U.S. Department of Education. (2015). Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html
Wright, P.W.D. and Wright, P.D. (2017). Wrightlaw. Retrieved from http://www.wrightslaw.com/
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