Chapter 1 Children with Exceptionalities and Their Families © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Children with Exceptionalities Areas of Difference: Mental characteristics Sensory abilities Communication abilities Behavior and emotional development Physical characteristics To be “educationally exceptional” the difference must occur to an extent that the child requires either a modification of school practices or special educational services to develop his or her unique capabilities. © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Difference in Development Interindividual differences: The general gap in ability or performance between the child with exceptionalities and his/her peers. Intraindividual differences: A major variation in the abilities or development of a single child. © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Brief Historical Overview Early History: Era of Superstition (1500 BC–1700 AD) Nineteenth Century: Era of Institutions (1790–1870) Early Twentieth Century: Era of Public School Classes (1900–1950) 1950s & 60s: Era of Legislation and National Support 1970s: Era of Normalization, Child Advocacy and Litigation 1990s: Era of Rededication, Redefinition, Refinement © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Response to Intervention (RtI) A three tiered system of support for children with exceptionalities that allows for collaboration between general and special education. Universal Tier I: Changes within the general education classroom Targeted Tier II: Interventions for small groups of students Intensive Tier III: Individualized educational services including alternative environments © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The Information Processing Model © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Importance of Early Identification The earlier the intervention in the developmental sequence of the child, the better. Increasingly preschools, child care centers, and health providers are able to offer support and services for young children with exceptionalities. Interventions should begin as soon as an exceptionality is identified – as early as at birth. © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The Interaction of Heredity and Environment Pre – 1960: Heredity determines intelligence 1960s: Environment determines intelligence 1990s: Interaction of heredity/environment 2003: Human Genome Project © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

How many children with exceptionalities are there? Exceptionality exists on a spectrum; even children not officially identified as exceptional may have special needs. 6+ million children can be classified in one of the categories of exceptional children. This means 1 in 10 children in the U.S. can be classified as exceptional. © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Percentage of High Incidence Disabilities (Students 6-21) Source: Data Accountability Center. (2013). Part B child count (2011) [data set]. Retrieved from © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Percentage of Low Incidence Disabilities (Students 6-21) Source: Data Accountability Center. (2013). Part B child count (2011) [data set]. Retrieved from © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Representation of Culturally/Linguistically Diverse Students in Special Education Source: Reschley, D. (2009). Minority special education disproportionally findings and misconceptions. Minorities in Special Education. U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The Ecological Model/Approach The Ecological Model (or Approach) understands the child with exceptionalities in complex interaction with many environmental forces. This replaces the Medical Model which assumes exceptionality exists only within the child. Ecological Approach seeks to modify the exceptional child’s learning and behavior AND the environment around the child. © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Role of Families Families are social systems – mothers, fathers, siblings, etc. – anything impacting one family member will affect others. Families are embedded in larger sociocultural settings; many important values and practices reflect a cultural history that needs to be understood for effective planning and parental interaction. Early Intervention is particularly concerned with strengthening the family environment. Intervention should be family focused. © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Considerations Around the Role of Families In working with the family of a child with exceptionalities, it is important to consider: Family Responses to the Child with an Exceptionality Family-Professional Relationships Emotional Development and the Family Siblings of Children with Exceptionalities Assessing Families © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families Family cultural values impact interaction with the child with exceptionalities as well as professionals providing services. Families come in many varieties. Culture: the attitudes, values, customs, and languages that family and friends transmit to children. Tensions between home culture and school culture can exacerbate the stresses of a child with exceptionalities. A family’s culture must be honored and valued. © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Considerations for Diverse Families Poverty can complicate issues of diversity. RtI provides a way to meet the needs of children and families “in the middle.” The Office of Special Education Programs provides family support. Parent advocacy groups are another source of support and family empowerment. Further research is needed on the effectiveness of family support programs. © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The Transition to the Community Peer influence increases with age. Students take on a larger role in their interventions and services as they grow older. Legislation requires a transition plan be developed when a student reaches age 16. Many community resources for persons with exceptionalities exist but may be “hidden.” © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.