The Purpose and Promise of Special Education Chapter 1 The Purpose and Promise of Special Education Developed by: Blanche Jackson Glimps Tennessee State University

Chapter Objectives Distinguish among the following terms: impairment, disability, handicap, and at risk. Identify the percentage of school-age children served in special education and name the most prevalent disability categories. Explain why disability labels do not tell us what and how to teach and why labels are used in special education. Identify key court cases and federal legislation that have led to mandates for a free appropriate education for children with disabilities.

Chapter Objectives Define and give an example of each of the three types of intervention-preventive, remedial, and compensatory. Describe the defining dimensions of special education. Identify several challenges facing the field of special education.

Who Are Exceptional Children? Exceptional children differ from the norm (either below or above) to such an extent that they require an individualized program of special education and related services to fully benefit from education. The term students with disabilities is more restrictive, than exceptional children, as it does not include children who are gifted and talented.

Four Key Terms Impairment - Loss or reduced function of a particular body part or organ Disability - Exists when an impairment limits the ability to perform certain tasks Handicap – Is a problem, or disadvantage, encountered when interacting with the environment At risk – Are children who have a greater-than-usual chance of developing a disability

How Many Exceptional Children Are There? More than 6.4 million children and youth with disabilities, ages 3 through 21, received special education services during the 2012 to 2013 school year. Children with disabilities in special education represent 13% of the school age population. Twice as many males as females receive special education. There are 3 to 5 million academically gifted and talented students in grades K through 12 in the U.S.

Some Benefits of Labeling and Classification Recognizes meaningful differences in learning or behavior and is the first step in responding responsibly to differences. Provides access to accommodations and services not available to persons without the label. Helps practitioners and researchers communicate with one another and classify and evaluate research findings. Leads to more acceptance by peers.

Some Benefits of Labeling and Classification Helps make exceptional children’s special needs more visible to policy-makers and the public. Enables disability-specific advocacy groups to promote specific programs and spur legislative action. Funding and resources for research and other programs are often based on specific categories of exceptionality.

Some Disadvantages of Labeling and Classification Focuses on what students cannot do May stigmatize and lead to peer rejection May cause teachers to have low expectations for the student May negatively affect self-esteem

Some Disadvantages of Labeling and Classification Often are misused as explanatory constructs. Creates a tendency to assume all children in a category share traits, diminishing the detection and appreciation of each child’s uniqueness. A disproportionate number of children from some racial or ethnic backgrounds have been assigned disability labels. Requires the expenditure of a great amount of money and professional and student time that might be better spent delivering and evaluating the effects of intervention for struggling students.

Alternatives to Labeling and Classification The lowest achieving 20% and the highest achieving 20% be eligible for broad approaches to improvement of learning opportunities. Classification according to the curriculum and skill areas that need to be learned. Use words that help focus on the individual child and his primary role as a student. Professional and advocacy have taken differing views on disability labels. Rosa’s Law changed all references to mental retardation in federal statues to intellectual disabilities.

Why Are Laws Governing the Education of Exceptional Children Necessary? An Exclusionary Past Children who are different have often been denied full and fair access to educational opportunities. Separate Is Not Equal Special education was strongly influenced by social developments and court decisions in the 1950s and 1960s (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education). Equal Protection PARC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania All children are entitled to a free, appropriate public education.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: Purposes Ensure that all children have available to them a free appropriate public education; to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities and their parents are protected; and to assist state and local educational agencies in providing for the education of children with disabilities Assist states in the implementation of a statewide, comprehensive interagency system of early intervention Ensure the necessary tools are available to improve educational results for children with disabilities Assess, and ensure the effectiveness of, efforts to educate children with disabilities

Major Principles of IDEA Zero Reject Nondiscriminatory Evaluation Free Appropriate Public Education Least Restrictive Environment Procedural Safeguards Parent Participation and Shared Decision Making

Other Provisions of IDEA Special Education Services for Preschoolers Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers Assistive Technology Scientifically Based Instruction Universal Design for Learning

Legal Challenges to IDEA Extended School Year Armstrong v. Kline FAPE and Related Services Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley Disciplining Students with Disabilities Stuart v. Nappi Right to Education Timothy W. v. Rochester School District

Related Legislation Javits Gifted and Talented Student Education Act provides financial incentives Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Extends civil rights to people with disabilities Americans with Disabilities Act Extends civil rights protection to private sector employment, all public services, public accommodation, and transportation Elementary and Secondary Education Act (A.K.A., No Child Left Behind Act) Improve the achievement of all students, with a particular emphasis on children from low-income families

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) Accountability for student learning Requires annual assessment of at least 95% of all students in each school district in reading and math in grades 3 through 8 and at least once in grades 10 through 12. Scientifically Based Instruction Places a special emphasis on using educational programs and practices that rigorous scientific research has demonstrated to be effective. Implications for students with disabilities Applies the provisions to all students, including those with disabilities.

What is Special Education? As Intervention Preventive-Keep minor problems from becoming a disability Primary prevention Secondary prevention Tertiary prevention Remedial-Attempts to eliminate the effects of a disability Compensatory-Enables successful functioning in spite of the disability

What is Special Education? As Instruction Who: Consist of an interdisciplinary team of professionals, working together with parents and families, with the primary responsibility for helping exceptional children learn What: Differentiated, sometimes, by its curriculum—what is taught How: Use of specialized or adapted, materials and methods Where: Identified (but not defined) by where it takes place.

Special Education: Definition Individually planned, specialized intensive, goal-directed instruction Characterized by the use of evidence-based teaching methods, the application of which is guided by direct and frequent measures of student performance

Close The Research-To-Practice Gap Improve the quality of pre and in-service training programs. Increase the availability and quality of special education programs for gifted and talented students. Help secondary students with disabilities transition from school to adult life.

Close The Research-To-Practice Gap Increase funding for special education. Improve the behavior and attitudes of people without disabilities toward those with disabilities. Open more opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in the full range of residential, employment, and recreational options available to people without disabilities.

Close The Research-To-Practice Gap Apply advances in technologies that reduce or eliminate the disabling effects of physical and sensory impairments. Increase access to assistive technology.