0. Exceptional Children An Introduction to Special Education
Tenth Edition
William L. Heward
© 2013, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

1. The Purpose and Promise of Special Education
Chapter 1
The Purpose and Promise of Special Education

2. Focus Questions When is special education needed? How do we know?
If disability labels do not tell us what and how to teach, why are they used in special education?
Why have court cases and federal legislation been required to ensure that children with disabilities receive a free, appropriate education?
How can a special educator provide all three kinds of intervention—preventive, remedial, and compensatory—on behalf of an individual child?
In what ways do general and special education differ? Are those differences important? If so, why and how?
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. 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.
Four key terms
Impairment - The loss or reduced function of a body part or organ
Disability - Exists when an impairment limits the ability to perform certain tasks
Handicap - A problem encountered when interacting with the environment
Not all children with a disability are handicapped
At risk - Children who have a greater-than-usual chance of developing a disability
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

4. How Many Exceptional Children Are There?
More than 7 million children and youth with disabilities, ages birth to 21, received special education services during the 2009–2010 school year.
Children in special education represent about 12% of the school age population ages 6 to 17.
Twice as many males as females receive special education.
The percentage of students receiving special education under the learning disabilities category has almost doubled (from 23.8% to 42.3%), whereas the percentage of students with intellectual disabilities has decreased to just one-third since the government began collecting data in 1976 – 1977.
About 1 in 6 students with disabilities ages 6 to 13 are “declassified” and no longer receive special education services 2 years later.
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

5. Why Do We Label and Classify Exceptional Children?
Possible Benefits of Labeling and Classification
Recognizes meaningful differences in learning or behavior and is the first step in responding 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
Is the basis of funding and resources for research and other programs
Makes exceptional children’s special needs more visible to policy makers and the public
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

6. Why Do We Label and Classify Exceptional Children?
Possible Disadvantages of Labeling and Classification
Focuses on what students cannot do
May stigmatize and lead to peer rejection
May cause others to have low expectations for the student
May negatively affect self-esteem
Are often misused as explanatory constructs
Diminishes the detection and appreciation of uniqueness
Suggests that there is something wrong with the child
Includes a disproportionate number of children from culturally diverse groups
Requires great expenditure that might be better spent on planning and delivering instruction
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

7. 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
All children are entitled to a free, appropriate public education
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

8. The Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Education Act (IDEA)
The Purposes of IDEA are
To 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
To assist States in the implementation of a statewide, comprehensive interagency system of early intervention
To ensure the necessary tools are available to improve educational results for children with disabilities
To assess, and ensure the effectiveness of, efforts to educate children with disabilities
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

9. Six Major Principles of IDEA
Zero Reject: Schools must educate all children with disabilities
Nondiscriminatory Identification and Evaluation: Schools must use nonbiased, multi-factored methods of evaluation
Free, Appropriate Public Education: Education at public expense is provided; an IEP is developed and implemented for each child
Least Restrictive Environment: Must be educated with children without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate
Due Process Safeguards: Parents’ and children’s rights are protected
Shared Decision Making: Schools must collaborate with parents
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

10. Other Provisions of IDEA
Special Education Services for Preschoolers
Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers
Assistive Technology
Scientifically Based Instruction
Universal Design for Learning
Extended School Year
FAPE and Related Services
Disciplining Students with Disabilities
Right to Education
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

11. Related Legislation Javits Gifted and Talented Children
The Javits Gifted and Talented Children’s Education Act of 1978 provides financial incentives to develop programs for students who are gifted and talented
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)
The intent of NCLB is to improve the achievement of all students, with a particular emphasis on children from low-income families
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

12. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
Accountability for student learning
States are expected to make annual progress toward the 100% goal by 2014.
Scientifically Based Instruction
NCLB puts a special emphasis on using educational programs and practices that rigorous scientific research has demonstrated to be effective.
Implications for students with disabilities
The provisions of NCLB apply to all students, including those with disabilities.
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

13. What is Special Education?
Special education as intervention
Preventive: keep minor problems from becoming a disability
Primary prevention -reduce the number of new cases of a disability
Secondary prevention -eliminate or counteract the effects of risk factors
Tertiary prevention -prevent the effects of a disability from worsening
Remedial: Attempt to eliminate the effects of a disability
Compensatory: Enable successful functioning in spite of the disability
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

14. What is Special Education?
Special education as instruction
Who - Exceptional children whose educational needs necessitate an individually planned program of instruction
What - Special education can sometimes be differentiated from general education by its curriculum
How - Special education differs from general education by its use of specialized, or adapted, materials and methods
Where - Special education can sometimes be identified (but not defined) by where it takes place.
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

15. Current and Future Challenges
Close the research-to-practice gap to improve the quality of instruction
Improve the quality of pre and in-service training programs to ensure that all special educators meet professional standards
Increase the availability and quality of special education programs for gifted and talented students
Help students with disabilities transition from school to adult life
Apply advances in technologies that reduce or eliminate the disabling effects of physical and sensory impairments
Increase access to assistive technology that enhance the educational performance and personal independence of individuals with disabilities
Heward
Exceptional Children, 10e
© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.