Analysis and Description of Special Education - Research Paper Example

? Special Education This paper studies about special education. Special education is defined as another type of education curriculum where it is under the curriculum design that teaches students who are mentally and physically handicapped or exceptional needs, such as students with learning disabilities or mental challenges. AS being researched, the need of special education should be prioritized by the government and of each state. In Texas, there are a lot of schools that offers special education. The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is actually one of those that are credited. TSBVI is a public school that is helped by the state. It provides special education that is designed especially to the specific needs of their students. The school’s vision, mission and philosophy have been discussed all throughout the paper too. The story of success of one of its students has been stated and reflected. This paper defined the meaning of special education, its importance and some of its history. Special Education Education is something that each one should have or possess. It is actually one of the treasures that no one could ever steal in one’s life. Living without education is hard. Uneducated people will somehow feel like living in a place where everything is not so sure. The only basis of their decisions will only be their experiences. Without education, explanations in one’s head are not enough. One of the keys to live a life to the full is to have an explanation for everything. However, what if the world tries to stop the pursuance of it? What if circumstances get along the way? People who are with disabilities should not be boxed inside their house where they are living in a new world which is then created by their own mind. The world where they and should be belong is here. They should be part of the society where they would be provided with the similar things that a normal one has. Moreover, when it comes to education, the right to have it should be given to them. But what type of education should a student with disabilities have? It is the special education. YouDictionary.com (nod) defines special education as, “a form of learning provided to students with exceptional needs, such as students with learning disabilities or mental challenges.” Addition to that, the site also defines it as having “educational programs and practices designed for students, as handicapped or gifted students, whose mental ability, physical ability, emotional functioning, etc. requires special teaching approaches, equipment, or care within or outside a regular classroom.” To discuss some of its history, specialednews.com (n.d.) discussed that, “The contemporary history of special education as we know it today began after World War II. It is at this time that advocacy groups formed such as The United Cerebral Palsy Association, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Civil Rights Movement. These groups began to advocate universal education of all children--even those with special needs. In the 1960’s, under President Kennedy, more schools granted access to children with handicaps. With advocacy and more children who had disabilities attending schools, the Education of all Handicapped Children Act was established. Also known as Public Law 94-142, it states that the federal government will support states in “protecting the rights of, meeting the individual needs of, and improving the results for infants, toddlers, children, and youths, with disabilities and their families. PL 94-142 requires schools to provide “free, appropriate public education to students with a wide range of physical and mental disabilities, and emotional and behavioral disorders.” Schools have to provide the most “least restrictive environment” possible. This is achieved through inclusion, mainstreaming, segregation, and exclusion.” In Texas, Mauro (n.d.) said that children who are three years old or older and are in need of special type of assistance in education can enroll in special-education services in their own districts. She also stated that, “While Texas focuses on providing all students with disabilities access to the general curriculum, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) also requires school districts to provide an individualized educational program developed by the Admission, Review and Dismissal Committee (ARDC). In other states, this committee is called the Individual Education Program (IEP) committee. In addition to providing access to the general curriculum, Texas students must be provided with a continuum of alternative placements.” This is actually a good start for the pursuance of special education in a certain state. The government shows its full support not just to normal students but also to special ones. The government of Texas has actually provided a committee that is in charge of people with disabilities. Found on the website of the office of the governor Rick Perry, “The Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities is within the office of the Governor. The committee's mission is to further opportunities for persons with disabilities to enjoy full and equal access to lives of independence, productivity, and self-determination. The committee is composed of 12 members appointed by the governor and of nonvoting ex officio members. The members are appointed for staggered terms of two years. At least seven of the appointed members must be persons with disabilities. The Committee serves as a central source of information and education on the abilities, rights, problems, and needs of persons with disabilities. The staff of the Governor’s Committee supports and manages the work of the committee. The Committee’s enabling statute is in the Human Resources Code, Chapter 115” (http://www.governor.state.tx.us, n.d.). To acquire what the law says, there are already public schools in Texas that offer special education services. One of these is the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired that is located at 1100 West 45th Street in Austin (www.tsbvi.edu/school, 2013). According to the school’s website, www.tsbvi.edu/school updated last February 28, 2013, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired or TSBVI “is a special public school established and funded by the state of Texas to provide specialized and intense services that focus on the unique learning needs of students with visual impairments, including those with additional disabilities”. The school, which is accredited by the Texas Education Agency as part of the public education system of Texas, is serving not only the local community but most of the blind children in other schools across the state. TSBVI is still operating with its vision and mission that inspire them to move forward. As stated, they are operating the school and its programs to let “All blind and visually impaired students in Texas, including those with additional disabilities or deaf blindness, will have the skills and knowledge to enjoy fulfilling and satisfying lives (vision)” (www.tsbvi.edu/school, 2010). The school is up to “leading center of educational expertise in Texas for students with visual impairments, their families, and the local and regional providers who work with them. TSBVI will provide opportunities for children and youth who are visually impaired, including those with additional disabilities or deaf blindness, to develop the skills necessary to lead vocationally, personally, and socially satisfying and productive lives (mission)” (www.tsbvi.edu/school, 2010). It is also stated that “TSBVI provides a broad range of instructional programs and specialized instruction, including a residential program, free to students or their families during the regular school year and in summer programs. Students receive instruction that can prepare them for high school graduation, for return to their local school districts, or for transition to further education, training or placement in local communities.” (www.tsbvi.edu/school, 2013). TSBVI believes that every blind and visually impaired person in Texas, should have the opportunity to be equal and the right to be different, be provided with the assurance of success in education through comprehensive assessment, should be sounded with educational planning and appropriate placement, should learn the best way through the good teaching skills of the teachers and their proper treatment, should have the access to experience on and off campus services of the school, should be provided with proper instructions regarding their curriculum, must have an educational services that is the same of the sighted students and must have parents that could participate on helping out their children (www.tsbvi.edu/school, 2013). To achieve their goals, TSBVI made a special curriculum that is especially designed to meet the specific needs of each student. Actually, TSBVI’s system for their four curriculums is students can work primarily on one and may participate in parts of others. These are academics, elementary concepts, practical academics and basic skills. Their curriculum varies accordingly. The table below shows the four curriculums’ differences. Table 1. TSBVI’s curriculum differences (http://www.tsbvi.edu/school, 2013) Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired or TSBVI is a special public school established by the Texas Legislature. It is established to provide specialized and intense services which will focus on the unique learning needs of students with visual impairments and also of those with additional disabilities (www.tsbvi.edu, 2013). To further explain it, the school is actually under the support of the state. The law that has been passed with regards to good education among special children is actually a big help for everyone. With the law and the support of the Texas’ government, the right to be educated has been acquired by these children who are handicapped and are really in need of those cares and affection. Being under the state is actually a big help since the school is public and so the students do not pay any. The school will actually do not operate if there would be no support from its state. It is really a good thing that it under the state. As a story to tell, there is a lady who has been awarded as a national Intervener credential last October 2012 - Ruthanne “Mimi” Cisneros Garcia. She actually completed her coursework through Utah State University and did her practicum with a deafblind student at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, coached by Jenny Lace, Education Specialist with the Texas Deafblind Outreach Project. On the blog of the school, Mimi has actually quoted, “I love being part of this exciting world in teaching, and I hope to keep helping change the lives of deafblind children for the better as they have done for me.” (www.tsbvi.edu/blog/dbproject/, 2013). As an educator, this would mean a lot. Serving students like her and being appreciated after is the greatest reward that someone could ever have. It is a pretty good lesson to take note that if there is unity between the state government and the people, the success of their goal is really possible. The dream of success that each one would plant to the mind of these special people will produce its fruits today or tomorrow. What TSBVI does is actually one way of showing sincerity and concern to special students. In conclusion, special education is designed for disabled people. It is a considered as a right for each one of them. It is seen that as time passes by, special education has become affordable and attainable by the people. This is actually the result of the laws being passed and the support that the government is giving to the people. The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired or TSBV, a special public school established and funded by the state of Texas, offers services to provide specialized and intense services that focus on the unique learning needs of students with visual impairments including those with additional disabilities (www.tsbvi.edu/school, 2013). This is actually on its way to success as one of its students has been awarded already. Together with the school’s vision and mission, special education becomes a good work. There is hope on every special child’s dream. References (2013, April 1). National intervener credential. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.tsbvi.edu/blog/dbproject/ Mauro, T. (n.d.). Special education in Texas. Retrieved May 9, 2013 from http://specialchildren.about.com/od/Special-Education/a/Special-Education-Services-In-Texas.htm Overview of programs and services. (28, February 2013). Retrieved May 9, 2013, from Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired website, http://www.tsbvi.edu/school Special education. (n.d.). Retrieved May 4, 2013, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/special-education Special education news. (n.d.). Retrieved May 4, 2013 from http://www.specialednews.com/ The governor’s committee on people with disabilities. (n.d.). Retrieved May 9, 2013, from the Office of the governor Ricky Perry website, http://www.governor.state.tx.us/disabilities TSBVI mission statement. (n.d.). Retrieved May 9, 2013, from Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired website, http://www.tsbvi.edu/tsbvi-mission-statement Read More