Special education student placement - Essay Example

Effects of special education placement [Department] Effects of special education placement IntroductionOver the past few years, the general fraternity of people with disabilities has seen great improvement in their education system and practices. This has led to increased provision and availability of special education services to these students. There are various placement options for the special education including inclusion classrooms, resource rooms, and self-contained rooms. All these placements can be used by both people with disabilities and those without exceptionalities alike.

Each of the placement has its benefits and challenges.Inclusion classroomBy inclusion, the students with disabilities attend the same schools as their grade peers in that the education programs seek to serve all the students as a single unit regardless of the needs of individual students. Inclusion classrooms have no major difference with the conventional general classroom with the only notable difference being in the individualized support given to students that require special needs. Inclusion provides a chance to students with disabilities to interact with their non-disabled peers.

There are several advantages for adopting this placement over others:The method reduces cases of labeling and discrimination against students with disabilities.Inclusion may also benefit the students with disabilities academically especially if they mingle with higher-achieving peers.It is worth to note that research has shown little or no effect of inclusion on the performance of individuals without exceptionalities (Hoccutt 1996).DisadvantagesDespite the students being offered special education while, in the group, they might not benefit as well as their counterparts in the more structured environments.

The students with disabilities may also feel overwhelmed when included in an inclusion classroom.Self-contained classThis is the exact opposite of the inclusion class, whereby students with disabilities are provided with individualized education programs. This is done in separate classes from other students and, therefore, allows their teachers to work and monitor these students closely (Katz and Mirenda 2002).Benefits of a self-contained classTeachers can employ specialized teaching methods for the students with disabilities, for example, use of computerized systems of teaching.

Self-contained classes facilitate creation of good relationships between teachers and students thereby enhancing the benefits achieved by the students.Challenges of self-contained classroom placementIt facilitates discrimination and labeling of the students with disabilities, and this can lead to lowering their esteem and productivity.The system offers the students with special needs an elusive security since they do not get the actual exposure that the outside world provides.Resource roomThis is a classroom where students with special needs spend a part of their class time receiving more individualized attention and help away from their general classrooms.

In this placement, it is assumed that the students receive primary instructions from the general class while they receive their supplementary instructions from the resource room Katz and Mirenda 2002).Benefits of resource roomsThe students are provided with individualized assistance by their teachers and could benefit more from this placement.ChallengesThe students with special needs may encounter discrimination from their peers.Factors that determine the choice of a placement methodBefore deciding which of the three placements is best suited for a student with special needs, it is important that several factors are looked into:Patterns of learning and development- This refers to the student’s academic ability level and needs.

Teachers and parents alike should formulate a way in which the student best receives academic information.Interests- It is important for teachers and parents to monitor what the student best enjoys, and this could be their social interaction preferences.Cultural and linguistic factors- it is important to avoid stressing students with disabilities may suffer more if placed amongst other people of contradicting culture and language as theirs. It is, therefore, important to consider having their placement in an area or school that has a familiar culture to theirs (Gartner and Lipsky 1987).

In order to achieve successful integration of students into the placement programs discussed above, parents and teachers should collaborate to make proper decisions. Factors such as their cultural backgrounds, interests, and their sociability should be considered before choosing the best placement for the students with special needs (Holtzman and Messick 1982).ReferencesBrownell, M. T., Ross, D. D., Colón, E. P., & McCallum, C. L. (2005). Critical Features of Special Education Teacher Preparation A Comparison With General Teacher Education.

 The Journal of Special Education, 38(4), 242-252.Gartner, A., & Lipsky, D. K. (1987). Beyond special education: Toward a quality system for all students. Harvard educational review, 57(4), 367-396.Hocutt, A. M. (1995). Effectiveness of special education: is placement the critical factor?. The Future of children/Center for the Future of Children, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, 6(1), 77-102.Holtzman, W. H., & Messick, S. (1982). Placing children in special education: A strategy for equity. K. A.

Heller (Ed.). Washington, D.C: National Academies.Katz, J., & Mirenda, P. (2002). Including students with developmental disabilities in general education classrooms: Social benefits. International Journal of Special Education, 17(2), 26-36.