Analysis of Lifelong Learning - Term Paper Example

Lifelong Learning Introduction: For someone who knows how normal development occurs, it is not inconceivable that development may become derailed and may lead to pathological conditions. Many examples may be cited for developmental anomalies, but autism and similar developmental disorders may serve as good examples of experiments of nature. Their underlying biology, psychology as well as the type of adaptations that these affected individuals can use to compensate for their difficulties may surprisingly reveal mechanisms and processes that are otherwise concealed from awareness of scientific scrutiny. As serious, lifelong conditions, these disorders have generated important challenges to the systems that relate to the individuals with disabilities including educational, vocational, medical, and psychiatric systems. Diagnosis: The paired processes of diagnosis and classification of these developmental disorders characterized by disability in many spheres of function are fundamental to intervention. The diagnostic process includes all of the activities in which a clinician engages in trying to understand the nature of an individual's difficulty. The result of this process is often a narrative account, a portrait of the individual's past, the current problems, and the ways in which these problems can be related to each other and to possible underlying causes. In the course of diagnostic process, the clinician will learn about the patient's history, observe the patient, engage in specialized investigations, and use laboratory and other methods for helping define the patient's problems and their causes. The clinician will integrate the findings from these activities based on specialized scientific knowledge. Often more than one clinician may be involved in the diagnostic process; then, the final clinical diagnostic formulation will integrate the pooled information into a coherent and consensual narrative that reflects the varied information. One component of the diagnostic process is the assignment of the patient's difficulties, signs, symptoms, pains, troubles, worries, dysfunctions, and abnormal tests to a specific class or category of illness or disorder. The newer methods of classification of developmental, psychiatric, behavioural, and mental disorders respect the distinction between diagnosing an individual and classifying his or her problems (CDC, 2004). Early Intervention Priorities: For early intervention priorities, it is to be remembered that there is no obvious physical marker for most of the conditions. The problems that result from neurobehavioural disabilities often get directed at the caregiver. These disabilities are harder to accept since these children do not ask for help in the usual lovable way. Unless one validates the problems as true disabilities, one will dismiss the problems, and instead, blame the person as being uncontrollable. The starting point for the intervention is an atypical child and his or her dysfunctions. With such disabilities, most of these children fail to learn. The early intervention priorities, therefore, deploy strategies that hammer away at the area of deficit and strategies that effectively circumvent it. In dyslexia, for example, Orton-Gillingham, a structured, multisensory approach, stressing phonics grounded on language-based learning processes, is the hammer-away approach, whereas using books on tape is the circumvent approach. Both types of interventions have their essential and legitimate uses. There are many different goals for educating the young children with developmental disabilities. At the root of these goals are societal desires and expectations about the benefits of education of all children and assumptions about what is important and what is possible to teach children with these disorders. Educational and interventional goals for these individuals often need to address language, social, and adaptive goals that are not part of standard curricula. Both academic and nonacademic goals must be considered against the background of standard-based educational reform according to which educators will increasingly become accountable for establishing and meeting goals that are challenging for students at all levels of disability, while allowing for individual adaptations for students with significant cognitive disabilities (RTC PORTLAND, 2007). Educational Programmes and Services: Although emphasis placed on different services and programmes may differ, these deal with similar goals across different areas. These include social and cognitive development, verbal and nonverbal communication, adaptive skills, increased competence in motor activities, and amelioration of behavioural difficulties. The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities has resource sheets that list the key programs in each state for children with developmental problems and for their families. These lists include state agencies serving children and youth with disabilities, state chapters of disability organizations and parent groups, and parent training and information projects. Every state provides educational services to children who have developmental problems. These programs can start just after the birth of a baby and would last until the baby turns 22. US Department of Education has written a guide to help parents, teachers, and education agencies that is known as IEP or individualized educational program for children with disabilities. The DOE also has a guideline for the parents' rights and responsibilities in the special education process. It includes suggestions about the ways parents can have input into their Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). NICHCY also has a published guideline on how to get early interventions for children and special education for children(CDC, 2004). Transitional Programs and Procedures: Often behaviors targeted in education or therapy, are not of immediate practical value but are addressed because of presumed links to overall educational goals. The structuring of activities in which a child can succeed and feel successful is an inherent part of special education. Sometimes, the behavior is one component of a series of actions that comprise an important achievement. Breaking down a series of actions into components can facilitate learning. Sometimes, goals of treatment and education involve attempting to limit and treat the effects of one aspect of the disability with the assumption that such a transitional treatment will allow a child to function more competently in a range of activities as a final goal. For example, a number of treatment programs emphasize treating the sensory abnormalities of autism with the implication that this will facilitate the child's acquisition of communication or social skills, and these involve auditory integration and sensory integration. The transitional programs are designed to provide intensive transition services through its emphasis on exploring and broadening the range of individuals' choices about employment, living arrangements, and social activities. Studies have shown that one's ability to use proper judgment, interact effectively with others, and problem solve is often the determining factor in whether one will meet success or failure within the work setting. Thus, in designing the programs, cultivating a student's ability for self-direction, autonomy, decision making, and problem solving becomes matters of importance (RTC PORTLAND, 2007). Assessment: The process of assessment begins with observation. The initial observation happens in the home setting, in a familiar, routine environment, the primary focus being to observe interactions between the family members and to note the family attitudes. Students are then followed to their work experience sites that represent a more structured environment. Task-specific skills, ability for self-direction, and adherence to rules established by the employer are examined. Finally, the students are observed in an unfamiliar community situation. The focus of such assessment is the student's ability to self direction. Several quantitative assessments are designed to assess self concept, interest, overall life satisfaction, and self-direction. However, it is to be noted that these are abstract concepts, and no satisfactory assessment tool is available. It could be suggested that it would have been better, if dysfunction-specific objective tools would have been utilized for this purpose (Johnson, J.A., 1989). Evaluation: Although transition projects are popular, it must be said they are still experimental. The key program activities vary from one program to other, and identification of a set of activities that help successful transition is yet to be done. The roles of family members, instructional and therapeutic staff, and formal and informal mentors are yet not specific, and there is no uniformity of acceptable standards in this area. The measurement and assessment of achievement of these people with special needs again is a difficult task, and actually a personalized educational, transitional, and occupational guideline is the need of the hour. References CDC, (2004). Developmental Disabilities. National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. Accessed from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dd/resources.htm on January 22, 2008. Johnson, J.A.,(1989). Developmental Disabilities: A Handbook for Occupational Therapists. The Haworth Press. New York. RTC PORTLAND (2007). Transition to Independence: Outcomes of School-Based Support for Youth with Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. Accessed from http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgProj_2transforming.shtml on January 22, 2008 Read More