Special Education at West Boca Raton High School - Essay Example

Case Scenario Introduction: The school for this study is the West Boca Raton high school, based in Florida. This is a hybrid school that offers both traditional and Academy courses. The school has been able to integrate the various different departments such as arts, science, music, performing arts, social studies, physical education and others. On the basis of a preliminary examination of the school and interviews with some of its teachers, it appears that West Boca Raton school excels in academic performance as well as in other areas, but it has several disabled students included on its rolls. The parents of these children have conflicting needs, because one group of parents offers the view that their children are not being included in the mainstream and are thus being treated as pariahs, while the other half feels that the disabilities of their children are not being given an adequate amount of attention. The following ten questions are posed, which are addressed in the context of the literature review that follows. (1) How can inclusive education for disabled students be defined in general? (2) Is the Boca Raton school a participant in the All Students All Schools five year program? (3) What should the ultimate goal of inclusive education at the Boca Raton school? (4) What is the teacher response to inclusive education at the Boca Raton school? (5) What strategies can teachers at Boca Raton follow to provide an inclusive education policy for the school’s disabled students? (6) What are the barriers, if any, for inclusion policies for disabled students at the school? (7) What is the legal basis upon which the rights of the disabled students at the Boca Raton students are upheld? (8) Are students at Boca Raton being provided the Free Appropriate Public Education mandated under the IDEA? (9) Should disabled students at Boca Raton be provided with an Individualized Education program as set out under the provisions of the IDEA Act? (10) Is education for disabled students being imparted in the Least Restrictive Environment as set out under IDEA? These questions are answered below under the following section titled “Literature Review.” The major source of this information is an assessment through a literature review or an examination of the views of experts, which is then assessed in the context of the researcher’s observations at the school, based upon conversations and interviews with parents, students and teachers. Literature review: Inclusive education: A definition for inclusive education has been provided by Stainback and Stainback (1990:3) who are experts in the field of special education targeted at disabled children, as follows: “…..everyone belongs and is accepted and is supported by his or her peers and other members of the school community in the course of having his or her educational needs met.” Inclusive education is therefore based on the premise that each individual is unique and valued and does belong within the general community, whether disabled or not. Bateman and Bateman (2002) have pointed out that inclusion as such, means that all students will be taught within the general education classroom and will be pulled out of that classroom to be taught in an outside classroom only in the event that all other available methods have been tried with the students and have failed to meet their needs. Moreover, such outside classrooms are viewed as a strictly temporary measure and the focus of educator efforts is to get the child back into the general education classroom as soon as possible. All students All schools program: In reference to the state of Florida, Manten (2003) reports that the majority of schools have participated in the All Students All Schools (ASAS) five year program that is targeted to achieve higher degrees of inclusion of disabled students in mainstream schools, with their participation in general education classrooms climbing to as much as 80% per day. The school at Boca Raton is also a participant in the program and should therefore be working towards the same goals of high levels of inclusion. Goal of inclusive education: There has been a great deal of debate on the question of inclusion and integration in education, with experts presenting diversified views on the question of whether or not it can be successfully achieved.(Stainback and Stainback, 1985; Lieberman, 1985). The ultimate goal of inclusive education is to inculcate positive self identify in all students. But this does not necessarily mean that educational means used to achieve this will neglect the differences between students and their special needs. In the case of disabled students in particular, Ferguson and Asch (1989:131) describe the educational dilemma as follows: “ How do disabled people come to think of themselves in ways that incorporate their disability as an important part of their personal and social identity? It is a theme that complicates the call for educational integration. In both the literature and our personal reflections we find an undeniable recognition that a well-developed sense of identity as a disabled adult needs some significant involvement as a child with other people (children and adults) who have similar disabilities”. Therefore, the goal of inclusive education cannot be said to be that of creating homogenous educational standards to apply to all students, rather the goal must be to support the development of positive self identify for all groups, including students with disabilities. At the Boca Raton school, the same standards appear to have been set, because achieving excellence for every school is one of the primary objectives of the school. Teacher response to inclusive education: In so far as teacher response to inclusive education is concerned, there is a need to adopt a differentiated teaching style in order to be able to reach all students, including disabled ones. Villa et al (2000:536) note that it is vital that teacher educators “create new and innovative initiatives that model faculty and community collaboration and depart from traditional ways of inducting educators in their profession.” Therefore teachers must be equipped with a wide base of knowledge about diverse learners as well as strategies for instruction and adjustments to the environment that can be made in order to accommodate the differences that exist among students in inclusive classrooms and making provision for disabled students. Some of the strategies that have been identified for teachers in dealing with disabled students in the inclusive classroom includes cooperative group learning, tutoring of disabled students by their peers, discussion cards, think-pair-share and carousel feedback, all of which have been found to be successful in inclusive education. (Hamre and Oyler 2004). But at the present time, cooperative group learning is encouraged; however many of the other policies have not been followed and more could be done by teachers in reaching out to disabled students and improving their educational outcomes. The utilization of more than one teacher in a classroom is also another innovative aspect of inclusion, where smaller classrooms and a higher teacher to student ratio have been found to be beneficial, as also recommended by the National Education Association. (Kochar, West and Taymans, 2000). This is not being implemented to the desired extent at the Boca Raton school, rather there appears to be an awareness of what needs to be done but the major thrust is on working with the normal students rather than the disabled students. Advantages of inclusive education for disabled students: Specific advantages have been identified for disabled students who are a part of inclusive classes. According to Kochar, West and Taymans (2000), inclusion might present difficulties for parents, teachers and students, however the benefits of inclusion outweigh the cons. Some of the advantages they have identified include: (a) the development of more socially appropriate behavior in disabled children, (b) promotion of levels of achievement in disabled students (c) improving the ability of both teachers and students to adapt to diversity in teaching and learning styles. They also point out that the National Education Association recommends that in order to achieve the best results from inclusive classrooms, the number of students should not be more than 28, of which only 25% should comprise disabled students. They have also recommended that multiple teachers be used in staffing one class, so that equal attention is paid to all students as they work in collaborative groups. Beneficial effects on disabled students from being in inclusive classrooms has also been corroborated by other researchers. For example, Baker and Zigmond (1995) found academic and social benefits for elementary school students with special needs after their entry into inclusive schools, as measured through their performance of standard tasks. Another study that was conducted specifically on middle school children with mild disabilities found several positive benefits for these students, including increased self confidence, the ability to perform to higher expectations and better relationships with peers and teacher support.(Ritter, Michael and Irby, 1999). Inclusive classrooms also offer benefits to students without disabilities, in making them more sensitive and accepting of the disabilities of others. Brown (2001) points out the special importance of the elementary school stage in inclusive classrooms, in that learning assumes its greatest significance during the early years and it is also the best time to teach children to respect differences among people and to appreciate individual contributions. Moreover, since young children have not yet formed negative stereotypes about people, there is less chance for the bullying and teasing of disabled students or those with special needs, which may go on in higher classrooms. When these views offered by researchers were applied in the Boca Raton school, there is a lot that needs to be done, because of the greater focus on normal students vis a vis the difficulties of ensuring early inclusion. Barriers to inclusion: Kochar, West and Taymans (2000) have also identified certain barriers to inclusion that may be broadly classified into three different areas (a) organizational difficulties that are presented to schools in managing the way in which classes are taught and staffed (b) attitude barriers of teachers: in that while most teachers may agree in principle with inclusion, many of them do not feel prepared to deal with the challenges posed in teaching in an inclusive classroom to a diverse range of students. Moreover, inclusive classrooms often utilize more than one teacher, which means that individual teachers need to relinquish some control, which is still a strange concept for teachers who have been through traditional teaching systems. (c) knowledge barriers – this is also experienced in teachers, in that many of them do not feel that they have received adequate academic training that equips them to cope with the diverse needs of a mixed classroom. Batemen and Bateman (2002) outlined the regulations governing inclusion and the knowledge that principals must possess in this regard. They clarify that inclusion may not be mandated in every instance, rather the law requires that a continuum of services will be available for each student in accordance with their individual needs. For example, some students with disabilities may require a greater level of structure in their learning, which can only be provided in a special education rather than a general education classroom (Bateman and Bateman, 2002). Moreover, special education teachers are better equipped to deal with disabled students, although they are also used in inclusive classes, to work with other teachers and student groups. Principals in particular, need to be sensitive to the question of flexibility in assessing individual student needs and directing teachers accordingly in ensuring that optimum level of educational services are provided to all students. Brown (2000) examines inclusion in early childhood education from the perspective of parents. From the interviews conducted with parents, the study revealed that most parents of disabled children prefer to place them in inclusive schools because they want the child to have a normal experience and not experience isolation, so that they are able to develop normal social skills and cognitive abilities to the greatest extent possible. Some of the parents also expressed fears and uncertainties about inclusion, such as the potential lack of teacher attention, ridicule of peers and reduced services for their children. This study concluded that in order to achieve successful inclusion, it is necessary for children, teachers and administrators to embrace a philosophy that welcomes and provides support to all children within the school setting.(Brown 2000) There was also a need identified in this study, to refine the kind of education and skills that are provided to educators in order to make them more sensitive to the needs of disabled children and to enable them to collaborate effectively with parents. Another need that was identified in this study was the need to use teaching strategies to promote social and cognitive development of all children through the design of appropriate educational environments. The mainly favorable parental attitude towards inclusion is also echoed in another study conducted by Rafferty and Boettcher (2000). These authors found that most parents were very satisfied with their disabled pre school child’s inclusion program and felt that it was beneficial to them. However, among practitioners, both teachers and school staff were less likely to support inclusion for those students who were suffering from severe disabilities. Thompson, Quenemoen et al (2001) have reported several positive comments from teachers, counselors and school administrators on the positive impact of inclusion for disabled students in both state and district assessment tests. There has also been support for inclusive education among parents of disabled students at the Boca Raton school, but these parents are unhappy that measures are not being instituted by the school to commence inclusive education at an early stage. It is also significant to note that some parents at the Boca Raton school are against the policy of inclusive education. The integration of disabled students has also posed a challenge for schools through their inclusion in standards, assessments and accountability systems. Thompson and Thurlow (2001) have reported some of the concerns of school administrators about a lowering of their overall district ratings through the inclusion of more disabled students. They have also reported a negative impact in some students, who are unable to reach state assessment standards, with parents fearing that their children will not graduate. The Boca Raton School has been given an “A” rating by the Florida department of Education, thus it is one where students excel and have achieved high standards of academic and art performance, therefore there is strong concern about the lowering of the overall standards by the focus on disabled students. The Legal basis for inclusion: The basis of the legal debate that resulted in IDEA 2004 (the Individual with Disabilities Education Act) is the civil rights movement. The rights of disabled students being specifically addressed under the Education for all handicapped Children Act of 19751 later renamed as the Disabilities Act (IDEA). Free Appropriate Public Education: IDEA 2004 clearly spells out the intent of Congress on desired outcomes for children with disabilities, i.e, all disabled students must be provided with a Free Appropriate Public education which will prepare them to pursue further education and employment, in order to enable them to be able to live independently. However, the IDEA is specifically intended to assist those students whose disability affects their educational performance. The child with a disability who will be eligible is defined under the IDEA 2004 as a child with “mental retardation, hearing impairments (including deafness), speech or language impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments or specific learning disabilities ..... who ….needs special education and related services.”2 At the Boca Raton school, this is one aspect which cannot be disputed, because being a public school, education is freely accessible but the issue of whether it is appropriate for every student, especially the disabled ones, remain open to question. Individualized Education program: Under the provisions of IDEA 2004, a disabled child who is found to be eligible to receive special education and assistance is entitled to an Individualized Education program, by which the curriculum is to be specially designed by way of modification of content and mode of delivery to meet the unique needs that arise in the child on the basis of his or disability. At the present time, the school does not offer an IEP, rather the disabled students are included in classrooms with other children, but there appears to be substantial ground tot support the contention of some parents of school students that the students’ disabilities are not being adequately addressed – this is evident in the absence of an IEP for each student. Least restrictive Environment: The provisions of IDEA 2004 also allow for the child to receive this education in the Least Restrictive Environment, which means that as far as possible, disabled children are to be placed in classes with those who are not disabled, and separation of the disabled children should occur only in those instances where the nature of the disability is so severe that the child is unable to receive an adequate education in mixed classes, despite the use of supplementary aids3. As Gordon points out, the question of Least restrictive Environment, as defined in the IDEA and earlier legislation for the education of children with disabilities has generated much controversy due to the question of whether it mandates inclusion of disabled students with non disabled students as necessarily being the least restrictive environment; however while inclusion may be one of the means to fulfill the LRE requirement, the law does not require it4. As already stated earlier, this policy appears to be in force at the Boca Raton school. References: * Baker, J.M. and Zigmond, N, 1995. “The meaning and practice of inclusion for students with learning disabilities.: Themes and implications from the five case studies.” Journal of Special Education, 29(2): 163-180 * Bateman, David and Bateman, Fred C, 2002. “What does a principal need to know about inclusion?” ERIC Digest (ED Identifier: ED 473828) * Ferguson, P., & Asch, A, 1989. “Lessons from life: Personal and parental perspectives on school childhood, and disability”. IN D. Biklen, D. Ferguson, and A. Ford (Eds.), Schooling and disability” Chicago: National Society for the Study of Education, pp 108-140. Gordon, Stacey, 2006. “Making sense of the inclusion debate under IDEA” Brigham Young University Education and law Journal, 189, available on Lexis Nexis * Hamre, B and Oyler, C, 2004. “Preparing teachers for the inclusive classroom” Journal of teacher Education, 55(2): 154-163 IDEA Parent Guide, National Center for Learning Disabilities, April, 2006. Retrieved August 20, 200 from: http://www.ncld.org/images/stories/downloads/parent_center/idea2004parentguide.pdf, at pp 36 * Kemp, Coral and Carter, Mark, 2006. “Active and passive task related behavior, Direction following and the inclusion of children with disabilities.” Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 41(1): 14-27 * Kochar, C.A., West, L.L. and Taymans, J.M., 2000. “Successful inclusion: practical strategies for a shared responsibility.” NJ: Prentice Hall * Lieberman, L, 1985. “Special and regular education: A merger made in heaven?” Exceptional Children, 51: 513-517. * Manten, R, 2003. “Moving forward with Inclusive Practices” All Students All Schools Newsletter, 3: 1,4 * Motwani, Mona, 2007. “The ADA and IDEA Basics: Inclusion of Children with Disabilities.” Exchange: The Early Childhood Leaders Magazine since 1978.” 174: 14-19 * Ritter, C.L., Michael, C.S. and Irby, B, 1999. “Concerning inclusion: perceptions of middle school students, their parents and teachers.” Rural Special Education Quarterly, 18(2): 10-17 * Rafferty, Yvonne and Boettcher, Caroline, 2000. “Inclusive education for pre schoolers with disabilities: comparative views of parents and practitioners.” ERIC document no: ED 450 505 * Stainback, S. and Stainback, W, 1985. “The merger of special and regular education: Can it be done?” Exceptional Children, 51: 517-521. * Stainback, W and Stainback, S, 1990. “Support networks for inclusive schooling: interdependent integrated education. “ Baltimore: Paul H Brookes. * Thompson, S.J., Quenemoen, R.F., Thurlow, M.L. and Ysseldyke, J.E., 2001. “Alternate assessments for students with disabilities.” CA: Corwin Press * Thompson, S and Thurlow, M, 2001. “State special education outcomes: A report on state activities at the beginning of a new decade.” MN: National center on Educational Outcomes. [online] available at: http://www.education.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/2001StateReport.html * Villa, R.A., Thousand, J.S. and Chapple, J.W., 2000. “Preparing educators to implement inclusive practices.” IN Villa, R.A. and Thousand, J.S (2nd edn) “Restructuring for caring and effective education: Piecing the puzzle together.” Baltimore: Paul H Brookes, at pp 531-557 Read More