Special Education in Todays Schools - Research Proposal Example

Research Proposal about Special Education Major PhD Program By [Presented to] of INTRODUCTION 1: Introduction Special education has emerged as one of the highly researched areas in last few years focusing on students with special needs along with addressing individual needs and differences (Beverly, York-Barr, 1997). The research proposal aims to state the importance of special education as a research area that can create a difference in the society along with adding value to a number of individuals in an organised manner. Special education requires an understanding over the teaching and learning procedures along with intervention tools that will enable learners to attain higher level of self sufficiency under positive guidance and support. For this purpose, the researcher has formulated the research aim and objectives that have been stated below: 1.2: Research Aim The research aims to state the importance of special education at the PhD level along with highlighting its importance in creating a difference in the society by supporting and guiding students with special needs. For this purpose, few research objectives have been designed stated below. 1.3: Research Objectives The research objectives are as follow: To ascertain the importance and need of special education in the current social world To underpin the benefits and advantages of offering special education to students in need To identify ways through which special education learning and understanding can be used in an effective manner through leadership and management LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1: Introduction The literature review is aimed to present an understanding over the literature written in the context of special education highlighting its relevance and importance along with its benefits in the social environment. The idea is form an understanding that will help in gaining knowledge about special education along with its worth and importance as adding value in the personal and professional setups. 2.2: An Understanding over Special Education Special education is meant for students with special needs covering individual differences in a systematic manner. It involves individually or group planned objectives, teaching procedures and useful and innovative interventions designed to help students to attain higher level of understanding leading to self sufficiency (Swan, Morgan, 1993). Special education can be offered within a school, college or community with the prime motive of paying focus on special needs of students. Special needs may include challenges with learning, physical disabilities, emotional and mental disorders and developmental disorders. Education can be offered to anyone using classroom setting or sharing of knowledge. However, special education demands more of a systematic and compassionate approach as students’ special needs often reduce their ability to learn independently and thus thwarting their progress in the learning phase (Goodman, 1990). Special education requires more of a compassionate approach that cannot be offered in a general classroom setting. With social stigma attached with special education, it is important to integrate it with general education system to bring differences in the society. There are a number of students with special needs requiring support and guidance to excel as students and this is where special education holds great importance in the society. Students with learning difficulties can be easily identified by assessing their learning ability highlighting their disabilities. At the same time, students whose learning identification is less obvious, two models can be used; discrepancy model and response to intervention model. The discrepancy model is based on identifying students whose achievements are below to what was expected and response to intervention is based on the idea of using intervention tools like guidance, brainstorming and presentations of ideas to shape the minds of students along with making them learn and understand in an effective manner (Turnbull, 2002) There is no doubt that special education is different from the general education in terms of concentrating more on the special needs of students along with enhancing their learning and understanding over wide arrays of subjects. Teachers are supposed to offer more time to students by using different ways and techniques that will draw the attention of students along with making them enthusiastic for learning new things. There have been a number of criticisms for special education mainly because of its mainstream approach that hardly differs from the setup of general education in some cases. Moreover, special education requires instructional guidance and assistance rather academic enlightening (Jorgensen, 1998). A number of countries have special education system offering learning tools to students with special needs. The role of special educators matters the most in offering special education along with creating a difference. Overall, it can be said that special education is the need of the global society to mitigate the gap between individuals with no disabilities and individuals with disabilities to offer learning to everyone along with empowering them in the right manner using right objectives and approaches (Tejeda-Delgado, 2009). The next part of the discussion presents an understanding over the research methodology elements that will help in accomplishing the purposed aim and objectives of the research. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1: An Understanding over the Elements of the Methodology Saunders, et al (2007) stated that research methodology is a systematic approach towards the accomplishment of research aim and objectives. It is important to discuss about the research philosophy, research approach, data collection methods and ethical issues. Research philosophy can be categorised into positivism and anti-positivism philosophy. Positivism philosophy is based on general rules and regulations often supported by empirical evidences to achieve the proposed aims and objectives. On the other hand, anti-positivism philosophy is based on personal observation, analysis and interpretation of issues using logical mindset. The researcher will use anti-positivism philosophy in his research to gain deeper understanding over the special education based on personal understanding and observations. Research approach can be categorised under inductive and deductive approach where inductive approach is based on identification of the research issue and analysing it through personal observations and logical interpretation rather than depending too much on empirical evidences. On the other hand, deductive approach is based on general rules and regulations depending on empirical evidence. The researcher will use inductive approach in his research to focus more on the advantage, usefulness, importance and loopholes in the special education. There is no doubt that samples to be studied and observed will be students with special needs and their special needs will be identified through observations and personal understanding. The researcher will study and observe a sample size of 500 special students to understand their needs and requirements along with deriving learning platforms and ideas helping them to learn by being compassionate and ethical in approach. Based on the study, the researcher will form conclusions and recommendations in the context of special education. LEARNING OBJECTIVES The prime objective of the doctoral program in special education is to focus on competencies that will help the researcher in the areas of teaching, learning and research along with emerging as a leader to contribute in the welfare of the society at the macro level. There is no doubt that gaining knowledge in the field of special knowledge requires great amount of understanding and hard work along with a positive and compassionate approach. Learning objectives also include getting theoretical insights on learning disabilities, emotional/behavioural disorders and intellectual disabilities. All these elements are based on the understanding of human psychology and impact of the internal and external factors. This shows that learning objectives are very much broader in terms of achieving the proposed goal and objectives of being a doctorate in the field of special education. Learning objectives can also be divided into four parts including foundation, teaching, research and service. The foundation part will be based on gaining knowledge over special knowledge along with understanding its importance and characteristics, the teaching part is based on showing skills and attributes in sharing the learning along with upgrading knowledge of others by being passionate and compassionate while the research part will be carried to strengthen the literature based on the theoretical and practical understanding over special knowledge along with identifying issues and trends in special knowledge. The last part is based on offering one’s service to the society at the local, state or national level in order to initiate changes by empowering the lives of students needing special education. Overall, it can be said that with a number of learning objectives being anticipated and divided into different parts, the research is surely going to add great value. The next part of the discussion presents an understanding over the likely approach and performance of the researcher. Reflection Every individual wants to learn from his past and present experiences along with adding value to the personal and professional life. Being a passionate and compassionate individual, the researcher believes that pursuing doctorate in special education will help in accomplishing the dream of contributing in the success of the society by empowering students and societies needing special attention and guidance for their specific needs. The researcher wants to build a foundation based on theoretical aspects of special education along with gaining appropriate knowledge and understanding that will help in teaching students along with making them learn and understand in a systematic and compassionate manner. There is no doubt that early years are going to be very challenging and later years are going to be very demanding. However, the zeal to bring the difference in the society by empowering students with special needs is the biggest motivation that will guide the researcher in the right manner. Moreover, further research in the same area will help in strengthening the literature along with adding value and prospects in the field of special education. The research and completion of the doctorate degree will also allow practicing the role of special educator along with formulating new courses, intervention tools and systematic approaches leading to the welfare and encouragement to a number of students with special needs. Overall, it can be said that the research proposal is based on the ideas of what the researcher is looking to accomplish after the completion of the doctorate degree along with understanding in between intricacies. There is no doubt that high level of enthusiasm and great interest in the field of special knowledge drives the urge to learn more as a learner, researcher and leader that will be further highlighted in the due course of the research initiative and degree completion. BIBLIOGRAPHY Beverly R; York-Barr, J (1997) “Collaborative Teams for Students with Severe Disabilities: Integrating Therapy and Educational Services”. Brookes Publishing Company. Goodman, L (1990) “Time and learning in the special education classroom”. Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press. p. 122 Jorgensen, C.M. (1998) “Restructuring high school for all students: Taking inclusion to the next level”. Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks Publishing co Swan, W. W.; Morgan, J. L (1993). "The Local Interagency Coordinating Council". Collaborating for Comprehensive Services for Young Children and Their Families” Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub. Co Saunders. M, Thornhill. M, Lewis. P (2007) “Research methods for business students”, Princeton Publishers Turnbull, R (2002). "Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Todays Schools” (3rd ed.)Merrill Prentice Hall. New Jersey. Tejeda-Delgado, M. (2009). “Teacher efficacy, tolerance, gender, and years of experience and special education referrals”. International Journal of Special Education, 24(1), 112–119. Read More