Special Education Issues Evaluation - Research Paper Example

? Special education al affiliation Special education In general terms, education is the practice of imparting knowledge, skills, and reasoning power in an individual. More specifically, education is concerned with finding an individual’s optimal state of mind through engaging in cognitive activities and drawing from one’s experiences, regardless of one’s situation. From this definition, it is clear that education is a very wide field with various areas of focus. This essay purposes to concentrate on special education as an area of education, which caters for learners with exceptionalities. Every child deserves to be educated on how to live a self-determining and fulfilling life, despite having physical, mental, or any other disabilities. Special education is a very important field of study as it seeks to integrate the special needs child into the mainstream society and empower them to grow into autonomous citizens, despite their personal exceptionalities (Farrell, 2010). Essentially, special education seeks to find avenues through which to shun the victimization and discrimination against exceptional individuals in the society. This can be achieved through the enhancement of active learning and recognition of chief learning experiences for learners with special needs. The historical development of special education Special education has a history filled with challenges, breakthroughs, and disputes. According to Rotatori, Obiakor, &Bakken (2011) the period before the 16th century was characterized by inhumane treatment of people with exceptionalities. The society viewed such individuals as cursed people who had to be isolated from the conventional society. In line with this mindset, individuals with special needs were treated inhumanely and sometimes even killed to rid the society of curses. In the 16th and 17th centuries, however, there were rising philosophical campaigns on human dignity and the right of every individual to be treated equally and fairly, in spite of their exceptionalities. This period also witnessed the premier educators of special education who came up with different philosophies of educating individuals with exceptionalities. Most countries in Europe had a renewed sense of humanity, led by intellectuals who undertook research on ways in which individuals with exceptionalities could also be educated. Individuals with sensory limitations were the first beneficiaries of special education, when a Spanish monk by the name Pedro developed “oralism”, which taught lip reading to the deaf people. This accomplishment led to research in other areas of exceptionality, such as blindness. Charles Braille was the brainchild of the Braille technique after he invented the use of raised dots to help blind individuals in reading and writing (ibid). These accomplishments led to the establishment of institutions for people with sensory disabilities in Europe and America. For example, the present-day “Perkins School for the Blind” was founded in Europe in 1829. Following the progress made in educating individual with sensory disabilities, institutions and communal centers were established to take care of individuals with cognitive disabilities. However, most of these institutions were meant to separate the mentally challenged from the mainstream society; rather than to train them in life skills. In the early 19th century, however, Jean-arc-Gaspard Itard developed a pedagogy that he used to improve the language and mental skills of victor, a cognitively disabled boy. From then on, scholars such as Edouard Seguin came up with codes, apparatus, and techniques of teaching cognitively challenged learners. These milestones in pedagogy for cognitively exceptional learners led to the establishment of specialized schools and enactment of legislations to cater for cognitively challenged learners in Europe and America. There was also a rise in advocacy groups pushing for the higher inclusion of individuals with exceptionalities into the society. The advocacy groups also championed for the rights of exceptional individuals to quality education. An example of these groups is the “Council for Exceptional Children” founded in 1922. Research conducted on exceptional individuals revealed that the later were capable of learning, so long as the learning environment was stimulating enough. Since the 1950s, civil rights movements and judicial rulings saw the inclusion of people with exceptionalities in general education classrooms. Legislations were also passed that ensured that people with disabilities were treated equally with those without disabilities in all aspects of life, including education and employment. For example, in the United States, an act was passed in 1975 that gave all handicapped children the right to education. According to Osgood (2008) this act also fostered the need for the handicapped to obtain gainful employment and lead an independent life. Socially constructed disabilities such as mentally disturbed and people with learning disabilities also gained momentum from the 1960s. More specifically, individuals with learning disabilities have overtime been categorized as being in need of special education. Today, inclusive education is the most commonly used model of teaching a classroom consisting of learners with different abilities. Instructors are being urged to use the differentiated instruction technique to ensure that learners are able to meet education outcomes, regardless of their exceptionalities. The field of special education has become international as majority of nations continue to embrace inclusive education for all learners. Current legislations promoting special education One of the legislations affecting special education is the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” (IDEA), which grants finances to promote free public education to children with disabilities. IDEA also requires that parents of children with disabilities be consulted throughout the learning process. There are guidelines for establishing whether a child needs special education under IDEA, thus ensuring that only the most deserving children are funded. Another important legislation popular in special education is “Section 504”. This section under the federal law defines a person with disability as one who has bodily or intellectual impairment. Under section 504 it is illegal for the above described person to be denied any services funded by the government, based on their impairment. It also prohibits employers from discriminating against eligible applicants due to disability. Section 504 also recognizes the qualifications of impaired students to participate in programs and activities, their impairment not withstanding. Most importantly, section 504 provides for learners with special needs to have unrestricted access to educational opportunities. There is another legislation that emphasizes that no child should be left behind due to exceptionality. Under the “No Child Left Behind” act, each learner is supposed to meet specific outcomes, whether or not they are impaired (Armstrong, Henson, & Savage, 2009). This act emphasizes on the need to have highly qualified instructors for learners with special needs, a practical curriculum, and various ways of learner assessment. Best practices and the role of the curriculum in special education One of the provisions of IDEAS is that learners with disabilities be integrated in the general education system and learn the same content as their “normal” peers. Basically, this means that learners with disabilities should be taught using the general curriculum relating to student’s grade and subjects. Armstrong, Henson, & Savage (2009) state that in order for the curriculum to be fully implemented, instructional material such teacher guides and textbooks should have corresponding materials for instructing learners with specials needs. These complimentary materials may include tapes or lower reading level books, which nonetheless, cover the same content. Basically, the special needs learner needs to be provided with instructional materials that do not only focus on their visual and auditory senses, but which are capable of arousing other sensory modalities. The “Council for Exceptional Children” (CEC), asserts the use of differentiated instruction is crucial in enabling special need learners achieve the outcomes set in the general curriculum. For example the instructor can differentiate the content being taught, according to the learner’s ability. A learner with special needs may require to be exposed to considerably lesser and simpler content compared to a “normal” learner in the classroom (Gargiulo, 2012). The use of grouping as a process of instruction also may help a learner with exceptionalities understand concepts better, according to the International Association of Special Education (IASE). Current and future technology in special education Assistive technology allows individuals with exceptionalities to communicate, control their surroundings, and become fully integrated in conventional education and work situations. Since the late 20th century, computer technology has been used to enable individuals with special needs participate in everyday activities at the same level as their able bodied counterparts (Wendt, 2011). The computer can offer personalized learning thorough software tools such as spreadsheets, databases, and word processors. For example, current technology allows individuals with visual impairment to use screen reader programs to learn. Through the internet, individuals with special needs can gain access to virtual science labs to understand concepts in various subjects. Today, learners with special needs can also use assistive-writing programs, whereby the computer completes words started by the learner. Some computers are designed to recognize voice commands, such that the learner does not have to use the keyboard. Some printers can also be modified to produce large print Braille for visually impaired learners. All these devices are meant to assist learners in achieving educational outcomes that they would otherwise not achieve. Although technology cannot solve all the problems and challenges that face exceptional individuals, it certainly has made it easier for them to access basic amenities. If the current innovations in technology continue, then the future holds a lot of hope for people with special needs. Some leading companies such as Microsoft have shared their visions for the future of assistive technology. According to Wendt (2011) Microsoft seeks to come up with programs that will be able to meet individual needs and become accustomed to user profiles. Microsoft also seeks to enhance the portability of gadgets, such that any user will be able to use them anywhere. From Microsoft, therefore, we expect the miniaturization of technology to continue, thus increasing flexibility and accessibility. The “Global Positioning Program” also envisions the creation of a cell phone that can guide a visually impaired person in walking and being in control of their environment. Speech-recognizing technology will also include more features that a person with special needs can use to perform different tasks. In general, future technology will be more user-friendly, customized, and with increased speed and power to assist individuals with special needs. Improvements, Challenges, and Controversial issues relating to special education Since people started gaining interest in special education in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a lot of improvements have been made in the field. More special needs individuals are being incorporated into mainstream schools, rather than being taken to special institutions. This has led to the general improvement in learning outcomes for learners with special needs. The relationship between the general society and individuals with exceptionalities has also improved, as the former are gradually being accepted and treated equally with their “normal” counterparts. The government has also increased funding to programs supporting special education, thus ensuring that the maximum number of exceptional individuals get access to quality education. One of the challenges facing special education is shortage in qualified teachers. For most people, individuals with special needs are very troublesome and difficult to handle in the classroom. This notion makes most teachers unsatisfied with their work due to constant stress. Gargiulo (2012) explains that as a result, few people are willing to become special education teachers and some even quit the job after sometime. Schools are, therefore, left with no alternative, but to hire semi-skilled special education teachers to meet the high demand from exceptional learners. Another challenge facing special education is insufficient funds for the discharge of the curriculum to support learners with special needs. In as much as the government has been at the forefront in funding special education in public schools, the finances are not enough to gratify all the requirements. It is up to the private sector, such as community groups and professional organizations to also contribute towards educating the exceptional child. Partnerships between schools and agencies for special educations are also encouraged to ensure that the aspirations of special education are met. Technology is a very important aspect of enhancing special education. Many individuals who have access to gadgets that simplify their daily academic and social activities have a higher chance of leading a more fulfilled life. The challenge comes in when the socio-economic status of an individual does not allow them access to such gadgets. When an individual with exceptionalities cannot afford these assistive devices, they stand a lower chance of competing with others who are not disadvantaged. The field of special education has been faced with controversy over how to determine special needs learners. Various models have been advanced to help in identifying learners with special needs and deserving of special education. Nevertheless, no one model of identifying special needs learners is accepted by professionals in special education. Controversy has also risen over the issue of labeling individuals with special needs. Terms such as mentally changed, physically impaired, handicapped or disabled have been deemed detrimental by advocacy groups. The latter argue that such terms are discriminative and cause the individuals under description to have low self-esteem. On the other hand, professionals argue that such terms are useful in communication and better understanding of individual needs. Conclusion Special education aims at improving the academic, social, and personal development of individuals with exceptionalities. In order to achieve this, special education is concerned with providing learners with exceptionalities with classroom instruction, resources and therapy. My personal interest in this area of education is fuelled by a passion for inspiring people with special needs to attain their full potential in life. In order for the latter to achieve this, they need to gain access to formal and quality education. In my capacity as an educator, my philosophy is that every individual should attain optimal cognitive processes and have meaningful life experiences regardless of their social, cultural, physical, and physiological limitations. In future, I hope to extend my services as a special needs instructor outside the classroom into other spheres of life, such as the workplace and the family setting. Special needs individuals need guidance in other aspects of life outside academics and most of them do not have anyone to provide expert solutions. I hope to be that person who helps individuals with exceptions throughout their lives. References Armstrong, D, Henson, K, & Savage T. (2009). Teaching Today: An Introduction to Education. New York: Pearson. Farrell, M. (2010). Debating Special Education. New York: Routledge. Gargiulo, R. (2012). Special Education in Contemporary Society: An Introduction to Exceptionality. New York: Sage Publications Inc. Osgood, R. (2008). The History of Special Education: A Struggle for Equality in American Public Schools. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group. Rotatori, A, Obiakor, F, & Bakken, J. (2011). History of Special Education. London: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Wendt, O. (2011). Assistive Technology: Principles and Applications for Communication Disorders and Special Education. London: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Read More