HISTORY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

PRESENTATION ALSHAUNDRA EVERETT

SPE/514AUGUST 8, 2016

INSTRUCTOR MARILYN RODGERS

WHAT IS SPECIAL EDUCATION?

SPECIALLY DESIGNED INSTRUCTION , RELATED SERVICES, AND SUPPLEMENTARY AIDS & SERVICES ARE THE THREE ELEMENTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. ANY ELIGIBLE STUDENT (ACCORDING TO FEDERAL AND STATE GUIDELINES) IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE THESE SERVICES.

IDEAIDEA IS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY. WHAT YOU LEARN ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION NOW MAY CHANGE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, SIMPLY BECAUSE INFLUENCED BY THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CONTEXT IN WHICH IT EMERGED, PARENT ADVOCACY, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, SEVERAL PRECEDENT-SETTING COURT CASES, CURRENT CIVIL RIGHTS LAW, AND CURRENT GENERAL EDUCATION LEGISLATION.

SO KEEP IN MIND IDEA IS NOT STATIC! (FRIEND, 2015)

IDEA: 6 CORE PRINCIPLES 1. FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION (FAPE)2. LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT (LRE)3. INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION4. NONDISCRIMINATORY EVALUATION5. DUE PROCESS6. ZERO REJECT/CHILD FIND

(FRIEND, 2015)

PARENT ADVOCACY

UNITED CEREBRAL PALSY (UCP) SUPPORT GROUP- PARENTS OF OTHER CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES TO JOIN THEM TO ADVOCATE FOR COMMUNITY INTEGRATION AND SERVICES, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR RETARDED CHILDREN– FIRST TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE CONNECTION BETWEEN LEAD-BASED PAINT AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN CHILDREN, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR DOWN SYNDROME- ORGANIZED EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THEM, AND PROVIDED SUPPORTS FOR FAMILIES (FRIEND, 2015).

THESE PARENT ADVOCACY GROUPS INITIATED THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT. THEY PUSHED FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO RECEIVE THE SAME EDUCATION PROCESS AS OTHER STUDENTS. IT CAUSED THE MEDIA ATTENTION TO RECOGNIZE CHILDREN OF SPECIAL NEEDS, BROUGHT SUPPORT, AND AWARENESS.

BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION

BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION OPENED THE DOOR FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF SPECIAL NEEDS PERSONS. U.S. SUPREME COURT RULED THAT IT WAS UNLAWFUL UNDER THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT TO DISCRIMINATE ARBITRARILY AGAINST ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE. THE COURT THEN APPLIED THE CONCEPT OF INTEGRATION INTO PUBLIC EDUCATION, THE NOTION THAT THE ONLY WAY TO PROTECT STUDENTS’ CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY WAS TO ENSURE THAT DIVERSE STUDENT GROUPS LEARNED TOGETHER. SOON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WERE RECOGNIZED AS ANOTHER GROUP WHOSE RIGHTS OFTEN HAD BEEN VIOLATED BECAUSE OF ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION (FRIEND, 2015).

THE RULING HELPED CHANGE THE FACE OF THE CLASSROOM. THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WAS NOW INTEGRATED. SPECIAL NEED PERSONS NOW HAD A NAME AS A DIVERSE GROUP.

DOE V. WITHERS MR. WITHERS REFUSED TO MAKE THE ACCOMMODATIONS NEEDED BY A STUDENT WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY, RESULTING IN A FAILING GRADE AND ATHLETIC INELIGIBILITY. THE WEST VIRGINIA CIRCUIT COURT RULED THAT MR. WITHERS WAS PERSONALLY LIABLE FOR FAILING TO MAKE A GOOD-FAITH EFFORT TO PROVIDE REQUIRED ACCOMMODATIONS; THE FAMILY WAS AWARDED $5000 IN COMPENSATORY DAMAGES AND $30,000 IN PUNITIVE DAMAGES (FRIEND, 2015).

THIS COURT DECISION LEAD TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS TO PROTECT PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. THIS RULING ALSO BEGAN TO END THE SOCIAL STIGMA FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. IT SET THE TONE FOR PERSONS SHOULD BE VIEWED AND TREATED IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

SECTION 504SECTION 504 PREVENTS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ALL INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN PROGRAMS THAT RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS, AS DO ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SECTION 504 ENSURES EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN PARTICIPATION IN THE FULL RANGE OF SCHOOL ACTIVITIES (FRIEND, 2015).

ADAADA WAS BASED ON THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973, BUT IT FURTHER EXTENDED THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. IT PROTECTS ALL INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES FROM DISCRIMINATION, AND IT REQUIRES MOST EMPLOYERS, WHETHER IN THE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SECTOR, TO MAKE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THEM. THIS LAW ALSO ENSURES THAT TRANSPORTATION, BUILDINGS, THE WORKPLACE, AND MANY PLACES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ARE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES (FRIEND, 2015).

IT ALSO MANDATES THAT TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES MAKE AVAILABLE OPTIONS SO THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH HEARING LOSS AND THOSE WITH SPEECH IMPAIRMENTS CAN COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS (FRIEND, 2015).

NCLB

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT (NCLB), IT IS THE LAW THAT HAS THE GOAL OF ENSURING THAT ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO LIVE IN POVERTY, HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO A HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION. COMBINED WITH RECENTLY DEVELOPED FEDERAL PROVISIONS FOR FLEXIBILITY RELATED TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF ESEA (U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, 2012), IT GENERALLY MANDATES HIGHER ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH DISABILITIES (FRIEND, 2015).

DEFICIT THINKING IN SPECIAL EDUCATION

The deficit thinker sincerely believes that a person with disabilities is so needy and has so many social or cultural deficits created by his circumstances. The thinker believes the person will not do well in school, is likely to have a multitude of behavioral problems, potentially stop-out or drop-out of school without finishing a high-school diploma, thus not containing a secondary education and unlikely to find future employment (Friend, 2015).

This is false! Positive thinking combined with resources gives any student disabilities or not a fighting chance to succeed academically and in the job market (Friend, 2015).

REFERENCESFRIEND, MARILYN, BURSUCK, W. D. (2015). INCLUDING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM TEACHERS, LOOSE-LEAF VERSION, 7TH EDITION. [VITALSOURCE BOOKSHELF ONLINE]. RETRIEVED FROM HTTPS://ONLINE.VITALSOURCE.COM/#/BOOKS/9781323078716/