Least Dangerous Assumption

Lauren expressed to me that students who spend their day within a self-contained classroom are introduced to fundamental life skills such as brushing their teeth, tying their shoes, and holding a spoon or fork in order to feed themselves. In addition, many of the students need assistance with toilet training as well, basic skills we take for granted. The goals seem simple enough to an average everyday student, but to the student who suffers from one disability or another, the goal can seem unattainable and the work required to achieve these goals is hard and at times very frustrating (Ursta, L.,

In recent years, legislative mandates, like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), have required students to participate in the same assessments that general education students are taking. Although these new, controversial mandates resonated with a lot of people, critics argue that they cause more harm than good. According to Inclusion: The Pros and Cons—A Critical Review, Carl Savich states that the federal legislation on inclusion took the attention away from the general and advanced students with “a concomitant lowering of standards” (Savich 1). However, supporters of these new mandates state that the pros vastly outweigh the cons. According to Assessment and Accommodations, Stephen Luke states that inclusion

The first key principle of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is that any student regardless of their disability is entitled to a free and appropriate public education. The term zero reject is commonly used to summarize this principle. An important component of zero reject is for school administrators to understand that the state is responsible for locating, identifying, and providing for students with disabilities from birth through age twenty-one. School officials play an important role in carrying out the state responsibility under the zero reject principle. This principle both implies and specifies the concept that no matter how severe the disability may seem, all children can learn, benefit from, and are entitled to a free and appropriate public education.

Cheryl Jorgensen, the work of a scientist-philosopher named Thomas Kuhn in 1962 is referenced regarding disability and competence where Kuhn stated that, “intelligence … can be reliably measured… mental retardation is defined as low levels of intelligence… [these students] … can’t learn much general education content… we aren’t sure that students know, understand, can learn, or have something to say, we presume that they don’t, can’t, and probably never will” (2005, p. 5). Dr. Jorgensen refutes this theory and goes on to support it by citing other works on research suggesting that students with disabilities have shown greater progress when they are challenged with high expectations and good, supportive, nurturing instruction. “Children learn best when they feel valued, when people hold high expectations for them, and when they are taught and supported well” (2005, p.

Sanson (2005, p. 3) believes that when it comes to accommodating students with disabilities, scientists, practitioners, and politicians are necessary to the process as a whole and communication between these individuals is essentia.

Over the course of this semester, I have come to the realization that above all, students with disabilities need to be treated with the respect and dignity that one would give any other child. This is why it is important to talk to and about people that have disabilities with “people first” language (Evans, Civil Rights Final Day, 9.17.16). This stems from the idea that a perceived disability is just one of a person’s many attributes. Students with disabilities are people that have individual abilities, interests, and needs. By using “people first” language, one emphasizes the importance of the individual over their diagnosed disability. According to The Arc, an organization that advocates for people with disabilities, “the language in a society used to refer to persons with disabilities shapes its beliefs and ideas about them” (The Arc, 2016). Using “people first” language not only ensures the person in question knows that they are valued, but it also helps set a precedent for the perception of people with disabilities in one’s environment. It also gives the student the opportunity to define his/herself, instead of being identified solely with their disability (The Arc, 2016).

I believe that people’s perception does play a role in the success of students with disabilities. It is human nature to stare, fear or ridicule people who appear or act different from what we consider to be normal. For students with physical handicaps or limitations, their self-image is very important to them. They get upset and sometimes depress because they can’t do certain things as other children can because

I spent the days leading up to the first day studying each student, reading case notes, and profiles to better understand identification number they were given. Ironically, five of my students were learning disabled and I knew exactly how they felt. I took my own learning experiences and developed lesson plans based around sports, music, and entertainment, creating an empowering curriculum relevant to their knowledge. The day quickly approached and before I knew it I was signed over the responsibility of over 80 students, each with a different personality, and each with different obstacles and barriers. Ironically, five of my students were learning disabled and I knew exactly how they felt. I took my own learning experiences and developed lesson plans based around sports, music, and entertainment, creating an empowering curriculum relevant to their

IEP’s and 504 plans require school districts to evaluate and identify students with disabilities, at the college level students must be self-advocates and are responsible for disclosing their disability (Oertle’ & Bragg, 2014, p. 61). When a student neglects

For a first generation college student with a disability increases the difficulties. Despite that students with impairments in college are increasing, the successfulness in finishing their degree has not equated their fellow classmates. This is especially true for students with mental impairments. (Shepler 37)

To better understand college students with disabilities and the importance of self-determination; consider these objectives:

Fortunately, an increasing percentage of secondary schools are integrating them into classrooms with their non-disabled counterparts, which at the same time, boosts their self-esteem. “Disabled students spent 80% or more of the school day in regular classrooms, up from about a third in 1990, according to the U.S. Department of Education” (Tomsho 2007). In many secondary schools, disabled students usually attend separate classes from their non-disabled counterpart, but administrators are recognizing the counter productivity of such structure. However, disabled students may still get excluded from obtaining certain “knowledge-based” courses, which will limit their opportunities to train for certain lucrative careers. “In high school, many students with disabilities are excluded from general science classrooms, making the transition from high school to college science courses more challenging” (Lamb 2004). Many teachers may not be qualified to handle such integration since handling disabled students require specialized skills, while not alienating their non-disabled students. Also, lower-income schools may not be able to afford hiring qualified teachers assistants that

Coming into a new school sophomore year of high school was a scary task for a girl who had spent her previous school years from second grade through freshmen year in an all girls’ school. After been diagnosed at an early age with a learning disability I found it very hard to succeed academically. Defining my condition was and is hard for many students and

The modern classroom has many challenges that face it. Shrinking budgets, less parental involvement, higher expectations, and growing class sizes, just to name a few. If this list was not daunting enough you also have the special needs students that have an array problems in your classroom that need specialized attention, lessons and seating. There are many forms of diverse learners from students who suffer from ADHD to physical disabilities to students with autism to ones that are bullied in school. There are so many things going on in our students lives we sometimes forget they have lives, pressures and disabilities that affect their performance and attitude in our class that have a profound impact on how they learn. For this paper I

Students with intellectual disabilities face the dilemma of high-stakes testing. Some students with intellectual disabilities are expected to complete such tests although the tests are beyond their capabilities (Friend, 2014, Pg. 259). The expectations set by professionals are too high as students with intellectual disabilities are expected to learn from the same curriculum as those without disabilities. In some institutions, they are seen as the cause of school failure to attain federally mandated goals of sufficient yearly progress. Even though learning the core curriculum is essential for students with intellectual disabilities, there are several disadvantages of setting the standards too high.