Philosophy of Special Education Essay

The amount of people who live with disabilities is a controversial number. Depending on what law and diagnostic tools used, a person may have a visible disability, or one that may lie beneath the surface of his or her appearance. Some people believe that the term “disability” is merely a label use to hold back, or prescribe helplessness. Meanwhile, individuals who have been properly diagnosed with disabilities struggle to maintain respect and acceptance every day. In plain language, there is a lot of misunderstanding between people with disabilities and those without. It is firstly important to get everyone on the same page regarding the definition of disability.

IEP’s which are individualized educational plan are very important documents, they are used to meet a student’s educational needs. There are certain criteria a student must meet to be eligible for special education services. A team of people work together to create

My philosophy of education, specifically special education comes from what I am learning and my general beliefs and values about people. I believe learning occurs throughout life, in everything we do as we are born without knowledge. I believe every child can learn and has the ability inside them to grow and advance although some may learn more than others and in different ways, but all can learn and should be treated with the respect.

The time is now to become a Special Education Teacher. I believe the best fit for my academic and vocational goals is the UWM Exceptional Education Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program.

My personal philosophy of special education drives not from teaching in the field, but from, observations, and personal experience, and the workshops I attended. I have had the opportunity to work with individuals with special needs in many different settings, all this help cultivate my knowledge in handling the needs of the special needed student. Special needs students have the ability to learn, to function, to grow, and most importantly to succeed. The difference comes into how they learn or how they need to be taught. There are as many beliefs about the "hows" as there are teachers and each of us forms our own philosophy through our experiences and research. As a student in a special education teachers’ program, learners with

d) In the legal expert’s opinion, are there any elements of special education law that need refinement? Explain.

Disproportionate identification of minority students in special education is a major concern in schools today. This paper describes the issues in the assessment process with minority students and how we have arrived at a situation where minorities are being misdiagnosed into special education programs. Additionally, several legal cases are mentioned which show numerous actions and rulings that have tried to correct the disproportionate identification in special education. Some of the legal cases discussed include Larry P. v Riles, Diana v. State Board of Education, and Guadalupe v. Tempe Elementary School, which all significantly impacted special education today. Additionally, the Individual with Disabilities Education Act has enforced

“Cameras in Special Education Classrooms a Complex Issue” has stemmed a controversial debate across the nation. Terrence Rideau received unexplained injuries while attending a middle school in Texas. Terrence is now 21 years old and is diagnosed with severe cognitive and physical disabilities. Terrence’s mom felt the need to lobby for cameras in special

To ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment and independent living, and to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities and parents of such children are protected….

There has been an increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism or other autism spectrum disorders. It is likely as an educator that you will have at least one child with this diagnosis in your classroom. This paper explores some of the methods used to teach autistic children.

My Philosophy of Special Education is that special education is teaching children who have special needs, which can interfere with their learning abilities. I believe special education compared to general education is merely an extension of services in helping all children learn.

Special Education is a topic of controversy with many advocates fighting for the justice children and adults with special needs so rightfully deserve. With laws being passed and modified so frequently, it is important that the educators being brought into the world have an extensive knowledge of the developmental needs of many different types of children. With this knowledge and their constant measures to keep up to date with the fast-moving world of education, they will be able to deliver an appropriate atmosphere that is in accordance with the law that ensures ethical practices and guidelines are always being followed.

Special education has faced many changes during the last century. During this time there have been many opinions on the way students with differences should be taught and treated. This paper will discuss the history of special education during the twentieth century. We will also discuss the laws associated with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Finally we will discuss the current and future challenges that the laws have on special education.

Many children have had learning disabilities for many years. Each year more and more of these children are being helped. Schools are working to improve their special education programs and to have all kinds of students work together in the same classroom. The practice of inclusion was started because educators felt that special needs students would achieve more in traditional classrooms with non-learning disabled students than they would in special education classes. However, research findings suggest that there really is no difference in academic achievement levels for special needs students when they are placed in regular classrooms.

By the 1960’s autism was finally identified as a disorder of its own; in 1965, Dr O. Ivar Lovas and colleagues at a university developed a treatment for autism called applied behaviour of analysis (ABA) (Freedman, 2009); ABA is the use of techniques and principles to bring about a good change in behaviour (Freedman, 2009). ABA focuses on the principles that explains how learning takes place e.g. through positive reinforcement; if good behaviour is followed by a reward the behaviour is more likely to be repeated. This technique could be used not only in the classroom but at home by parents (Freedman, 2009). ABA has become a very popular and widely known treatment for autism through the years especially through the last decade where it has been used to help autistic people lead normal and productive lives.