Special Start Program Analysis

The case study will focus on the partnership between St Andrews Primary School and the Special Educational Needs Co - coordinators from the national health services. I undertook my placement at St Andrews Primary School and worked closely within the special educational need team, which provide support in relation to children with additional needs. As being on placement and having the opportunity to work alongside the early year’s team, I experienced that a few children were much slower in terms of their learning and development.

San Bernardino City Unified School District houses one of the largest populations for students with moderate to severe disabilities within the Inland Empire. Over the past decade San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) has sustained an influx of students who qualify for a moderate to severe special day classroom (SDC) setting and special education services. Effectively educating youth with moderate to severe disabilities is not a simplex task, as it requires multifaceted skillsets involving various special education professionals. Developing and executing a service delivery model that targets student’s individual needs, while simultaneously supporting students in strides towards life long goals is crucial. Carmack Elementary is one of fifty-two elementary schools within SBCUSD that only provides educational services to students with moderate to severe disabilities grades kindergarten through sixth. The community surrounding Carmack Elementary has been deemed high-poverty, indicating a vast majority of students who attend Carmack are presumed as low-income status. Lastly, a vast majority of students who attend Carmack Elementary qualify for the free and reduced meal program offered through the district.

Throughout our lifetime we go undergo many transition, however the move from high school to the adult world is considered the most important. During this transition we are able to explore many things such as our interests, abilities, and talents. We feel more independent since we are able to set goals and make certain decisions regarding our future. When a child reach certain age, a transition plan will play an important role in his or her IEP, during the meeting this plan will develop, rationalized, and reviewed annually. The transition plan must derive from transition assessments that are proper for the student’s age as stated under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act.

determination in becoming the most well-rounded and responsible young man possible. To prepare for my future, I intend to educate myself and participate in programs that set me apart from the rest of the crowd. With a S.T.E.M. certificate, colleges would be more inclined to accept me because of my qualifications. The S.T.E.M. program would be an outstanding achievement to add to my résumé of accomplishments in an attempt to stand out from the ordinary community that does not have as much to offer as I do.

“One of the essential roles of special education teachers is coteaching and working with other professionals, as well as communicating with family members and between special education teachers and other school-related professionals(Vaughn & Bos, 2015, p. 114)”. With the importance of a least restrictive environment special education and general education teachers are working together in a classroom with varying levels and abilities of learners. It is vitally important to have an effective relationship between the two teachers while developing and implementing lesson plans for learners with special needs. The physical space and dynamics of the classroom should fit the needs of the students and the established procedures should ensure a highly functional environment. Importantly, educators need to communicate to families “encouragement about what they can do at home and about an effective plan for providing instructional supports for their child(Vaughn & Bos, 2015, p. 114)”.

plan (IEPs) are appropriate and in place making sure that they are relevant to the individualâ€TMs child recording their background and special educational needs, while ensuring they are kept up to date.

In 1975, Congress passed the law that all children would receive a free and appropriate education which was known as The Education for All Handicapped Children Act and is now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) which led to the start of the special-education system in the United States. The public-school systems were mandated to service children with disabilities from birth through three years of age which was referred to as the early intervention system. There are hundreds of EI programs funded by local, private, and other federal sources. EI usually starts with an assessment of the child and family's strengths and needs which then follows with appropriate services to monitor and reevaluate as the child develops. The success of EI comes from knowing who is participating and what the goals are for the program. There is an individualized plan for the child and the family that is specific on their needs and what works for them. EI builds on family beliefs, values, and routines in ways that go along with the norms and practices of today's world with supporting the focus on the family as a unit, parents or primary caregivers and the child. Involving the family and caregivers is important because they are a source of influence on the cognitive, social, and emotional development of children and there's evidence that has accumulated over the years that proves early intervention programs can produce large effects on a child's cognitive and social

Schools have legal obligations to give students with a disability opportunities and choices comparable to those without a disability through the Disability Discrimination Act of 1992 and the Disability Standards of Education 2005 (Department of Education and Training, n.d). To meet these standards, schools must be welcoming and reasonably accommodate for new students. We used the three phase inclusion process when Amir transferred to our school at the start of the year. The three flowing phases; preparation, transition and consolidation help all stakeholders inclusively plan for the best possible transition of a new child where their needs are provided for (Lyons, 2014, pg 80). Inclusive schools help support all students, teachers should work closely with the learning support team at their school to help them decide the best resources and strategies to meet students’ needs and promote their wellbeing (Lyons, 2014, pg 83). Amir has consultations with all relevant stakeholders at the start of the term to set learning goals and then at the end of the term to reflect on his achievements and what could be improved on. All teachers need to use their professional judgement and act ethically as their work significantly impacts the future of the learners in their class (Churchill, & Keddie, 2013, pg 539). Amir’s school promotes diversity and is strongly against bullying. At the start of each year we

Prior to Madison’s attendance within the Commack School District, she was a student at Suffolk JCC Preschool following her medical treatment. She had difficulties in weak motor ability, weak sense of balance and low muscle core. Interactions with other children were difficult and Madison preferred to stay with adults. She has been a student in the Commack School District since Kindergarten. She was diagnosed with her medical condition prior to her primary school education and was classified as Other Health Impaired upon entering kindergarten at Indian Hollow Primary School in 2007. In Kindergarten, Madison received consultant teacher services that provided an indirect instructional support and did not require removal her from the general education classroom. Also, she had related services through BOCES and Metro Therapy that included orientation and mobility services, vision services, counseling, occupational therapy and physical therapy. She was also provided with a health

For years children with special needs were ushered off to separate classes and schools. Children with special needs have the right to attend classes with their same aged peers in the same classroom with support. Students with special needs deserve the same opportunities they would have if circumstances were different. Inclusion gives those students with special needs the chance to be part of the community; able to form relationships outside of the family unit. All students benefit from inclusion; students with disabilities develop social skills and develop friendships while non-disabled students learn tolerance and acceptance.

From the first day a child is born, parents are there to nurture their child, to support them as they grow and develop. There is a lot to learn about raising a child under normal circumstances, but when a child has special needs parents must learn this whole new language of medical and special education terms (Overton, 2005). Parents enter this new world where navigating for the best interest of their child is riddled with challenges and obstacles that they need to somehow overcome. This is especially true when parents are dealing with the special education program in their child’s school.

Inclusion began when The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), was passed in 1974. IDEA marked a turning point for the placement of children with special needs. This legislation stated that all school systems are required to receive federal funding to provide a free and appropriate education for all students regardless of how handicapped they are. The term inclusion does not actually appear in the text of IDEA. Instead, the law requires that children with special needs be educated to the maximum extent appropriate in the least restrictive environment. The IDEA says that the least restrictive environment is the regular education classroom. (Special Education, 2001) The IDEA requires the Individual Education Program (IEP) team to consider placement in the regular classroom in the beginning to determine if it is an appropriate placement for the child. The law specified different environments where special services could take place. The main goal was to place special education students in regular education classrooms for gains in academics and behavior for the children. (Singleton, n.d)

The idea of children with disabilities, whether they be mild or severe has been a very controversial and misunderstood topic. In the past inclusion has brought about huge changes for not only the students, but also the parents and families of these children, and staff at schools. Teachers and education professionals were the first to really feel the wrath and intimidation of this dramatic shift in education. There were several different factors that were coming about that made it very difficult for schools and teachers, the unorganized mandates were strict and didn’t allow much time for change. “President Gerald Ford signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) into law in 1975. Since the original passage of the EAHCA, the law has been amended four times and renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)” (Conroy, Yell, Katsiyannis, & Collins, 2010, para.1).

Children with special needs are slightly different from non-disabled kids, but they’re should not be a barrier between non-disabled children and children with disabilities. Special needs covers a wide range. Some children with physical disabilities use wheelchair, or cane while other children with learning disabilities such as, autism, or emotional disorder. Children with special needs are like all children they want to make friends. Non-disability children want respect, love, good education and job of their dream. Children with special needs can do the same things non-disabled kid do, but it can take them longer. It requires additional explanation or attention. Parents of children with special needs usually feel isolated and uncertain about their child 's future. Schools can help them find support that children are not alone and help is available. Teachers should meet with parents in order to get to know the children better, the specific of their children. Special teachers may come into the class to work one-on-one with the student, for individualized attention. Change begins with an honest examination of understandings, knowledge and belief. Children with special needs should spend more time with non-disabled kids. Children with special needs should study more at public school to learn from

The importance of education for all children, especially for those with disability and with limited social and economic opportunities, is indisputable. Indeed, the special education system allowed children with disability increased access to public education. Apart from that, the special education system has provided for them an effective framework for their education, and for the institutions involved to identify children with disability sooner. In turn, this promotes greater inclusion of children with disability alongside their nondisabled peers. In spite of these advances however, many obstacles remain, including delays in providing services for children with disability, as well as regulatory and