Introduction Since the early 1990s numerous studies have found an overrepresentation of males, and underrepresentation of females in special education, yet until recently, research was not done to understand the cause for this outcomes. There are 14 different disability categories that are defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), that states use in order to define a disability and decide who is eligible for a free and appropriate public education under special education law. High incidence disabilities are disabilities that are high in prevalence such as Behavior and Emotional Disorders (EBD) and Learning Disability, which fall within the categories from IDEA regulations. These are the disabilities in which researches have found the highest discrepancies between referral and admission of males and females to special education programs. According to Rice (2008), girls with emotional disturbance make up 15% to 25% of all identified children and adolescents with disabilities, while it has been found that males make up 73.4% and 76.4% for learning and emotional disabilities (Wehmeyer, 2001). Researchers have done studies in order to find why there is a great difference between the identification of high incidence disabilities of males and females, finding three possible explanations. The first explanation is biological differences between males and females. The second reason is gender bias on referral and admission to special education services. The third explanation is difference in the exhibition of behavior problems between the two sexes. By further studying these possibilities, we can begin to find different approaches to identifying and referring students for special education services, specifically fo... ... middle of paper ... ...vioral disabilities." Education and treatment of children 31(4):549-565. Retrieved from on Apr 10, 2014 Sciutto, Mark J, Cara Nolfi, and Carla Bluhm. 2004 "Effects of child gender and symptom type on referrals for adhd by elementary school teachers." Journal of emotional n behavioral disorders and behavioral disorders 12(4):247-253. Retrieved from on Apr 10, 2014 Wehmeyer, Michael L. 2001 "Disproportionate representation of males in special education services: biology, behavior, or bias?." Education & treatment of children (ETC) 24(1):28 . Retrieved from on Apr 10, 2014 Young, Ellie L, Hilda Sabbah, Benjamin Youn, Matthew Reiser, and Michael Richardson. 2010 "Gender differences and similarities in a screening process for emotional and behavioral risks in secondary schools." Journal of emotional and behavioral disorders 18(4):225 235. Retrieved from on Apr 10, 2014
This means that children with all different types of a disability are accessible to public education and learning through professional educators and through their peers. Another important legislation that has been established in 1975 is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that includes all ages of children and their rights to learn. Both of these movements helped shape what special education is today and assisted in bringing inclusion into the classroom. They both made it possible for students with disabilities to be integrated into general education classrooms, while getting the assistance they need as well. These acts are what made it possible into what my field of study is and I intend to push the boundaries of getting my future students in these general education classrooms and making them feel apart of something
Providing appropriate public education to qualified students has been federally mandated since 1975, but is still a challenging and often controversial matter in which the public has voiced concern. One reason for which the public’s concern has been provoked is that it is reported in low-incidence categories such as deafness or blindness, which is usually diagnosed by medical professionals, there is no indications of disproportion (Donovan and Cross, 1). Instances in which there are higher proportions of minority students occurs more so in the high-incidence categories of mental retardation (MMR), emotional disturbance (ED), and...
Lambert, E. G., Paoline III, E. A., Hogan, N. L., & Baker, D. N. (2007). Gender
Teacher Interview(s): according to Ms. Special Ed, a ten-year veteran of special education who started her career at age twenty-nine, proportionally, 35.4 percent of S.H.E. students have an Individualized Education Program, in conformity with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, herein IDEA. In Windham County, the average public school has 18.6 percent of its student population considered to be learning disabled; S.H.E. has a noticeably higher percentage of students with learning disabilities, compared not only with Windham County, but Connecticut overall, as the average public school in the state is populated by 26.4% of its elementary students with learning disabilities. Further, more males than females at S.H.E. have learning disabilities with a ratio of 10.1% of females to 25.3% of males in the special education program. For the this specific field experience study relating to Students X & Y, both six-year old males, S.H.E. “offers” seven special education teachers and 13 paraprofessional instructional assistants who “service” the special needs of exceptional students including speech services, behavior interventionists and dedicated special education
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 that minority groups must receive an equal education in the least restrictive environment possible. It is our duty as teachers and citizens to abide by these laws and find different ways to assess and correct the disproportionality of minority groups that exists today.
Cultural diversity is increasing in our schools and directly affects how we work with students with disabilities. There is also a disproportionate representation of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students in special education (Chu, 2011). The following paper will explore cultural diversity and the special education referral process including implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI). It will also assess some of the data in Mooresville Graded Schools by looking at gender, race and disability at the elementary level. By understanding the cultural diversity in our school system we can better meet the needs of
Hehir, T. (2009). New directions in special education: Eliminating ableism in policy and practice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
The goal of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is to implement improved and effective special education processes. The purpose of the IDEA is to ensure that student-children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). In order to achieve this, these students must receive a special education with related services designed to meet their unique needs. Special education programs
In 1991 the Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was replaced by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This law was passed to provide free and appropriate public education to every child with a disability. It requires that each child with a disability “have access to the program best suited to that child’s special needs which is as close as possible to a normal child’s educational program” (Martin, 1978). The Individualized education program (IEP) was developed to help provide a written record of students’ needs and procedures for each child that receives special education services. The IEP will list all the services to be provided, the student's performance level, academic performance, and modifications in place for the student.
Public Law 94-142: The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, now called Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), requires states to provide free, appropriate public education (FAPE) for every child regardless of disability. This federal law was the first to clearly define the rights of disabled children to receive special education services if their disability affects their educational performance. A parent of a special education student also has basic rights under IDEA including the right to have their child evaluated by the school district and to be included when the school district meets about the child or makes decisions about his or her education. If a child is identified as in need of special education services, the school district must devise a written individual education program (IEP) for the child, which includes related services. An IEP is a statement of a student’s special education and related services including speech services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, counseling and assistive technology and transportation. In addition, this legally binding, individualized plan outlines reasonable educational goals for the student and is reviewed and updated yearly.
The Individuals with Disabilities Act, 2004 (IDEA), has 14 different categories of disabilities (IDEA Partnership, 2012). Students with disabilities can be placed into two more distinct groups which are high incidence disabilities or HID and low incidence disabilities or LID. IDEA defines low incidence disabilities as those students with visual, hearing or significant cognitive impairment (Outcome Data, 2006). These students need personal that are highly trained in specialized skill and knowledge to provide early interventions and education. Those with LID account for less than one percent of the school population (Outcome Data, 2006). Students that fall into this category are usually educated outside of the general education classroom for part of the school day.
Special education is a large part of the education system, which includes the mentally retarded, people with learning disabilities, the emotionally disturbed, hearing impaired, visually impaired, etc. Many people fail to include this system as one that can possibly involve discrimination, but those enrolled in special education has increased among all racial classifications. Between 1980 and 1990, the entire population enlisted in special education has increased. European American increased by 6%, African Americans increased by 13%, Hispanic Americans increased by 53%, and Asian Americans/Pacific Americans increased by 107.8% (Ford, Obiakor, p. 8). In the end, it is these students who ultimately experience low rates of employment, low income, and growing rates of incarceration. Another survey indicates t...
“Did you know America ranks the lowest in education but the highest in drug use? It's nice to be number one, but we can fix that. All we need to do is start the war on education. If it's anywhere near as successful as our war on drugs, in no time we'll all be hooked on phonics” -Leighann (Lord) Leighamm Lord is a comedian, but when it comes to the education of children, she takes it very seriously and it is not so much a joke to her. Children are the future, and giving them the best education available is crucial to the future. Making decisions in the educational system would not only better the future, but the children’s future. These changes of segregating classrooms, will give the children a better working environment, to improve test scores, and academic advancements. Research shows that segregating classrooms would be a great step to a successful future; however, conflicting arguments to the negative and positive impacts of segregating classrooms to consider.
High Incidence disabilities are mild disabilities that affect most of the special education students in schools today. “Approximately 36 percent of all students with disabilities served under IDEA have specific learning disabilities.” (Turnbull, Turnbull, Wehmeyer & Shogren, 2016 p. 104)The three areas that fall under the title of a high incidence disabilities are learning disabilities, mild intellectual disabilities, and emotional/ behavioral disorders. Students with high incidence disabilities are taught and spend most of their time in the general education classroom. They are supported in the classroom with accommodations, modifications, paraprofessionals and related services to help them succeed. They may spend a portion of their day receiving support from a special education teacher, or another related service providers such as a speech pathologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or social worker outside of the classroom. It becomes apparent when students start school which ones have a high incidence disability. This is because when they start school educators begin to notice they are different from their peers sometimes socially, behaviorally, or they begin to struggle academically. They all share some similar traits such as a short attention span and lower academic skills in certain areas or subjects. They may also have difficulties with their behavior or social development. At that point they may be referred to for testing or an evaluation to see what might be going on with the student.
“Education of physically, mentally, and emotionally handicapped children in the United States, until the 1960’s was provided through a mixture of institutionalization, private tutoring, private schooling, or state-run schools for the handicapped” (Human and Civil Rights: Essential Primary Sources). Before President Gerald R. Ford signed the Education for all Handicapped Children Act on December 2, 1975, “students with such conditions that prevented or hampered walking, developmental disabilities, or genetic conditions, such as Down Syndrome were often ignored, institutionalized, or kept at home without schooling” (Human and Civil Rights: Essential Primary Sources). After this act was enacted, the view of “special needs” was reformed. Individuals understood the concept more thoroughly, and tended to be more accepting to the idea. “The understanding of dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, auditory processing disorder, speech and language disorders, and other behavioral and neurological disorders improved” (Human and Civil Rights: Essential Primary Sources). The Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 required that all children, regardless of severity of disability must receive FAPE from their local public school district. The significance o...