Carrie And Alan Analysis

School… the one word that reeked of hate when pierced through Carrie’s ears . In order to convey her full graveness, Carrie would cry, fight, and scream till her parents would finally give in and allow her to stay home. The human right to education that Carrie was born with, was not an option for her. On the other hand, Alan, a bright 10 year old boy, did so well in his public school that many of his classmates didn’t know the most crucial item of his being. While Carrie and Alan seem very different with their interest in going to school, they are very much similar to the fact that they were both born Autistic. The only difference in these two clever children is that as early as Alan was able to go to school, he has had the appropriate help in order to make learning more than bearable. For Carrie, every school she went to did not have the equipment needed in order to get around the school in her wheelchair or the

proper people to care for her. Many schools around the world are not qualified to care for children of special needs. Not only does this affect Carrie and Alan with having autism, it affects children of all special needs.
Children with special needs may include any of the various difficulties; physical, emotional, behavioral, a learning disability or impairment.

Any of these difficulties cause an individual to require additional or specialized services and accommodations. This may include someone with muscular dystrophy that is unable to walk, needing the use of a wheel chair. Accordingly, the child not only needs the equipment that helps them get around, but they might need to have ramps or elevators available in the school. Furthermore, someone with ADHD, for example, will need a special education teacher whom is fully qualified to help them in school. Without the proper staff and equipment provided in a school for children with special needs, not only does it affect the child, it affects the whole community. The key to success in the classroom lies in having appropriate adaptations, accommodations, and modifications for these children. In order to fulfill the child’s full potential, accommodations in the classroom must be met, which falls directly back to the

teachers.
The lack of specialists in special education has been a stumbling block for decades. The national shortage of highly qualified special education teachers is at its all time low, leaving only 11.2 percent of teachers fully qualified to teach special education. In other words, secondary special education teachers are particularly under qualified. Approximately 45,514 of those serving as special education teachers do not meet required standards (U.S. Department of Education, 2008). One report found that between 82 percent and 99 percent of secondary special education teachers are not highly qualified in the academic content areas that they teach (McLeskey & Billingsley, 2008). Children with special needs require more help than general educators can provide. With that, having unqualified special education teachers seems to be beating the purpose of further needed help. Disorders in the classroom are something that’s hard for teachers, parents, and the child with the disorder to deal with. In some instances, children with disabilities simply aren’t welcome in the school. While others develop behavioral problems with the lack of communication the teachers give. The reason for this predicament, they say, is because they (the teachers) are not equipped to care for these children.
Along with not having the correct care in all aspects of interactions between teacher and student of special need, the obstacle of not having the proper equipment to handle the child in the school is also present. Children with special needs have such specific support and therapy needs that ordinary school desks, chairs and buses are unable to position them the way their bodies require. Proper special needs products ,like a pediatric positioning chair, are essential in order for the child to learn properly like the rest of the students. At school, therapy, or class field trips, positioning children to benefit from educational programs has been made even easier through special needs products for therapy or support. Strollers have been successfully crash-tested for van or bus tie-down (Education Expert, 2017). Furthermore, high-low seating systems and height adjustable tables for mobile standers provide them with the most durable, high-quality adaptive equipment for students of all ages (Education Expert, 2017). Ramps around the school in place of steps make it easier for transportation for those in wheelchairs or have trouble walking up stairs. Although many companies make and donate equipment specifically for special needs kids, they are not prominent in many schools. At Northeast Range, a small public school in Northern Minnesota, the special education department is little less than nothing. In interviewing a graduate from Babbitt in 1982, information was gained that the school didn’t have the proper equipment, such as for therapy or transportation, as well. In quote, “All there was, was a room that kids would go in for help. There were no ramps or special education teachers either.” Even with all the technology and help out there today, no progress has been acquired.
While many children go to school, sit straight in their desks, and listen to the lesson the teacher has planned for the day, some are not able to do the work that is presented. Ordinarily, children with special needs require possible therapeutic learning as well as the correct remedial instruction. Using various techniques, such as providing extra practice or explanation, repeating the information and devoting more time to working on certain skills, the teachers guide each student through the educational process (Special Education News, 2017). As well as not being able to do regular school work, children with special needs also have trouble working and interacting with other students. Everything students do on a regular daily basis may be too overwhelming for these kids. Crowded hallways, taking turns, lining up, keeping a desk organized and interacting with other students, all basic activity of school life, are confusing for children with special needs. This may also affect the other students in the long run. For example, a child with autism may be screaming in the classroom because they are upset or frustrated. This can be very distracting and scary for other students who don’t understand. The parents of two girls who attend John Wanless Junior Public School in north Toronto sued the school district for failing to protect their daughters from a child with special needs. The child with special needs became angry and threatened the girls and pursued to hit them. Consequently, the lawyer of the parents stated that children with special needs should be accommodated and given a place to be and learn. Not only is integration becoming a problem for the child with special needs, it’s becoming a problem for the other students.
In order for schools to have happy students and parents, changes have to be made that accommodate special needs children. Every parent wants their child to learn the most they can in school and to graduate successfully. However, the teachers need to be qualified for the child to reach their full potential. It seems as though schools do not go through the proper precautions to see if the teacher they hire is qualified for the job. A solution may be that the school could set up a program or system of questions to ask the hiree. This will help the school to obtain all information possible before hiring that teacher. Furthermore, special education teachers need to know how to handle a child with special needs. The school might put together a psychology class for their special education staff to take so that they can better help and understand the students. If the child becomes confused and frustrated, the teacher can repeat the information and give better explanation of the material. They are there to learn just like the rest of the students.
Having proper equipment in schools has always been a problem. There are websites and companies that donate equipment to schools with special needs students. Moreover, there are sites that help you find used equipment for a cheaper price if money is an issue. If money is the case, the school could raise money to buy more equipment. Around thirteen percent of all public school students receive special education. This means that schools need to have more than one wheelchair and more than one bus that can transport that child. As well as the equipment itself, there needs to be ramps around the school in order to use such equipment. Like mentioned before, raising money for the school to put ramps in and students volunteering their help would get the job done.
Many schools claim they have rooms for special needs children to go for help. However, a room with an adult, who isn’t a teacher, supervising the children highly doesn’t qualify. These kids need a special place to go with more than one special education teacher to help them with their work. Not only would this solve the problem that the special needs kids aren’t learning enough and are struggling, but it also helps the other students that are being distracted. Without a special place for them to go, they are placed in a loud classroom where the teachers are busy enough trying to keep the other students in line. Adding a child, or several, who require more attention than others to a busy classroom is just torture to the child, the other classmates, and the teacher. If the school gave up one room for them to belong, the problem would be solved.
Education is a fundamental human right that is essential for the exercise of all other human rights. The Constitution requires that all children be given equal educational opportunity no matter what the circumstance. In addition to the constitutional guarantee of an equal education, many federal, state and local laws also protect students against discrimination in education based on disability. Therefore, children should be welcome at all schools and if circumstances are such that the school doesn’t have the proper accommodations, changes need to be made. Although Carrie and Alan were born differently, they are still human. Everything you do, every dream you have, and every choice you make begins with education. Carrie has been stripped not only of the human rights she was born with, but the very opportunity that lay before her everyday. Children with special needs are not disabled by the disabilities they have, they are able by the abilities they have, and that should be the ability to go to school.