The term learning disabilities is widely accepted for what it is, but what exactly is it? Developing a definition for learning disabilities proved to be a formidable challenge according to Janet Lerner, in fact it was such an overpowering task it has been compared to “Justice Potter Stewart’s comment on pornography: impossible to define, “but I know it when I see it.”” (Lerner 2002, p.8) Similarly, a mathematical learning disability is a formidable endeavour to try and define, mainly due to the extent and complexity of the field of mathematics. (http://ldx.sagepub.com/content/37/1/4.full.pdf+html ) “One meaningful way of contextualising ‘learning disabilities’ is to think about it as an umbrella term under which all affected individuals are described as having varying degrees of impairment of intellectual and social functioning” (GOOGLE BOOK, p.22) Distinguishing if someone has a learning disability can be difficult as a result it is often not possible to rely solely on one single criterion in order to provide the answer. Therefore (GOOGLE BOOK) stated that three principles which have been used consist of intellectual ability, legislative definitions and social competence. http://books.google.ie/books?hl=en&lr=&id=9f78JovnJPEC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=learning+disability*+inclusion%5D&ots=S8CYL163Vh&sig=o4fzREcYlBvprnfpNUavR64COdo&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false A mathematical learning disability can be described as students who struggle with remembering mathematics facts, concepts, rules, formulas, sequences, and procedures (Mishra 2012). Similarly a MLD has been described as difficulties applying basic operations in one or more of the domains within mathematics. This indicates interference with “the sense of quantity, symbols decodin... ... middle of paper ... ...fs and knowledge; the influence of teachers’ beliefs on instruction; and the role teacher education programs play in both altering teachers’ beliefs and fostering an awareness of the importance beliefs play in instruction” (p.5) Brantlinger (1996) categorized teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward inclusion as either “inclusive beliefs” or “anti-inclusive beliefs” which facilitate and maximise inclusive environments hinder and weaken the implementation of inclusive strategies in schools respectively (p.19). Janney et al. (1995) found that the more experience you have with integrating students into the classroom the more comfortable you were and positive your attitudes were as a result. Thos was backed up by McLeskey et al. (2001), who established that teachers’ negative attitudes toward inclusion stem from a lack of experience with well-designed inclusion programs.
A learning disability is defined as any one of various conditions that interfere with an individual's ability to learn, resulting in impaired functioning in language, reasoning, or academic skills. The National Center for Learning Disabilities explains it as a neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to receive process, store and respond to information. Basically, among people with learning disabilities there is a noticeable gap between their level of expected achievement and their actual achievement. Doctors and professionals agree there is no way to pin-point any specific causes for learning disabilities. The NCLD says some possible causes may include heredity, problems during pregnancy or birth, head injuries or nutritional deprivation after birth, and exposure to toxic substances.
The disabilities that were introduced above are somewhat similar but yet very different inabilities that are definitely worth defining. The various studies focused on individuals with both learning and mental disabilities. A learning disability is typically a condition giv...
Pauc, R. (2010). The Learning Disability Myth: Understanding and overcoming your child’s diagnosis of Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Tourette’s syndrome of childhood, ADD, ADHD, or OCD. London: Virgin Books.
Schools in today’s society are rapidly changing and growing striving to implement the best practices in their schools. Nonetheless, before a school can implement a program in their school, they need reliable evidence that the new program will work. A new program that schools are aiming to implement is inclusion in the classroom because of the benefits inclusion could bring. The implementation of inclusion is strongly connected by people’s attitudes whether they are positive or negative. However, while inclusion is being widely implemented, there is comparatively little data on its effectiveness. It may be that inclusion benefits some areas such as reading and social skills, more than it does others.
Encyclopedia of Educational Psychology (2008). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Retrieved April 9, 2011, from http://www.sage-ereference.com/educationalpsychology/Article_n139.html
Santa Barbara, CA: Learning Works, 1996. Print. The. Girod, Christina M. Learning Disabilities. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 2001. Print.
“Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish.” (Einstein). Developmental disability, better known as intellectual disability, or mental retardation is a disorder that causes individuals to preform at below average levels (“Intellectual”). This disorder is characterized by continued infant-like behavior, decreased learning ability, failure to meet the markers of intellectual development, inability to meet educational demands, and a lack of curiosity (“Intellectual”). Some people with intellectual disabilities are able to live normal lives, while others may require assistance. Most people with intellectual disabilities have the same capacity to preform the same task as those without intellectual disabilities.
Mathematics education has undergone many changes over the last several years. Some of these changes include the key concepts all students must master and how they are taught. According to Jacob Vigdor, the concerns about students’ math achievements have always been apparent. A few reasons that are negatively impacting the productivity of students’ math achievements are historical events that influenced mathematics, how math is being taught, and differentiation of curriculum.
The classroom is a diverse place where learners from all different genres of life meet. Included in these learners are those that display learning disabilities. According to the British Columbia School Superintendent’s Association, ‘learning disabilities refer to a number of conditions that might affect the acquisition, organization, retention, understanding or use of verbal or nonverbal information. These disorders affect learning in individuals who otherwise demonstrate at least average abilities essential for thinking and/or reasoning’. They also posit that ‘learning disabilities result from impairments in one or more processes related to perceiving, thinking, remembering or learning. These include, but are not limited to language processing,
Radley, M. (2009). Understanding the social exclusion and stalled welfare of citizens with learning disabilities. Disability and Society, 23(4): 489-501.
The inclusion movement started when the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was passed in 1975. The act guaranteed all children, regardless of disability, the right to a “free and appropriate public education” in the “least restrictive environment,” making inclusion a civil rights issue. In 1990 it was replaced with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). According to NICHCY, “IDEA defines a ‘child with a disability’ as a ‘child... with an intellectual disability, hearing impairments (including deafness), speech or language impairments, visual impairments (including blindness), serious emotional disturbance..., orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities; AND, who... [because of the condition] needs special education and related services.’” (2011) According to Western Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Research inclusion is based o...
The idea of inclusion within a classroom tends to breed controversy from many people. Currently there is no clear consensus on a definition of inclusion (Heward, 2006). There are many different views on how students with disabilities should be handled. Those views ranged from students being fully included, partially included, or not included at all in mainstream schooling. Different descriptions of inclusion tend to reflect the person's own opinions towards it. People who feel students should not be included in the classroom focus on the negative characteristics of inclusion, such as the challenges of developing plans for students as well as the hard work it requires to incorporate those plans. However, studies show that full inclusion has many benefits to the students, for both students with disabilities as well as students without them. Inclusion has shown to improve the student's social skills, encourage communication, inspire laws and regulations, and improve the overall schooling experience (Gargiulo, 2012). Although it will take longer then some would like or have the patience for, full inclusion can be done in the classroom, with its benefits outweighing the hard work that it requires.
Inclusion in classrooms is defined as combining students with disabilities and students without disabilities together in an educational environment. It provides all students with a better sense of belonging. They will enable friendships and evolve feelings of being a member of a diverse community (Bronson, 1999). Inclusion benefits students without disabilities by developing a sense of helping others and respecting other diverse people. By this, the students will build up an appreciation that everyone has unique yet wonderful abilities and personalities (Bronson, 1999). This will enhance their communication skills later in life. Inclusive classrooms provide students with disabilities a better education on the same level as their peers. Since all students would be in the same educational environment, they would follow the same curriculum and not separate ones based on their disability. The main element to a successful inclusive classroom, is the teachers effort to plan the curriculum to fit all students needs. Teachers must make sure that they are making the material challenging enough for students without special needs and understandable to students with special needs. Inclusive classrooms are beneficial to students with and without special needs.
To be truly inclusive teachers, we need to first know the student and identify the real reasons for any individual to be classified as having a learning disability.
Towers, J., Martin, L., & Pirie, S. (2000). Growing mathematical understanding: Layered observations. In M.L. Fernandez (Ed.), Proceedings of the Annual Meetings of North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Tucson, AZ, 225-230.