One of the most exciting times for families is the start of formal education for their child. This time is met with much excitement and anticipation as they begin preparations for the success of their child’s formal education. Now imagine being a parent of a child with special needs; instead of the feeling excited, you feel overwhelmed and concerned about whether your child’s needs will be met in their formal education. Special education is instruction designed to meet the needs of the student with disabilities. Although today we take for granted that students with disabilities are accepted and educated in the public school classroom, it has not always the case. Prior to any legislation, children with special needs were not educated in the
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It was during the mid 19th century that Edward Sequin introduced the physiological method in which he believed that individuals with disabilities, including the blind, intellectually disabled and emotional disturbed, could be trained to be productive members of society (Friend, 2014). It was the key concepts of his physiological method that is the basis for effective special education instruction in the United States. He focused on the several components for the students with disabilities. These areas include; academic skills, physical activity, positive rewards and the importance of structure and clear directions (Friend, 2104). If you were to walk into any classroom today, you would see many of these concepts in place in the delivery of instruction, the design of the lesson, the management of the classroom as well as the goals and objectives in the individual education program (IEP) for the student. Special education encompasses the identification of the student with disabilities, the collaboration and writing of the IEP for the student, the identified accommodations and modifications necessary for the student to access the curriculum as well as services, assistive technology and other support services the student needs to be successful with their peers. All of these components have their roots in the litigations and legislation of the years …show more content…
Additionally, many other students with special needs were educated in the private setting at the cost of the family. As a result of court cases such as Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children vs. The commonwealth of Pennsylvania (PARC)- 1972, which stated, children with special needs were not to be denied access to public schools and therefore, were entitled to a free and public education. Another landmark case is Mills vs. Board of Education (Mills) 1972, which is a class action law suit that resulted in the court ordering all students with disabilities to be educated and it further clarified the procedures to determine if a student is eligible for services. (Friend, 2014.) These cases, among others paved the way the for the special education laws that exist today. Karanxka stated in her study of case law frequency and decisions that there is a “need in the field of special education for educational leaders and teachers who possess the necessary knowledge, skills and dispositions to meet the needs of the children with disabilities” (Karanxka, 2014, p. 64.). The trend today is to hire special educators with the skills and training to properly teach the student with
It was during the mid 19th century that Edward Sequin introduced the physiological method in which he believed that individuals with disabilities, including the blind, intellectually disabled and emotional disturbed, could be trained to be productive members of society (Friend, 2014). It was the key concepts of his physiological method that is the basis for effective special education instruction in the United States. He focused on the several components for the students with disabilities. These areas include; academic skills, physical activity, positive rewards and the importance of structure and clear directions (Friend, 2104). If you were to walk into any classroom today, you would see many of these concepts in place in the delivery of instruction, the design of the lesson, the management of the classroom as well as the goals and objectives in the individual education program (IEP) for the student. Special education encompasses the identification of the student with disabilities, the collaboration and writing of the IEP for the student, the identified accommodations and modifications necessary for the student to access the curriculum as well as services, assistive technology and other support services the student needs to be successful with their peers. All of these components have their roots in the litigations and legislation of the years …show more content…
Additionally, many other students with special needs were educated in the private setting at the cost of the family. As a result of court cases such as Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children vs. The commonwealth of Pennsylvania (PARC)- 1972, which stated, children with special needs were not to be denied access to public schools and therefore, were entitled to a free and public education. Another landmark case is Mills vs. Board of Education (Mills) 1972, which is a class action law suit that resulted in the court ordering all students with disabilities to be educated and it further clarified the procedures to determine if a student is eligible for services. (Friend, 2014.) These cases, among others paved the way the for the special education laws that exist today. Karanxka stated in her study of case law frequency and decisions that there is a “need in the field of special education for educational leaders and teachers who possess the necessary knowledge, skills and dispositions to meet the needs of the children with disabilities” (Karanxka, 2014, p. 64.). The trend today is to hire special educators with the skills and training to properly teach the student with