Understanding Special Education Paper 4
Special education is education that requires modification of the usual school curriculum
for students to succeed. These children may have physical, mental, social, or emotional needs
that differ from the general population of children in school. In today's day and age, special
education has become more common and spoken about because of the many resources available
that help identify the needs of students. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well” (Psalm 139:14). God knew the
challenges that might be faced with a child with learning disabilities so special education is there
to help these students along the way and remind them that they are made in the image of God
and there is a purpose for them in this world. The scope of learning disabilities has increased
which has caused the need for special education to increase. “Approximately 13% of the total
school population receives special education services because they have a documented disability
and demonstrate a need for specially designed instruction” (Orlich, D. 2018). The primary need
for special education is to help students succeed so they can lead a life where they know they are
capable of anything and have the tools to face any challenge head on.
Laws
In 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) later known as
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA), became a federal law. This
law required that all public schools would provide the appropriate educational services needed
for all children that had any type of disability. This law has created significant strides in better
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understanding the needs of special education students. Before this was a federal law, a child
with disabilities was left behind. Meaning they were not properly diagnosed, undiagnosed, didn’t
receive proper treatment, or weren’t allowed to attend school because there weren't resources to
meet the individual needs to have an education. They were left in self-contained areas that left
them isolated from the general population of students. When this law passed, it stated least
restrictive environment (LRE) which allowed more inclusiveness for special education students.
“Although the LRE principle in the special education law has not changed since 1975, the
practice of full inclusion is now the norm rather than the exception” (Orlich, 2018).
The separation of learning-disabled students and other issues that might cause academic
difficulties has been a murky line. Differentiating between emotional and social issues from a
learning disability has been a struggle. This sheds light on the changes that happened in 2004 to
the IDEIA. “For instance, is the "Response to Intervention" (RTI) provision, which allows school
districts to better identify students with legitimate learning disabilities and provide them with
individualized, evidence-based instruction” (Grigorenko, 2008).
Special Education Services
“To receive special education services, a student must be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team
of school professionals” (Orlich, 2018). This team will be made up of multiple educators and
medical specialists depending on the needs of the student to assess the student since that is the
key to identifying their disabilities. They then investigate all aspects of concern such as
academics, and behavior. The IDEIA list 13 categories that a child’s school performance must be
“adversely affected” by a disability (Lee,2021). These categories include: Specific learning
disability, speech or language impairment, other health impairments, intellectual disabilities,
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emotional disturbance, developmental delay, autism, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments,
orthopedic impairments, traumatic brain injury, visual impairments, and deaf-blindness.
“Specific Learning Disability (SLD) is the most common category under IDEA. In 2018, 34
percent of students who qualified did so under this category” (Lee, 2021). The evaluation is
when the team will analyze it and decide if the student needs special education services. An
Individual Education Program (IEP) is then set in place to provide the students with the services
they require to receive an education.
Service Delivery Models
There are several services that are then administered to the student. These include
transportation, language interpretation, and supplemental aids and services. To provide effective
instructions a tier program was developed. The response to Intervention (RTI) consists of 3 tiers
that will allow students a process for progress. These tiers are tier 1(general education services),
tier 2 (collaborative general and special education), and tier 3(special education services). The
tiers show the restrictiveness that will be implemented for the students. Tier 1 is an education
that is provided for all students and is all inclusive with evidence-based practices for instruction.
If a student is unable to progress in a tier 1 environment then an RTI specialist becomes involved
in evaluating the child. The student may be moved to another tier that allows a more intensive
instruction. A tier 2 environment usually involves more one on instruction through a specialist or
a paraprofessional educator to assist in their learning. “Students with disabilities in both special
education and general education settings exhibit a range of functional abilities” (Wagner,
Marder, & Chorost). Tier3 is solely special education and creates assessments and instruction on
an individualized schedule to assist with the students' needs. The main goal is to provide all
students with the intervention they need before the student falls behind.
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“The Lord said to him, ‘who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or
mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord” (Exodus 4:11, King
James Version)? This verse serves as a reminder that there isn't an answer to the “why” because
we can trust that God designed everyone perfectly in his image. God is in control and we can
trust in him and the differences that he has created with special needs children. Special
educations focus is now on each individual students ability to learn and growth throughout their
education. Education is learning to be inclusive in teaching practices, which isn't always an easy
task. As educators we must be the voice for the children so that they may receive the help that
they need to prosper.
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References
Grigorenko, E. L. (Ed.). (2008). Educating individuals with disabilities: Ideia 2004 and beyond.
ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu
Lee, A. (2021, March 27). The 13 disability categories UNDER IDEA. Retrieved April 11, 2021,
from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/special-education-
basics/conditions-covered-under-idea
Orlich, D. C., Harder, R. J., Brown, A., Trevisan, M. S., & Miller, D. (2018). Teaching
strategies: a guide to effective instruction. Cengage Learning.
Wagner, M., Marder, C., & Chorost, M. (n.d.). Characteristics of Students in General and Special
Education Language Arts Classes. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from
https://seels.sri.com/designdocs/SEELS_W1C4_Ch2_Students_042904final.pdf
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