TEDU 630: Trends and Issues in Special Education
February 10 – March 10, 2010
Contacting Dr. Wehman• I will make every attempt to be
available to you, but I do have other commitments this semester.
• I will check the course website to check for assignments/ discussion board or questions you may have.
• Email me whenever you need to make contact.
How this class will run
• Combination of face-to-face meetings and online work.
• Online work and readings will be the equivalent of two face-to-face meetings
• Blackboard website
Blackboard website
• TEDU 630 Section C91 is our website
• You will need a VCU account and email
• See handout for information about setting that up if you have not already
• VCU Help Desk: 828-2227
Blackboard website
• Contains information about the online class sessions
• Combination of reading from text, websites, research you do on your own, etc.
Blackboard Website
• Assignments
• Calendar
• Powerpoint presentations
• Links to important websites
• Links to course information
Overview of course
• Introduction to special education
• Legal aspects of special education
• Developing Individualized Education Programs
• Characteristics of students with disabilities
WEEK ONE: February 10, 2010What is special education?
• It is the art and science of teaching students who have disabilities…difficulties and challenges in thinking, in moving, in sensing, or in feeling.
• This course will seek to present an overview of both art and science.
Guiding Principles: Providing Services to Individuals with Disability
• The role of supports
• Transition across the life span
• Personal responsibility
• Self-determination
• Education in neighborhood schools
The art of special education: Values
• Envisioning great expectations
• Enhancing positive contributions
• Building on strengths
• Acting on choices
• Expanding relationships
• Ensuring full citizenship
• ***Person-first philosophy
Who are students with disabilities?
• Total number of students with disabilities: 5 ½ million students ages six to twenty-one(1999)
• 200,000 infants and toddlers• 570,000 preschool children• Age groups:
– 3-5: 9.6%– 6-11: 45.4%– 12-17: 40.4%– 18-21: 4.5%
Person-first language• Language that reflects our current understanding
that– Disability is only one aspect of who someone is– There is more that we don’t know about the
prognosis of a disability than we do know– Labels limit the high expectations that we can
have– Individuals with disabilities are a devalued
segment of our society and until that changes, whatever language/term we use will become devalued. However, as that is happening, we have to be sure we’re not adding to the problem.
Portrayal Issues• Do not sensationalize a disability (“victim of”)• Avoid using emotional descriptions (“confined
to a wheelchair”)• Avoid labeling people into groups (the
disabled)• Avoid portraying people who succeed as
remarkable or superhuman• Avoid using the word “special” in regard to
disability…. “special entrance”• Avoid putting disability issues into medical
context (client, patient)
Change these offensive terms
• Crippled• Normal• Wheelchair bound• Man who suffers from polio• Cerebral palsy victim• Epileptic• The learning disabled classroom• The special bus
Socioeconomic, geographic, racial and ethnic profile
• The greatest number of special education students come from low-income families who live in urban areas and in poverty
• Many come from families that speak a language other than English or with limited English proficiency
• There is a disproportionate representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in programs for students with disabilities.
• I became a self-advocate ten years ago. Being a self-advocate is very important to me because my self-advocacy skills taught me how to see myself as a person because of all the labels placed on me. People used to make fun of me all the time.
• It is real hard for me not to be upset by being called retarded or dummy, names like that. They would really hurt my feelings. It is real hard for me to deal with my feelings now. I have learned that getting mad does not do any good. I have learned to talk to people about how that makes me feel.
• Nancy Ward.
What are the results/outcomes?
• National Longitudinal Transition Study– Adults with disabilities earn less, are more
likely to live in poverty, and are less likely to go to college
• Graduation results– One fourth of students with disabilities earned
a “regular” high school diploma in 1996-1997.– Drop-out rate is double for students with
disabilities than for those without disabilities
History of Special Education
• Early History– Itard (1799) found a boy near the woods and tried to
“civilize” him. Named him Victor.– Seguin became a student of Itard’s and developed
teaching methods.– Montessori used those methods in her “Montessori
method,” first used with students with mental retardation.
– Methods came to US. Howe founded Perkins School for the Blind
– Gallaudet began teaching Alice Cogswell and became principal at first school for the Deaf
– Alexander Graham Bell started out as teacher of children who were deaf
– Anne Sullivan Macy
History of Special Education
• Later History– Initial surge of interest, there was
disillusionment– Rise of institutions– Beginning of sterilization and eugenics
movement– Fear– Focus on protection of society
History of Special Education• Services-based movement 1960-1980
– Kennedy’s presidency was impetus for many changes
– Focus on families: the ARC– Beginning of litigation
• Diana v. Board of Education (CA) (1970)
• Parc v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1972)
• Mills v. Washington, DC Board of Education (1972)
– Led to P.L. 94-142 (1975): Education of all Handicapped Children Act (EHA)
P.L. 94-142: EHA• All children with disabilities are entitled to a
free and appropriate public education (FAPE)
• Ages 6-21• Protected the rights of the parents
throughout the process (procedural safeguards)
• Required the development of an individualized education program
• Students must receive education in least restrictive environment possible.
• Students qualified on basis of disability and need.
History of Special EducationSupports-based movement (1980-
present)• Inclusive education advocated by parents
& professionals• Attention to early intervention is promoted• Employment opportunities enriched
through Supported Employment• Notion of supports is validated and
encouraged• Focus on self-determination/self-advocacy
Educational law amendments
• P.L. 94-142 has been amended four times by Congress, most recently in 1997.
• Added infants, toddlers and preschoolers to qualified students
• IDEA became name of law in 1990 to reflect person-first language– Added autism and traumatic brain
injury as categories– Added transition planning– Expanded related services list
IDEA• Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act– Name change in 1990– Reauthorization in 1997– Now being reviewed for reauthorization,
changes
• It’s important to know what is being considered, and make your thoughts known.
• http://www.specialednews.com/washwatch/washnews/bushcommission012002.html
Key components of IDEA• Disability Categories
– Mental retardation– Specific learning disabilities– Serious emotional disturbances– Speech or language impairments– Vision loss– Hearing loss– Orthopedic impairments– Other health impairments– Deaf/blindness– Multiple disabilities– Autism– Traumatic brain injury
• Demonstrated need to specialized instruction and related services in order to receive FAPE
Disability Categories• Specific Learning Disabilities• Speech or language impairments• Mental retardation/cognitive
disabilities• Emotional or behavior disorders• Other health impairments• Multiple disabilities• Hearing impairments• Orthopedic impairments• Autism• Visual impairments• Traumatic brain injury• Developmental delay• Deaf-blindness
• 51.0 %• 19.8 %
• 11.2 %
• 0.8.4 %• 03.5 %• 02.0 %• 01.3 %• 01.2 %• 00.8 %• 00.5 %• 00.2 %• 00.03%• 00.03%
Key components of IDEA
• FAPE• Based on 14th amendment guarantee for
equal protection under the law• Hendrick Hudson District board of Education
v. Rowley (1982)– Does not have to be ideal education
• Part B: students ages 3-21• Part C: students birth to age 3
Six principles of IDEA
• Zero reject
• Nondiscriminatory evaluation
• Appropriate education
• Least restrictive environment
• Procedural due process
• Parental and student participation
Key components of IDEA
• Zero reject
• Nondiscriminatory evaluation
• Appropriate education
• Least restrictive environment
• Procedural due process
• Parent and student participation
Key components of IDEA
• Zero reject– All students with disabilities, no matter how
significant their support needs, are entitled to a free and appropriate education
– Behaviorally, students whose behavior problems are caused by their disabilities can not be suspended or expelled from school
Key components of IDEA
• Nondiscriminatory Evaluation– Purposes: determine whether a
student has a disability and the nature of the special education and related services the student needs.
– Four-step process• Screening• Prereferral• Referral• Nondiscriminatory evaluation
Key components of IDEA
• Nondiscriminatory Evaluation– Full evaluation: should cover all aspects
of student’s life and education– Formal evaluation: must follow certain
procedures– Evaluation team (parents, general
education teacher, special educator, a school district representative, an individual who can interpret the assessment results, others)
– Assessment instruments
Key components of IDEA
• Appropriate education– IEP: individualized education program– IFSP: individualized family support plan– http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/ideapubs/lg2.pdf– http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/stuguide/st1.pdf
The IEP• The IEP is a written statement for each
student. It must include the following:– Present levels of educational performance– Measurable annual goals– Services, supplemental aids and services,
program modifications– The extent to which, if any, student will not
participate with students who do not have disabilities
– Projected beginning date & frequency, duration, and location of each
– Transition plans– How student’s progress will be measured
Least restrictive environment
• Student in general education class• Student in general education class,
consultative specialist provides assistance
• Student in general education class for majority of day, resource room for specialized education
• Student in special education/resource class for majority of day, attends general education class for part of day
• Student in full-time special education class
• Student in separate school• Student receives homebound or hospital-
based instruction.
Procedural due process• Parental safeguards
– Give consent in writing before initial evaluation
– Give consent in writing before student begins to receive special education
– Request an independent evaluation– Participate on committees for
evaluation, placement, IEP development– Inspect and review educational records/
challenge information – Request copy of information from file– Request a hearing concerning any
aspect of identification, evaluation, placement, provision of FAPE.
Other laws to know• Rehabilitation Act• Technology-related assistance to
individuals with disabilities act of 1988• Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act
– Prohibits discrimination in any program or activity that received federal financial assistance
– Applies to colleges, school programs, etc.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)– Extends the civil rights of Section 504 to
public sectors of employment, transportation, government, telecommunications and privately-owned businesses open to public.
Wednesday’s Class
• Read information on Special Education Law and IEP from book.
• Begin to determine who you will do interviews with.
• Read through the information on IEP development on the website (under course documents).
• Also, take some time to review the information and the study guide.
• Read Chapter 2 on Parents and Families Role in Special Education.
The Changing Face of the Family
• Different family roles– Fathers more involved in child care– Grandparents often involved in child care
• Professional’s role– Encourage all family members to participate– Know family’s choices, preferences
Interacting with Changing Family
• Importance of building relationships– Avoiding negative stereotypes– Appreciating the family’s knowledge– Letting families make decisions– Recognizing families as co-teachers– Developing active listening to help bridge
communication gaps– Respecting cultural diversity
Helping Families Manage Stress
• Stresses on family
• Respite care for families
• Encourage family participation nonjudgmentally
• Support systems provide respite
• Respite options available in most communities
Advocacy and Empowerment
• Roads that lead to advocacy
• Empowerment and self-determination
• Support groups, advocacy organizations
• Consumer-driven services
Siblings
• Have needs, too
• Challenges for siblings
• Communicating with siblings
