Special Education

Defining Special Education

Special education is the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials, accessible settings, and other interventions designed to help learners with special needs achieve a higher level of personal self-sufficiency and success in school and community than would be available if the student were only given access to a typical classroom education.

Students with special needs, such as learning differences, mental health issues, specific disabilities (physical or developmental), and giftedness are those whose needs are addressed within the classroom setting. However generally, the term "special education" refers specifically to students with learning disabilities, mental conditions, and other disabling conditions.

The provision of education to people with disabilities or learning differences differs from country to country, and state to state. The ability of a student to access a particular setting depends on the availability of services, location, family choice, or government policy.

In the United States The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is dedicated to improving results for children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) authorizes formula grants to states, and discretionary grants to institutions of higher education and other non-profit organizations to support research, demonstrations, technical assistance and dissemination, technology and personnel development and parent-training and information centers. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 was signed into law on December 3, 2004. As the nation's special education law, IDEA serves approximately 6.8 million children and youth with disabilities.

Special educators have historically described a cascade of services, in which students with special needs receive services in varying degrees based on the degree to which they interact with the general school population.

Inclusion: Regular education classes combined with special education services is a model often referred to as inclusion.

Exclusion: A student who does not receive instruction in any school is said to be excluded. Such exclusion may occur where there is no legal mandate for special education services. It may also occur when a student is in hospital, homebound, or detained by the criminal justice system.

Mainstreaming: Regular education classes combined with special education classes is a model often referred to as mainstreaming. In this model, students with special needs are educated with their typically developing peers during specific time periods.

Segregation (Self-Contained): Full-time placement in a special education classroom may be referred to as segregation. In this model, students with special needs spend no time with typically developing students.

Some parents, advocates, and students have concerns about the eligibility criteria and its application. In some cases, parents and students protest the students' placement into special education programs. For example, a student may be placed into the special education programs due to a mental health condition such as OCD, depression, anxiety, panic attacks or ADHD, while the student and his parents believe that the condition is adequately managed through medication and outside therapy. In other cases, students whose parents believe they require the additional support of special education services are denied participation in the program based on the eligibility criteria.

Further Information Regarding Special Education

The Council for Exceptional Children - Serving Children with Disabilities
The CEC serves an audience that includes students, parents, teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals and support service providers. They serve all aspects of education and development of students with disabilities and those who are gifted.

Learning Disabilities Research Results - Foundation for Learning Development
The Foundation for Learning Development has released its comprehensive list of Cognitive Training Devices, Programs and Tools targeted to parents and educators of children with learning disabilities.

Children Write Faster with Pen than Keyboard
Second, fourth and sixth grade children with and without handwriting disabilities were able to write more and faster when using a pen than a keyboard to compose essays, according to new research.

Getting Your Child with Special Needs Ready for School
Getting ready for the new school year starts earlier when you have a child with special needs. There are so many things to plan ahead for, and people to coordinate with. You'll need to start preparing your child, too.

College Tips for Students with Learning Disabilities
High school students who transition to college find themselves facing a whole new set of challenges. Unfamiliar with the college system, they are prone to making poor judgments. Because college proceeds so rapidly (a typical semester is fifteen weeks), a few poor decisions can produce dire consequences. This list should help students make decisions that bode for success.

Learning Disabilities - Factors for Successful Post-Secondary Transition
Since students with learning disabilities are at greater risk in college, they need to allow adequate time to set themselves up for post-secondary success now. Keeping the following factors in mind increases the likelihood that transition from high school to college will be as seamless as possible.

Financial Concerns for College Students with Learning Disabilities
The federal government is the largest source of financial aid for a student with learning disabilities. Federal aid can come in the form of loans and Federal Work Study, or FWS. FWS is a federal student financial aid program which promotes part-time employment for qualified students. Many offices on a college campus hire students throughout the school year. In some cases the work is awarded through FWS.

Gene Associated with Language, Speech and Reading Disorders
A gene on Chromosome 6 - KIAA0319 - was associated with variability in language abilities in a study of children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and their family members, as well as with variability in speech and reading abilities.

Breaking Writing Barriers for Students with Autism and Cognitive Disabilities
Assistive Technologies Break Through Writing Barriers for Students with Autism, Cognitive Disabilities and Physical Challenges. The case study and video showcase the extraordinary teaching efforts of Mrs. Murphy McBride, a special education teacher in the SCORES instructional resource program: (Social, Communication, Resources and Services) of Austin, Texas.

Students with Experience Corps Tutors Make Better Progress in Reading Skills
Study finds students with Experience Corps tutors make 60% more progress in critical reading skills than students without tutors. Rigorous new research from Washington University in St. Louis shows significant gains from a national service program that trains experienced Americans to help low-income children one-on-one in urban public schools.

Ways School Districts May Use ARRA Funds for Special Education
Have you heard that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has extra money for special education services? Would you like to know a few items that school districts may spend the money on? This article will give suggestions on what the ARRA money for special education can be spent on.

Reasons Not for Special Education to Bill Your Private Insurance
Is your child receiving special education related services? Have you been asked to give written consent, so that your school district can bill your private insurance company? This article will give you 5 reasons not to consent to having your private insurance billed for related services and evaluations.

Special Education Testing and Recommendations to Help Your Child
Do you have a child with autism or a learning disability that will be receiving special education testing from your school district's school psychologist? Would you like to know what areas should be covered, as well as a small list of tests, that may help determine your child's educational needs?

Your Child's Behavior and Special Education
Are you the parent of a child with autism that has behavioral difficulty at school? Has your child with learning disabilities developed behavior problems, that you believe are related to their frustration with their education? This article will discuss 8 things that you must know about your child's behavioral difficulty and special education.

Placement for Special Education Due Process Hearings
Did you know that IDEA 2004 states that a child has the right to a stay put placement, until due process hearings are finished or resolved? This article will discuss what stay put placements are during due process hearings.

What School Psychologists Need Include in Special Education Evaluations
Do you wonder what items need to be included in your child's testing and in the psychological report to help determine your child's educational needs? This article will discuss the 5 things that need to be included in special education evaluations and psychological reports to benefit your child's education.

IQ Tests Special Education Verbal or Non-Verbal
Is your child with autism or a learning disability going to be given an IQ test by special education personnel? Are you concerned that the IQ score may not be accurate due to your child's disability?

Diagnosis of Disabilities and Special Education Eligibility
Do you have a young child that you think has autism or another disability? Does your school district disagree with you and say that they do not? This article will discuss why it is so difficult to get a proper diagnosis of a disability, and also why it is difficult for a parent to have their child found eligible for special education services.

Special Education Acronyms
Do you sometimes wonder what some of the Acronyms in special education mean? Do the acronyms make your head spin? This article will discuss common special education acronyms and what they mean. This will make it easier for you to actively participate in your child with disabilities education.

Categories of Disability for Special Education Eligibility
Does your child struggle with academics, and you are concerned that they may have a disability? Have you been told by special education personnel that your child does not fit any of the 13 eligibility classifications to receive special education services?