Special Education

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Eleven years ago I began my career as a special education teacher in which I taught all 6th grade subjects within a small group setting. At the beginning of the school year, I assessed my students, evaluated the data, and taught students based on their level. Throughout the year, I would continue the process of assessing (benchmarking), to determine progress made. Often time, there would be tremendous progress made which would lead to a recommendation for that student to join an inclusion class. Today, as a general education teacher, teaching inclusion classes, I have noticed how much of the basics of special education have changed. Based on the readings and questions that I have developed, the concerns that I would like to address within my research are listed below. In my experience, I have encountered several students that had both language problems, because of their ethnicity, and had an emotional behavior disorder and performed poorly on assessments and disturbed the class often. I feel that these students would have performed well if (a) the language was effectively addressed, (b) for my school district to address would be that of meeting students at their level. In order to meet all students’ needs within a general education classroom; effective differentiation would have to occur. I would like administration to really address how teachers can provide ways of implementing valuable differentiation strategies within the classroom.
Is Language the Missing Element in Special Education?
Language is a big part of a student’s ability to perform well in school and research suggests that between 50-70% of students with emotional disorder have co-morbid speech, language, and/or communication disorders (Benner et al., 200...

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...ve pages that can turn without utilizing dexterity and software that adapts to a persons voice, can all provide learners with answers to questions without much assistance from the educator. Technology is appealing and more sophisticated than the usual modified instruction permits.

• Integrating technology in the classrooms has been an increasing trend within the school system. How effective are computer based instruction for students with a learning disability? What kind of technological programs are there that would address specific needs of a student with learning disabilities?

References

Hallahan, D. P., & Kauffman, J. M. (2003).
Exceptional learners: Introduction to special education. (9th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Kirk, S., Gallagher, J., Coleman, M.R., & Anastasiow, N., Educating exceptional children (Florence, KY: Wadsworth, 2008).

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