Enforcing Discipline In The Classroom Case Study

Enforcing discipline in the classroom can be a difficult task for educators, especially when working with students with disabilities. While students with disabilities do need to be disciplined, it is important they are not being punished for something directly caused by their disability. Unfortunately, this can lead to confusion with what to do when a student with a disability acts out. IDEA does not restrict disciplining students with disabilities. In fact, according to the National Association of School Psychologists’ assistant executive director, Kevin Dwyer (1997), “There is nothing in IDEA that restricts schools from disciplining children with disabilities. In fact, some would say that, by not addressing these dangerous behaviors, the

Educators, staff, parents, and students all have a right to be familiar with a school’s code of conduct. Students retain information differently, some can learn and understand expectations by observation and many others have to learn by personal experience. Dwyer (1997) believes, “Parents of children with disabilities should be given the opportunity to discuss the discipline code when it is a concern for their child and to be partners in finding effective ways of assisting in maintaining the code and its intent.” (p. 3) If a behavior may be caused directly by a student’s disability, then managing behavior can be adapted as an IEP

It is not decided by the "ability of the child to determine right from wrong." Under IDEA, a manifestation determination must include an analysis of the child 's program as well as the child 's physical, cognitive, developmental, mental and emotional challenges. The child’s behavior may be considered unrelated to the disability if the disability did not impair the child’s understanding of the impact of the serious consequences of the behavior and if the disability did not impair the ability of the child to control the behavior. (p. 7)

When a behavior is determined to be a manifestation of the disability, a child cannot be expelled from the school because of the behavior in question. If a behavior is dangerous, such as violating school policies with weapons, a placement that is secure is necessary. However, an IEP, FBA, and a BIP all will be necessary to help prevent the behavior from reoccurring. (Trent,