Evolution of Special Needs

Retrieved January 29, 2011 from http://www.rethinkingschools.org/restrict.asp?path=archive/16_03/Hist163.shtml President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education. (2005). A new era: Revitalizing special education for children and their families. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Watson, S. (2008).

Sailor, W., & Blair, R. (2005). Rethinking inclusion: Schoolwide applications. Children And Youth - For, Education, College And Alumni, 86(7), 6. U.s. department of education. (2007, July 19).

Special education students who are included in regular education classrooms become part of a much larger learning community and they are able develop more of a positive self view. General education students also benefit from the diversity of an inclusive classroom. Duhaney and Salend, 2000 found that parents of children without disabilities identified benefits for their own children such as greater sensitivity to the needs of other children, more helpfulness in meeti... ... middle of paper ... ...hanging concerns that their staff, parents, and others have as greater inclusion begins to be implemented. By attending to these issues, a more inclusive educational system is possible. (SEDL, 1995) Works Cited Douvanis, G. and Hursley, D. (2002).

Since the beginning of the 20th century, only private schools in the United States had been exclusively all boy and all girl schools, even though there was not a law forbidding the practice in the public schools until the 1972 passage of Title IX legislation. Title IX made gender segregation illegal in almost every aspect of school, including athletics, medical services, admission practices, career counseling, and the treatment of students. Federal funds would be withheld from schools that violated Title IX (Brake, 2001). Title IX pushed the trend of co-education for almost 30 years and is believed to have had a significant national impact ... ... middle of paper ... ...g single-sex schools in the U.S.:trends, court cases, and conflicting laws. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 356-362.

Creating social opportunities for students with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive settings. Intervention in School and Clinic, 46(5), 273-279. Retrieved from: http://web.ebscohost.com Hill, D., Martin, E., & Nelson-Head, C. (2011). Examination of Case Law (2007–2008) Regarding Autism Spectrum Disorder and Violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Preventing School Failure, 55(4), 214-225. doi:10.1080/1045988X.2010.542784 Peoria Policy Manual/SECTION J STUDENTS/J-0150 © JB EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES U.S. Department of Education.

Luckily, special education has come a long way since public education began. People, especially parents, advocated for their children, and today many laws are in place to ensure that all children have the right to be educated regardless of their disability. These special education laws began with landmark Supreme Court decisions. Following the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, with the Supreme Court deciding that separate but equal facilities were acceptable, students with disabilities were rejected from public education. For example, in Massachusetts in 1893, a child with disabilities was removed from school because “he was so weak in mind as to not derive any marked benefit from instruction and further, that he is troublesome to other children…” (as cited in Watson v. City of Cambridge, 1893).

Spinelli, C. G. (2002). Classroom Assessment for Students with Special Needs in Inclusive Education. New Jersey Colombus, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall. Taylor, C. S., & Nolen, S. B. (2005).

Reflection Item Two: ‘Adapting the curriculum and effective teaching strategies’ Question: Discuss in detail ways that teachers can set up the learning environment in order to maximise teaching and learning, and the advantages and disadvantages that belong with such implementation. In our teaching careers, the biggest achievement we can make; is to succeed in creating a supportive environment which nurtures the emotional, physical, social and intellectual developmental needs of each and every one of our students. Belonging to an inclusive educational setting as a supportive teacher, means we can encourage our students to flourish and grow into successful and achieving individuals. In an article by Ashman & Elkins, (2008) discussing Inclusive Education, they discuss the progression of Inclusive Education as being underpinned by a schools responsibility to operate as a ‘supportive and cooperative entity where the rights of every member of the community is acknowledged and respected’. Collaborating with the wider community extends an educators band of opportunities to greater develop their students in a style which is individually suiting.

Well, at least what’s best for them according to the parents’ definition of “best”. From childhood to the majority of adolescence, the child has no say in the decisions their parents make for them or how their parents raise them. So, for reasons known only to them, some parents will choose not to place their child in public schools and educate their precious bundles of joy themselves. As of Spring 2007, an estimated 2.9% of children are being home schooled in the United States alone. That’s over 1.5 million students.

I believe it is important that at the start of the new school year the teacher sets up a collegial classroom to maximise learning outcomes. In my classroom I want children to engage with the lessons, I want them to feel happy and therefore, want to be in my class. I want students to see the learning as relevant and have the opportunity to reflect and evaluate their work so they can extend themselves further. I want to teach students to take responsibility for their behaviour and teach them to use self-control, and self management skills through being a lead manager (Blance, 2010). I believe it is important to have a major focus on social learning outcomes and give students the opportunity to gain skills to get along together.