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History of special needs education
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Special education in the United States of America has come a long way. Thanks to the variety of laws advocating for individuals with disabilities, students have a fair chance at an appropriate education no matter what their disabilities might be. The recent prevalence of inclusion classes asks the general education teacher to work closely with special educators and other resource professionals in order to ensure that all students, particularly ones with disabilities, receive the support they need in order to be successful. In order to do so, teachers must know about the different disabilities they may encounter in the field. One of these disabilities is hearing impairment. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing have challenges in certain areas like communication, access, and classroom activities. However, when the teacher is attentive and knowledgeable about
The first step in helping the student is to become familiar with the disability.
Contrary to popular media, this disability is not a high prevalence one. Deafness and hard of hearing is a low-prevalence disability, with only 0.10% of students aged 6-21 identifying as deaf or hard of hearing (Hallahan, Kaufman, & Pullen, 2015, p. 264). It is more common to see students with communication disorders and learning disorders that need treatment in the classroom than it is to see students with hearing impairment. Hearing loss is diagnosed in three ways. At the beginning of life, babies and young children are screened for hearing loss using computers to measure the performance of the cochlea. This measure catches many cases of hearing loss, though some do fall through the cracks, and yet hearing loss may occur as
She is able to receive assistance from a speech- pathologist for her language twice a week because of free appropriate public education (FAPE). A recommended practice that is trending now is to place students in their least restricted environment, where they can learn the most. In order for her to still receive her assistance and be in her least restricted environment, she is placed in a growing trend of inclusion classrooms. This trend is influencing special education and education in general because it is the view that everyone needs to be able to accept the student with a disability equally as anyone else. Although, the book discuss different views of inclusion in the classroom, inclusion classes are considered to be possible and necessary for twenty-first- century education that we are facing now. This is why Elizabeth spends the majority of her school day in a general education classroom instead of spending all her time in a special education classroom. It is also important to note that Elizabeth’s teachers have to collaborate together to support her because educators are now being expected to use evidence- based practices that work in the classroom. The practices that are used for Elizabeth are recommended practices in the special education and schools. It was shown that the practices being used for Elizabeth are effective because the teacher stated that she saw improvements in both her social and academic growth. The different aspects of Elizabeth’s program provides examples of the different aspects of special education including the programs or services that are available, what trends are happening
What do we do with children with disabilities in the public school? Do we include them in the general education class with the “regular” learning population or do we separate them to learn in a special environment more suited to their needs? The problem is many people have argued what is most effective, full inclusion where students with all ranges of disabilities are included in regular education classes for the entire day, or partial inclusion where children spend part of their day in a regular education setting and the rest of the day in a special education or resource class for the opportunity to work in a smaller group setting on specific needs. The need for care for children with identified disabilities both physical and learning continues to grow and the controversy continues.
Singleton, Jenny and Matthew Tittle. “Deaf Parents and Their Hearing Children.” Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. 5.3 (2000): 221-234. PsycINFO. EBSCO. Web. 9 Dec. 2013.
The medical field is notorious for providing cures to deafness, such as cochlear implants, which then leads people to believe that it is something that must be fixed and therefore labels deafness as a disability. While Tina Gianoulis was comparing the similarities between Queer and Deaf experiences in her article mentioned earlier she declares that, “most painfully, both groups have traditionally been forced to try to become “normal”. Well-meaning parents, determined that their children not be labeled “different”, have sent thousands of deaf children to speech pathologists and mainstream schools where they spend their youth feeling lonely, bewildered, and deficient.” which is the negative effect that the deafness should be cured thought has on those that actually experience hearing
Tom Smith, Edward Polloway, James Patton, and Carol Dowdy state, a 2008 report shows that 8.96% of the school-age population… have disabilities and of that number, 3.89% or almost half, were identified as learning disabled (2012, p. 160). Learning disabilities has always been a tough diagnosis due to accounting for a lot of factors like behavior, no proper teaching, culture and language, health issues, and other disability affecting learning. Not only that but there are different subject areas of learning disability in math, reading, and writing.
There are two groups of hearing impairments. They differ according to the degree of hearing loss. Children with a more severe form of hearing loss are deaf, and children who have a less severe hearing loss are considered hard-of-hearing (Meece & Daniels, 2008, p. 88). Student who are hard of hearing many be only to hear specific frequencies or sounds within a certain volume range. They will most likely have speech; however, their speech could be impaired due to their inability to hear their own voices clearly. While those students who are deaf may have little or no speech depending on the severity of their hearing loss, and they are more likely to use American Sign Language than those students who are hard-of-hearing (“Deaf or Hard of Hearing,” 2004).
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (November 2002). Retrieved October 17, 2004, from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/coch.asp
In the Evan v. Board of Education of Rhinebeck Central school district, the mother of the child Frank Evans, Catherine Evans filed a case for the reimbursement of the child’s education at the Kildonan School. The Kildonan School, which specializes in special education for children with learning disabilities like dyslexia. The basis for her case is that the school did not provide her son with the appropriate education, as is required for children with learning disabilities under the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Wrightslaw - Caselaw - Evans v. Rhinebeck (S.D. NY 1996), n.d.).
In the United States today, approximately 4500 children are born deaf each year, and numerous other individuals suffer injuries or illnesses that can cause partial or total loss of hearing, making them the largest “disability” segment in the country. Although, those in the medical field focus solely on the medical aspects of hearing loss and deafness, members of the deaf community find this unwarranted focus limiting and restrictive; because of its failure to adequately delineate the sociological aspects and implications of the deaf and their culture. Present day members of deaf culture reject classifications such as “deaf mute” or “deaf and dumb”, as marginalizing them because of their allusions to a presumed disability. (Edwards, 2012, p. 26-30)
Including these children in general education ultimately leads to their progress. Not too long ago, these people were segregated and labeled as incompetent. It was not until special education reform came about and showed the countless capabilities these exceptional learners have to offer. Teachers play a vital role in these entities’ lives. It is up to them to facilitate their learning as well as modify their measurable goals. Before inclusion, these people could not reach their potential, and not much could be said about how they learn or grasp concepts. Through inclusion, professionals can ascertain students level of performance and utilize strategies that work best for the child. Inclusion allows educators to take note on what type of learners these exceptional individuals are. Schoolteachers can reveal if the youth is a visual, auditory, tactical, or even a kinesthetic learner. Unquestionably, inclusion has brought about an age of progression for instructors and students’ in special education.
From a deafness-as-defect mindset, many well-meaning hearing doctors, audiologists, and teachers work passionately to make deaf children speak; to make these children "un-deaf." They try hearing aids, lip-reading, speech coaches, and surgical implants. In the meantime, many deaf children grow out of the crucial language acquisition phase. They become disabled by people who are anxious to make them "normal." Their lack of language, not of hearing, becomes their most severe handicap. While I support any method that works to give a child a richer life, I think a system which focuses on abilities rather than deficiencies is far more valuable. Deaf people have taught me that a lack of hearing need not be disabling. In fact, it shouldn?t be considered a lack at all. As a h...
One obstacle that I believe many special needs students and families will face is understanding and dealing with the disability itself. Speaking from experience, this process can take time to understand and accept. This is where a special education teacher plays a significant role, assisting the student and family with information and support for understanding the student’s disability, facilitating education programs, and most importantly hope and progress for a bright future. Another obstacles that students with disabilities may face, is social interaction and acceptance. It is vital that all special education teachers and programs, try to incorporate strong social connections with their regular education peers and other community members and
Students with learning disabilities in the regular classroom may have challenges that require special attention. If the teacher is able to identify the disabilities and the features associated with them then the teacher can tailor the lessons to meet the needs of the students. These may include differentiated instruction and facilitating an inclusive classroom which will see inclusive strategies employed that will cater to the needs of students with learning disabilities. These inclusive strategies can range from individualized learning programs to team and co-teaching. In some cases, the teacher can arrange for a special education teacher or arrange for a pull out program to assist students who have learning disabilities. Strategies that will also cater to learning disabilities may also include the use of technology. According to Ford 2013 ‘In some situations it may be best for students with LD to be taught in separate pull out classrooms with a teacher who can provide targeted skill instruction in areas where a student is struggling.’ ‘When provided appropriate support within this setting, many of these students can achieve academically and develop positive self-esteem and social skills. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 1991). They also recommend that schools should ‘require in-service programs for all school personnel to give them the knowledge and skills necessary to provide education for students with learning disabilities in the regular education classroom.’ Schools should include activities to help participants learn strategies to meet individual needs of students, foster attitudes conductive to educating students with learning disabilities in the regular education classroom, and promote
National Institute of Health. (2011). National Institute on Deafness and other communication disorders: Improving the lives of people who have communication disorders. National Institute on
When teaching students with disabilities it is important to know and understand the needs of all the students in the classroom. Ultimately, the goal for any educator is to educate all of the students in the classroom and ensure that appropriate accommodations are being made for students with disabilities. By utilizing these skills in reading, writing, and classroom management, an educator will be able to help all students be successful.