Module 10: What is “Special” Education? Part 2
“To put it more simply, special education, instead of being used to individualize education programs to meet the special needs of students, is instead used to segregate students who disrupt the “normal” functioning of schools.” (Erevelles & Minear, 2010, p. 129)
Overview
A Message From Shaheen
In this module, you will continue to dig into “special” education. You will read a mock IEP and spend some time parsing what exactly the document is saying. You will also do a deep dive into Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a theory of teaching that is now incorporated into numerous national policies, including education laws such as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Many education scholars (including me) think that UDL is a foundational component of creating classrooms that embrace diverse disabled students.
You will also spend time this module examining some critiques of “special” education. Understanding the flaws that some thinkers identify in “special” education can help you develop a more robust understanding and to develop your own beliefs.
As I have mentioned before, it is important that you develop your own ideas about disability and “special” education. You might agree with some of the critiques, you might disagree with them, they might cause you to think of your own critiques of “special” education, and/or they might help you construct rebuttals to common critiques of “special” education.
Musical Moment
“Someday We’ll Linger in the Sun” by Gaelynn Lea [Submission for NPR Music’s 2016 Tiny Desk Contest]
|
Component |
Estimated Time to Complete |
|---|---|
|
Engage |
45 mins-1 hr 30 mins |
|
Reflect |
1 hr |
|
Chat |
1-2 hrs |
|
Self-Assess |
10-15 mins |
Engage
Required
|
Source |
Summary |
Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|
|
Sample IEP by Richard M. Gargiulo and Emily C. Bouck |
This resource is an example of an IEP. Pay attention to the headings, sections, and information included. |
10-20 mins |
|
This eBook provides information about the parts and application of Universal Design for Learning. To access:
Under that heading, you should see the cover of the book Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice. |
30-50 mins |
|
|
The Evolution of Inclusion: The past and future of education By Shelley Moore |
In this video, Shelley Moore discusses inclusion as a timeline of events from segregation to integration, to meaningful participation in all aspects of society. |
3-5 mins |
Pick 1: Critiques of “Special” Education
|
Source |
Summary |
Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|
|
Personal Improvement By Jim Ferris |
This poem discusses the ways in which disabled people are pressured to change themselves in order to be more appealing to nondisabled people. |
2-3 mins |
|
No Place for Disability in Special Education By Cole Sorensen |
In this blog post, a disabled person named Cole Sorensen reflects on the reality that disabled perspectives are often ignored in conversations about education. |
3-6 mins |
|
The Special-Education Charade By Tracy Thompson *This source is paywalled |
This article offers critiques of IEPs, 504 Plans, and the “Special” Education system in America. |
7-12 mins |
|
Bringing Support TO the Students Just Let them Eat Cake! By Shelley Moore |
This video discusses inclusivity and supports, as education moves away from the medical model of disability. |
2.5-5 mins |
|
A Neurodivergent Vision for the Future of Special Education By Casandra Crossman |
This blog post offers multiple critiques of “special” education from the name of the field to its practices. |
5-8.5 mins |
Optional
|
Source |
Summary |
Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|
|
Demystifying Disability: Ch. 5 Disability Etiquette By Emily Ladau |
This chapter describes the “do’s and don’ts” of disability etiquette, and how to be more mindful as you communicate. |
32-39 mins |
|
What is Scaffolding By Lisa Carey |
This blog post discusses the instructional uses of scaffolding, and how this practice can be used in inclusive learning. |
4.5-7.5 mins |
Reflect
Use the prompts below as a jumping off point. Do not let the prompts confine your reflection.
This module’s prompts are focused on the Sample IEP. If you want to reflect on the other readings, please do so.
- Based on the information in the IEP, what is this child’s LRE?
- Answer the question that is relevant to you
- Future general education teachers: What role do general education teachers play in this child’s education?
- Future “special” education teachers: What role do “special” education teachers play in this child’s education?
- Future speech language pathologists (SLPs): What role does the SLP play in this child’s education?
- Future non-education professionals: What role do the parents and/or community members play in this child’s education?
- What questions do you have about this IEP or IEPs in general?
Chat
Use the prompts below as a jumping off point for a conversation with others in your class or community.
The Chat prompts are focused on the critique of “special” ed that you chose for the Engage component. If you want to chat about other Engage sources, please do so.
- Describe the points of view that are presented in the critique you read. How are these perspectives similar to and/or different from yours? How might different knowledge, identities, and experiences lead people to have different points of view on “special” education?
- What, if any, connections are there between ableism and the author’s critique of “special” education?
Self-Assess
- What idea/concept from this module was the CLEAREST to you?
- What idea/concept from this module was the MUDDIEST to you?
- Rate your knowledge on the ideas discussed in this module
- Expert
- Mastered
- Competent
- Still Developing
- Undeveloped
FAQ
Q1: Can a school go against a student’s Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and still separate the students?
A1: Legally, no. Schools have to follow the LRE identified in the child’s IEP. However, schools, of course, can choose to break the law. When schools break the law, children and families can choose to seek legal action. One other thing to note is that IDEA requires that public schools offer a continuum of services, which means placements that range from no time in “general” ed to full time in “general” ed. So, there are some instances (not too many in our professional opinion) where a disabled child’s LRE might be a fully segregated environment. For example, if a child has cancer and is immunocompromised, they may need to be educated at home (called home-bound instruction). Another example is Deaf children who attend a school for the Deaf; those students often spend no time with hearing peers.
Q2: How come people have different feelings about “special” education? Some people think it is great and other people critique it?
A2: We live in a country of diverse people who have drastically different ideas about all sorts of things. Public education is one of the many things that we don’t all agree about. And, I (Shaheen) think it is useful that we have different ideas about what school should be, particularly when we can discuss our different ideas in constructive ways. I learn a lot about my ideas and others’ ideas by talking openly and respectfully to people who disagree with me about what school should be.
Many of the critiques of “special” education you read in Module 10 were written by disabled people who think disabled students deserve more than “special” education. Now you get to decide what YOU think about “special” education. You might agree or disagree with the Engage thinkers.
