The court cases and the federal legislation are required for ensuring that the children with the disabilities receive free education, which is suitable for them. They are required in order to ensure that the disabled children get the proper education so that they at least become aware of their surroundings, and know about the way to lead their life. In this regard there are acts such as FAPE, i.e., Free and Appropriate Public Education, PL 94-142 or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
FAPE has made it compulsory that the schools should provide an access to the general and the specialized educational services. It, however, also requires that the children with the disabilities should receive the support that is free of any charge. It also emphasizes on the provision of access to the educational facility for children having disabilities. This is done by encouraging the assistance and the support services to children in their maximum achievement of general educational. According to FAPE, children with the disabilities, however, cannot be charged for the materials, student fee, and the other cost that are required for the general education of students. Further, this act has emphasized that the children with disabilities are not required to complete the basic requirements for the graduation. They are also not required to pass the assessments that are approved by the state to demonstrate the standards of the state.
Moreover, there is Public Law 94-142, which is also known as Education of All Handicapped Children Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This act has emphasized that for receiving the federal funds the state should develop as well as implement the policies, which ensure free appropriate public education to the disabled children. The state plans, however, should be consistent with the federal statute. Further, this act ensures that in the Public schools the handicapped children will get one-time free meal every day in school, and will have proper access to an education. For this purpose, federal funds are provided to the school for the operations. The federal government ensures that the state or the institution receiving federal funds should comply with the following six requirements, which are Zero Reject and a Free and Appropriate Public Education, Nondiscriminatory Identification and Evaluation, Individualized Education Program, The Least Restrictive Environment, Due Process, and Parental Participation. Zero Reject and a Free and Appropriate Public Education describe that every child with the special needs is, however, entitled to get an appropriate and free public school education.
Throughout history, children with physical and severe mental disabilities have been subjected to isolation from the society and denied educational opportunities. They were forced to attend separate institutions where little formal education was provided or left to depend on consigned care of their immediate families (Zirkel 498). The landmark decision of Brown v. Board of Education provided a ruling whereby it was determined that all children must be given equal educational opportunities. The ruling in Honig v. doe formed an important jurisdiction precedent cases involving children with disabilities because it determined that there should be no exclusion for disabled children following actions related to their disabled states. This case also enabled schools to outline the steps to be taken by schools in the event that disabled children engage in dangerous behaviors. Some of the steps outlined include giving the affected children timeouts or suspensions if the behavior is persistent. The ruling in Brown v. Board of Education formed the foundation for families with physical and mental disabilities to challenge school districts concerning the isolation of disabled children. Other important cases that helped in the improvement of treatment for disabled children included the ruling in Detsel v. Board of Education and Irving Independent School District v. Tatro that determined required educational institutions to provide certain services to children with disabilities provided these children fall under the capacity of schools and can fulfil the competency of educators.
Challenges that might be encountered during the implementation of this ruling include lack of accountability in terms of determining standards and instruction levels for disabled children. Without specific standards that determine the standard curriculum grade for disabled children, it would be difficult for disabled children to receive quality education (Atiles, Jennifer, and Hyunjin 65). Disproportionality is another major challenge that affects the implementation of this program. The process of analyzing data from different states is subject to disproportionalities such as under-identification or over-identification, racial discrimination during diagnosis, over-diagnosis, and the burden to school districts.
Importance of Evaluation in the planning and Provision of Special Education
The planning and provision of special education should be handled carefully to enhance consistency. The public administrators should evaluate the public resources appropriately to avoid misuse. The evaluation process is crucial in ensuring that the needs of the special children correspond with the set strategies. Setting goals helps the educators, parents and the government authorities to formulate relevant measures that help them to achieve the desired objectives. A well-evaluated project can be vital in creating future opportunities for the individuals receiving special education.
The planning process ensures that the management teams involved in the provision of special education acquires the relevant information; this measure enables them to improve the quality of their services to foster comprehensive education programs. The evaluation process enables the personnel to identify vital steps required in the planning and provision process. Equality in the provision of special education is essential in any country (Daniel, Bonnie, Scott, and Ross 177). The public administrators should focus on ensuring accountability and transparency in the provisioning process. The ability to utilize the available resources comprehensively enhances productivity; the quality of special education improves with time, which contributes to the achievement of the set targets.
The evaluation and planning strategies are essential for promoting collaboration and team building. Cooperation is significant in enabling the involved teams to improve the level of special education measures within the required period (Keyes 3). The individuals understand their roles when teamwork is involved; this situation helps them to set their specific goals, and formulate relevant strategies to achieve them. The personnel involved in the provision of special education evaluate how their involvement contributes to the accomplishment of the projects. The sequencing process enables the boards to attain feedback from the members of the community, such as, parents, teachers, and school councils before implementing the set strategies.
The Impact of Collaboration and Teamwork in Special Education
Teamwork is a fundamental aspect of any organization, as it involves the combination of individual efforts to achieve a common goal. The teams can identify the strengths and weaknesses of the formulated projects, which helps them to create the respective remedies to correct the situation. Teamwork enables the involved stakeholders to solve the emerging challenges within the special education, which strengthens the provisioning process. The special education process comprises of people with diverse opinions, missions, and perceptions. Possessing team membership skills increases the knowledge scores among the involved members. Embracing teamwork and effective planning strategies can help the special education unit to formulate problem-solving tactics. Patience and confidence are useful in establishing viable solution. The special education unit encounters various challenges, which limit the achievement of goals.
Parents and other recipients of special education can criticize the wrong decisions made by the policymakers regarding the provisioning process. Teamwork allows individuals to act as checks and balances to ensure efficiency in the provision of special education needs. Collaboration helps people to achieve additional skills, such as leadership and interdependence attributes. The exchange of ideas and opinions enables the stakeholders to sharpen their leadership skills, which improves the quality of services in special education. The emerging trends in the modern education system require creativity and innovative capability; teamwork can help to identify the changing aspects and improve the quality of education among the special children. Some of the current trends involve hiring highly competent personnel with sufficient academic and personal qualifications; teamwork can help individuals to learn the basic attributes required in managing diverse situations at various periods.
Understanding the parental expectations can help teachers to formulate relevant measures that are useful in educating the exceptional children. Some parents may be sensitive on how teachers treat their special children. Most teachers lack the skills required in communicating with parents. Initiating a two-way communication between teachers and parents helps to develop a healthy dialog. The use of telephone calls, conferences, open house activities, and other related strategies play a role in promoting the parent-teacher communication. Sharing information with parents helps to identify the challenges faced by the exceptional children both in school and at home. The mutual concern in the children’ welfare helps to improve the communication channels used.
As a first-year teacher, I would accept contrasting opinions from my dialogues with parents. Allowing parents with exceptional children to contribute their views is essential in creating a strong relationship. I would not only share the children’s concerns, but also to congratulate them due to their success. Making telephone calls to the parents on a monthly basis can enable me to achieve useful information that can develop the children’s welfare. The two-way communication can help me to share the children’s concerns, for instance regarding bullying, difficulties in co-curricular activities, and the challenges encountered during personal development. Parents are likely to support the teacher and children when effective communication exists among the involved parties.
I would ensure that the telephone calls are brief and direct to ensure that I retain the professionalism in the conversation. Excessive talks tend to distort the expressed information, and enable me to communicate to several parents. Making parents allies in the learning process enhances consistency in the provision of special education services. Establishing healthy relationships with children enables them to improve their learning skills, and generate a positive attitude towards school.
Engaging in co-curricular activities can help a teacher to create a two-way communication with children. My pedagogical approach would entail involving my students in dialogues to enhance the learning process. Maintaining a positive attitude in the learning procedure and the will to expand knowledge to my students without limiting myself can help me achieve the set targets. The dialogues between teachers and students play a major role in enhancing freedom, which eradicates fear. Students who freely express themselves tend to acquire more knowledge than those who distance themselves from their facilitators. The dialogues are meant to improve teamwork, unity, and a sense of cultural blend; this aspect is essential in helping the students deal with emerging challenges during the learning process. Monologue tends to initiate negative aspects, such as manipulation, discrimination, colonization, and invasion among the involved members. Children with special needs may require special care, and it, therefore, is crucial to understand their needs first.
I am fortunate enough to learn a wide variety of teaching and accommodative experiences to suit the learning needs of all student types. I intend to not only make myself an expert as a teacher, but partner with parents of students with or without special learning needs. My dedication will be directed towards structuring my teaching around the needs of all students. My pedagogic approach demands cooperation with parents, interacting with students, creating innovative strategies for teaching, and using communication to engage all parties involved in the learning process. I promise to use a diversity of strategies during my teaching to ensure that my pedagogical offerings add benefits to the learning experience of all students. Precisely, this is what I intend to do with my students as I help them to develop morally and academically.
I believe that, as my family, you will support my decisions and understand that I value equal and fair access to educational opportunities for all students.
The main goal of the childhood education is to provide a comprehensive mechanism, which offers a stable foundation for learning. Teachers seek to create a friendly environment for the children in an attempt to motivate them. Most children lack adequate knowledge during the early stages of education. Understanding their needs and the level of knowledge can help the teachers to formulate a learning plan for them. Communication is crucial in relating to the children. Parents too should play a role in helping their children acquire basic education.
Some children in the early childhood education programs experience cognitive and speech delay. Developing a learning system that involves verbal learning can help such children attain relevant knowledge. Grouping children with cognitive and speech delays with those who are frequent can help in the learning process; the children with difficulties are likely to learn from others, which eases the process.
Designing the timetable to include speech and cognitive lessons can enable me help the children with speech difficulties. Involving such children in the reading process is essential in improving their speech. Dialogues with their parents can also play a significant duty in enhancing the cognitive and speech eloquence (Grande, Marya, and Joyce 126). Parents tend to be familiar with their children behavior; interacting with them can help the teacher attain relevant information set to help the students.
Involving the exceptional child in play activities can facilitate fast learning mechanisms. Early education scholars argue that when children are engaged in play activity, they are able to communicate with the other involved parties, because play makes them more physically active (Grande, Marya, and Joyce 124). Play also enhances communication among children in terms of interaction with their mates, which encourage cognitive development.
Work Cited
Atiles, Julia T., Jennifer L. Jones, and Hyunjin Kim. "Field Experience + Inclusive ECE Classrooms = Increased Preservice Teacher Efficacy In Working With Students With Developmental Delays Or Disabilities." Educational Research Quarterly 36.2 (2012): 62-85.
Daniel, Bonnie, V, Scott G. Evans, and B. Ross Scott. “Understanding family involvement in the college experience today”. New Direction for Student Services 94(2001): 3.
Grande, Marya, and Joyce Anderson Downing. “Increasing parent participation and knowledge using home literacy bags.” Intervention in school and clinic 40.2 (2004): 120-126.
Keyes, Carol R. “A way of thinking about parent/Teacher partnerships for teachers”. International Journal of Early Years Education 10.3(2002): 177.
Zirkel, Perry A. "Is It Time For Elevating The Standard For FAPE Under IDEA?." Exceptional Children 79.4 (2013): 497-508.
