Tamara Agee
Walden University
Connecting the Past, Present and Future Needs in the Field
Special education today has the same meaning, in addition to new trends and critical issues the governed program encounters. The gratis designed instruction provides educational support to qualifying students who have special learning needs. Other individualities of students impinge on their lives in significant ways. For example, “gender has both obvious and subtle influences on the way students develop. Racial/ethnic background can involve rich cultural traditions and patterns of relationships within families and communities that can generate important differences in values, perspectives, expectations, and practices.” (Wager, Cameto, & Guzman, 2007).
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) has identified several critical issues that are facing special education today. The issues discussed in relation to the research and interview conducted will explain the imperative needs in the special education field. Essential concepts consisting of classification and inclusion are incorporated in special education.
Special Education in the Past
In the late 60’s, special education was built around the handicapped children facing segregation and discrimination from general classroom settings in the public schools. Their handicaps excluded them from school, which forced parents to confront their legislators about their children’s Civil Rights. The parents knew that this was a violation, so eventually the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142) was passed. “This law was created in an effort to provide an appropriate education for the millions of children with disabilities that were not receiving a proper education. PL 94-142 encouraged states to create policies and practices”. (Special Education Legislation: A Synopsis of Federal and State Policies,
References: Baker, A. (2011, July 8). “Funding flexibility bill” plays shell game with education resources at the expense of students who are disadvantaged [CEC policy insider blog] Chambers, C. (2008). Trends in special education. District Administration, 44(4), 3. Retrieved from the Walden University Library using the Academic Search Complete database. Connor, D. J., & Ferri, B. A. (2007). The conflict within: Resistance to inclusion and other paradoxes in special education Council for Exceptional Children Policy Manual. (2008). CEC’s position on response to intervention (RTI): The unique role of special education and special educators Council for Exceptional Children Policy Manual. (2008). CEC’s evidence-based practice initiative: CEC division leadership review of steps and tasks in the beta test Shapiro, A. (2000). Everybody belongs: changing negative attitudes toward classmates disabilities Sharpe, W. (2003, February 2). Education World. Education World Copyright 2001 Education World http://www.pmct.org/articles/0304/inclusionsept03.html Special Education Legislation: A Synopsis of Federal and State Policies (2011). Retrieved from http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=1008 Zipkin, A. (2011). Special education legislation: a synopsis of federal and state policies.