1. Read the Chapter in the textbook.
2. Review the Essential Concepts below.
3. Answer and submit the Chapter Outline and Objectives
Remember to include the assignment or question statement before you write your answer.
Essential Concepts
Exceptional children differ from normal children to such an extent that an individualized education program is required to meet their educational needs. On one end of the spectrum are children with severe disabilities and on the other are children who demonstrate outstanding academic or artistic achievement. But most importantly, they are our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, and maybe even some of the people in this class.
The four largest categories of exceptional children are learning disabilities, speech and language impairments, mental retardation, and emotional disturbance. The vast majority of children receiving special education have mild disabilities and approximately 75% of students with disabilities receive at least part of their education in regular classrooms.
Special education is an outgrowth of the civil rights movement of the late 60Ős and early 70Ős. In a piece of landmark legislation, PL 94-142, the Federal Government established that a free and appropriate education is the right of all students. Special education continues to evolve with each passage of related federal legislation, among the most recent laws to have a potentially huge impact is the No Child Left Behind Act.
Special education consists of purposeful intervention efforts at three different levels: preventive, remedial, and compensatory. It is individually planned, specialized, intensive, goal-directed instruction. When practiced most effectively and ethically, special education is also characterized by the use of research-based teaching methods and guided by direct and frequent measures of student performance.
As a potential future educator, do not become overwhelmed by the current challenges facing the field. Special educators do not face these challenges alone, general education, other social and adult service agencies, and society, as a whole must help meet these challenges.
Chapter Outline and Objectives: Answer and submit the following questions. Be sure to include the question statement.
WHO ARE EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
1. List the defining characteristics of exceptional children.
2. Define and describe impairment, disability, and handicap.
3. Define and describe children who are at risk for developing disabilities.
HOW MANY EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN ARE THERE
1. List the reasons why it is difficult to determine the precise number of exceptional children.
2. List the percentage of school age children receiving special education services.
3. List the percentage of exceptional children representing the four largest categories.
WHY DO WE LABEL AND CLASSIFY EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
1. List the benefits of labeling.
2. List the disadvantages of labeling.
3. List the alternatives to labeling.
WHY ARE LAWS GOVERNING THE EDUCATION OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN NECESSARY
1. Describe how exceptional children have been excluded in the past.
2. Describe why the Brown v. Board of Education of Education set precedent for special education.
3. Describe the PARC case and identify its importance in determining equal protection for exceptional children.
THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITEIS EDUCATION ACT
1. Define and describe the six major principles of IDEA.
2. Describe how special education is funded.
3. Describe how Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 has affected special education.
4. List the four key principles of the No Child Left Behind Act.
WHAT IS SPECIAL EDUCATION
1. Compare (describe the similarities) and contrast (describe the differences) the different perspectives of special education.
2. List and describe special education as intervention.
3. List and describe special education as instruction.
4. List the defining features of special education.
CURRENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES
1. Define and describe the four critical areas in the field of special education