by Carol Wohlfeil

Created on: October 30, 2007

Fixing Special Education

Before we can consider ways to improve the Special Education Program in the United States, we must first understand its intended purpose. The goal of the Special Education Program is to provide a specialized learning environment, along with additional academic and social support, to students with various disabilities in learning, emotional-behavioral, and cognitive growth. Special Education teachers are trained to assist disabled students in reaching their maximum potential, and licensed paraprofessionals (teacher's assistants) are employed to provide one-on-one mentoring and in-class support. So why is the program's success rate steadily falling, and what can we do to improve it?

After a decade of work as a Special Education paraprofessional, I have had the opportunity to see many of the flaws that continue to hinder the success of the program and its students.

1. Evaluation Each year the experts come up with more labels that can be placed on children that fall short of the expectations placed on them by parents and teachers. Although many students identified have legitimate disabilities, many do not. Children who put forth little effort in Math because they simply don't like it are being identified as "learning disabled." Those who are grieving or angry over their parents' divorce are assumed to have an "emotional-behavioral disability." And now a child that doesn't fit under any known label is simply labeled "OHI," Other Health Impairment. And the list goes on. Kids are human beings. They have unique personalities, and they react to their environment. That's normal human behavior, not a disability. Too many kids are being wrongfully labeled and herded into Special Education Programs. Consequently, Special Education teachers have case loads that are growing larger by the year. The more students that enter the program, the less specialized attention each student will receive.

2. Rewards and Consequences Few Special Education teachers will deny that the main content of their desk drawers is bags of treats and little prizes. A piece of gum if you finish your assignment. A new baseball if you sit still for 30 minutes. I've actually seen teachers give $30 video games to students who could stay out of detention for two weeks. What we once called bribery is now known as incentive. However, we must realize that individuals with true disabilities have little control over the effects of their disability. If they have ADHD and can't sit still for

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