Emma Hilldrup

Journal #2
March 14, 2016

Week 2 Reflection: What progress have I

made?
As Ive continued to conduct research for my project, I am discovering that
my initial hypothesis is holding true: many foreign countries view the American
system of special education as an example to model their own systems after. Ive
also nailed down an initial thesis, although it is subject to change. My thesis-inprogress is: Special education is a relatively new and adapting field of focus among
the scope of education. The United States has made massive strides since the
passage of the first federal mandate in 1975, currently evolving into a model
system to be followed by foreign structures for internal improvement. Due to the
positive advancements made by the United States' education system, other
countries can gain constructive insight from analysis of American practices and
procedures. My research thus far has led me to want to do an in depth analysis and
comparison of at least 4 countries to the United States. As of now, I have the most
research on China (2 articles) but I hope to pick countries from different
international demographics; perhaps Australia or Canada, England or some other
European country, and a South American or African country.
Once I solidify which countries I want to research, there are several
categories I want to focus on, which include the following: prevalence of special
needs, legislation surrounding educational mandates, system of
government/structure of society in place, prevalent cultural influencers, and what
improvements can be made to the system. Not only do I want to focus on what the
United States is doing well, but also what we can focus on; it should be a learning
experience for all chosen countries. I dont want my research to solely focus on the
legislative and physical functioning pieces, but also on a cultural aspect to provide
an extra layer of research and interest. Some questions this might pose include: do
special education systems have more similarities with systems who are located in a
close region to each other? Are certain systems of government (political structures)
more prone to make certain decisions? Is there a country that is implementing
special education in a better manner than the United States? Hopefully, my
continuing research will start to reveal the answers to these questions. Thanks to
Mr. Conway, I have been placed in touch with a special education professor who has
already provided me with some great resources to continue my Capstone journey.
She has also proposed that I get in touch with one of her students who is studying
Chinese special education to interview her. I hope to be in further contact with both
women and gain some fresh perspectives into areas of research. I can also seek
help from Glen Allens special education department, as they are a great resource in
my own school.