Phetdaovieng 1

Karen Phetdaovieng
Professor Leytham
Edu 203-1002-1003
7 May 2016
Philosophy of Special Education II
Introduction
State the purpose of this paper. Add any additional material.
The purpose of this paper is to build upon the knowledge of teaching those with
disabilities and to focus ones area of interest to one particular disability.

Theoretical Framework
What educational philosophy dictates your current beliefs about special education? Why do you
subscribe to that educational philosophy? How have the knowledge you have acquired in this
course and your experiences from the community engaged learning shaped the way you view the
education of individuals with exceptionalities?
The educational philosophy that dictates my current beliefs about special education is still
Progressivism. I subscribe to this educational philosophy because I believe the most important
factors that shape a childs learning are their individual learning styles, interests, and capabilities.
Progressive teachers engage their students with a lot of hands-on activities, which I feel is the
best way for children to learn. Through activity based learning, students are able to work at their

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own pace and form ideas based on their knowledge and understanding of the material. Rather
than dictating ones learning through standardized tests, I believe children learn best through the
assessment of their own skills and experiences. The knowledge I have acquired in this course and
my experiences from the community engaged learning shapes the way I view the education of
individuals with exceptionalities because I recognize that all students are different and perform at
different levels. Through the information I have gathered in this course and my experiences, I
have learned how to respond to the behavior of those with exceptionalities and more careful of
my actions.
Practice
How has federal law shaped the way in which the field of special education services students
with exceptionalities? With what type of disability would you prefer to work? What
characteristics of this disability are important to know when working with individuals? Who is
an important figure within this disability field and how did s/he make an impact?
Federal law has shaped the way in which the field of special education service students
with exceptionalities through its rapid change and addition of amendments to the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The IDEA ensures services to students with
exceptionalities by providing them with early intervention programs and other special education
related services. National and state laws have helped shape special education through the IDEA,
No Child Left Behind Act, and Americans with Disabilities Act. The type of disability I would
prefer to work with are individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The characteristics of this
disability that are important to know when working with individuals are their deficits in
communication and social skills, as well as restrictive behaviors and interests. An important
figure within this disability field is Leo Kanner, who first identified the symptoms that

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characterize autism in eleven children. Kanner made an impact in this field because without their
initial research on autism, other researchers would not have elaborated on the subject and
proposed theories about the etiology of autism.
Evidence-Based Practices and Strategies
In what specific area would you like to focus your studies? Reading, Math, Science,
Communication, Daily Living, etc.? What types of strategies would you use to teach an
individual with the disability selected above? How will you monitor progress? What types of
goals/benchmarks would be appropriate for such an individual?
The specific area that I would like to focus my studies on is art. As I mentioned
previously, I believe hands-on activity is the best way for children to learn. The types of
strategies I would use to teach an individual with autism are to build on their strengths while also
focusing on their areas of interest. For example, if a child likes activities involving watercolors, I
will implement more lessons incorporating this medium. I will monitor progress simply by
observing how the student performs and functions independently. An autistic childs assessment
should aim more on their independence and ability to work at their own pace. The types of
goals/benchmarks that would be appropriate for such an individual are being able to identify the
material they are using and using the specific materials to create complete an art assignment.
Goals for children with autism should focus on self-help skills and their range of capabilities.
Human Diversity
Why is it important to recognize that humans are diverse? What have you learned about yourself
after reading through each chapter and learning more about the differences in humanity? How
can you apply what you have learned to your classroom?

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It is important to recognize that humans are diverse because, as a future educator, one
should be aware of the different ethnic groups and disabilities that will be present in their
classroom. Educators must acknowledge the diversity in their classrooms because every student
will perform and react differently depending on the background that they come from. What I
have learned about myself after reading through every chapter and learning more about the
differences in humanity is that we are not so different from those with exceptionalities at all. In
fact, we are all really similar. Just because someone appears differently or performs at a lower, or
even higher, level than others do does not make them abnormal. I can apply what I have learned
to my classroom by identifying the differences in my students and responding to each
individuals liking.