Guided Notes- Chapter 1 - Purpose & Promise of Special Education

SPED 5360
Directions: Guided notes are completed using class text, typed prior to class with hand-written notes added in class.
Heward, W. L. (2009). Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education (9th Ed.). Upper Saddle River,
NJ: PEARSON/Merrill

List the 13 categories of disabilities with some defining information

acknowledged by IDEA.
i. Learning Disabilities
The term "specific learning disability" means a disorder in one or more
of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using
language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in the
imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do
mathematical calculations.
ii. Speech or Language Impairment
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) officially defines
speech and language impairments as a communication disorder such as
stuttering, impairedarticulation, a language impairment, or a voiceimpairment
that adversely affects a child's educational performance.
iii. Other health impairment
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) names several
such disorders in OHI's official definition: having limited strength, vitality, or
alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in
limited alertness with respect to the educational environment
iv. Intellectual Disability
means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing
concurrently [at the same time] with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested
during the developmental period, that adversely affects a childs educational
performance.
v. Emotional Disturbance
means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following
characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely
affects a childs educational performance:
(a) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.
(b) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and
teachers.
(c) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.
(d) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

(e) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school
problems.

vi. Autism
means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and
nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age
three, that adversely affects a childs educational performance.
vii. Multiple Disabilities
means concomitant [simultaneous] impairments (such as intellectual
disability-blindness, intellectual disability-orthopedic impairment, etc.), the
combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be
accommodated in a special education program solely for one of the impairments.
The term does not include deaf-blindness.
viii. Developmental Delay
for children from birth to age three (under IDEA Part C) and children
from ages three through nine (under IDEA Part B), the term developmental delay,
as defined by each State, means a delay in one or more of the following areas:
physical development; cognitive development; communication; social or
emotional development; or adaptive [behavioral] development.
ix. Hearing Impairment
means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that
adversely affects a childs educational performance but is not included under the
definition of deafness.
x. Orthopedic Impairment
means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a childs
educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital
anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis),
and impairments from other causes (e.g.,cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures
or burns that cause contractures).
xi. Visual Impairment
means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely
affects a childs educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and
blindness.
xii. Traumatic Brain Injury
means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical
force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment,
or both, that adversely affects a childs educational performance. The term
applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more
areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract
thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities;
psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech.
The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries
induced by birth trauma.

xiii. Deaf-Blindness
means concomitant [simultaneous] hearing and visual impairments, the
combination of which causes such severe communication and other
developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in
special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with
blindness.
Compare and contrast (pros & cons; benefits vs. negatives) the process of labeling
students as having a disability.
Positives
i. Recognizes that a difference does exist
ii. Can allow accomodations if needed
iii. may legitimize odd behavior to peers, promoting
acceptance
iv. helps researchers and practicioners communicate
v. funding for research and other programs
vi. helps spur legislative action for the labelled groups
vii. helps make these childrens needs visible to the
public
Negatives
i. deficit thinking towards the labelled students
ii. labels may allow ridicule
iii. teachers may choose to hold low expectations for
these students
iv. may lower childs self esteem
v. work as explanations for behavior
vi. lets one make broad assumptions about the person
based on common traits
vii. disproportionate numbers of people from minority
groups have labels
viii. classification takes a lot of time and money that
could be spent elsewhere
Briefly discuss (based on your reading) why the federal government has had to
build on laws protecting children with disabilities.
(a) My opinion is that these are PEOPLE with disabilities, putting the person as the
focus emphasises the need for sincere equality: especially in a nation that historically has
wrestled with the notion of all [hu]men are created equal and still does to this day.
Separate-but-equal institutions have been proven time and again to not be the correct
answer on how to handle any troublesome minority group and our government has taken
serious strides in making education accessible for all people in a truely equal manner.
But as with most things, true educational equality cant happen overnight. We have
progressed to the standards that RTI suggests, but the work isnt done yet and not all schools
implement RTI in the correct way. The goverment needs to keep on top of how students with
disabilities are treated in school: the world is constantly changing and evolving and we are
progressing as a society to the point where people can just choose not to have a student with a
disability, and people with disabilities are aware of this. If we want a truely equal society than we

need to constantly update laws to keep up with the world, and move towards sincere inclusion
into society for these people.
Outline the following 5 laws (pp 33-34):
(a) 1975 EAHCA (P.L. 94-142)
i. free approprate public education for ALL students
with disabilities
ii. protects the rights of students with disabilities
(b) 1990 IDEA (P.L. 101-336)
1. added autism and traumatic brain injury as new
categories
2. forced IEPs to cover transition services by age 16
3. expanded related services to vocer rehabilitation
counseling and social work services
(c) 1997 IDEA (P.L. 105-17)
1.
2.
3.
4.

regular teachers much be part of the IEP team

students must have access to the gen. ed. curriculum
IEP must mention positive behavior plans
students with disabilities must have access to state-

wide testing
5. prior to suspending a student, the IEP team must
determine that the students actions were not a result of their disability
(d) 2001 NCLB (P.L. 107-110)
1. ideally, all children will be proficient in all subject
matter by 2014
2. school districts are expected to make adaquate
yearly progress
a. schools that dont are first targeted for
assistance and then restructuring
(e) 2004 IDEIA (P.L. 108-446)
1. changes for students with alt. benchmark
assessments
2. pilot program for multiyear IEPs
3. RTI may be used to identify learning disabilities
4. highly qualified special education teacher more
carefully defined
5. under special circumstances (bringing a gun to
school, for example) a student may be suspended up to 45 day regardless
if the action was a result of their disability
Create your own graphic organizer representing the continuum of educational
placements for students with disabilities as defined by the federal government. Give

enough information to differentiate between them.

Discuss the 6 major principles of IDEA
i. Zero Reject: ALL students get to go to public school
ii. Nondiscriminatory Evaluation: nonbiased,
multifaceseted methods of evaluation to determine whether or not the
child has a disability
iii. Free, Appropriate Public Education: all children
with disabilities get a FAPE. An IEP must be created and implemented to
meet each students unique needs.
iv. Least Restrictive Environment: students should be
included in general education classes as much as humanly possible
v. Procedural Safeguards: parental consent must be
aquired at various stages, schools must keep records confidential, parents
can get a second opinion at public expense, parents may request a due
process hearing
vi. Parent Participation and Shared Decision Making:
school must collaborate with parents during the decisionmaking process,
and their input must be considered when making decisions
How do NCLB and IDEA work together to benefit students with disabilities?
IDEA emphasizes that students should be in a gen ed classroom whenever
possible, and NCLB emphasizes the need to raise the proficiency bar for all students.
Together, the law states that students with disabilities should be in the gen ed class, and
should be excelling in their subject area.
Both also state the need for highly qualified and trained teachers to help these
students succeed, and that student success is the main objective of learning. Also, both
encourage scientifically-based programs of instruction in order to be sure that students
are recieving the best possible instructional methods.
Outline the six defining features of special education as discussed in in Table 1.7
(1.5?)
(a) Individually planned
i. teachers and parents collaborate to create learning
objectives
ii. each student has materials and methods chosen
specifically for their needs
iii. instructional settings will be conducive to learning
and using the targeted skills
(b) Specialized
i. sometimes uses unique procedures not always seen
in gen. ed. classrooms.
ii. uses a variety of teaching materials to help students
gain and use targeted learning objectives
iii. related services provided if/when needed (physical
therapy, ect.)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

iv. assistive technology (see: ebooks, books on tape,

ect) provided if/when needed
Intensive
i. purposeful, detail-oriented instruction
ii. relentless, urgent instruction
iii. efforts made to provide meaningful oppertunities
for students to utilize skills
Goal-Directed
i. instruction designed to help student achieve the
greatest level of self-sufficiency and success in both current and future
environments
ii. instructions effectiveness is judged based on
student achievement
Research-Based methods
i. Recognition that not all approaches are equally
effective
ii. programs selected based on research
Guided by student preformance
i. ongoing progress-monitoring
ii. progress-informed instructional methods

Outline or create a visual for the Tips for Beginning Teachers (pp 44-45)
attend as much professional development as possible, and always try to walk
away with at least one usable idea
join professional organizations
observe master teachers at work, and steal stuff you think would work
keep a notebook of good ideas you find
be involved with the ecosystem at school: get involved with gen ed students
maintain contact with classmates and professors from your teacher prep program
introduce yourself to all school personnel: including secretaries, custodians, and
other support staff
incorporate your personality into your classroom
work hard, work efficiently, and leave the school. work smart! give yourself time
to relax
keep time for non-school activities and hobbies!
keep a collection of backup lessons in a binder, just in case
keep a freshen-up kit in your desk: toothpaste/toothbrush, mouthwash, and
cologne/perfume may come in handy for late nights where you have parent/teacher
conferences or other nocturnal work to do!
develop a personal system for organization
Find, read, and bring to class a current court case involving IDEA and services to
children with disabilities (in our public schools)
see attached document
Find & share information regarding identification, services, etc for school
children with disabilities in another country, culture, etc
Japan is currently pushing truely equal rights for disabled persons in their country.

Discrimination is still a legitimate problem there, and the services currently in place are
not considered acceptable (as of 2014). Japans ratification of a recent bill means that
now universities must offer reasonable accomodations towards people with disabilities:
including sign language interpereters and braille transcribers. A bill that was ratified on
april 1 2016 forced buisiness to offer reasonable accomodations for people with
disabilities as well. Japan sees the U.S. as a world leader for the rights of people with
disabilities, and has actively been making strides to offer reasonable accomodations for
that ever-growing subsect of the population.