Running Head: SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 1

Special Education Programs in Spanish-Speaking Nations and How Their Availability and

Effectiveness Influence the Ability of Students with Autism to Live Independently

Sierra L. Curney

Global Connections

Global Studies and World Languages Academy

December 2018
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 2

Abstract

Special education is a global topic that affects many individuals and families all over the world.

This research paper discusses the availability of special education systems and programs in the

United States, in addition to three Spanish-speaking nations: Spain, Colombia, and Guatemala. It

explores the topic of how the availability, or lack thereof, of special education programs

influence the ability of students with Autism to live independently in their adult lives. The first

step towards creating strong special education systems is awareness of the issues and needs of

the students, and it will require cooperation and collaboration among the governments, school

systems, and families. Not providing necessary resources and support to students with Autism

can cause them to be left not knowing how to manage their own lives or how to socially interact

with others, therefore it is imperative to create solutions to this issue.

​ pecial education, Autism, Spain, Colombia, Guatemala, independently

Keywords: S
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 3

Table of Contents

Title Page…………………………………………………………………………………....1

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………..2

Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………………3

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….4

Limitations of Study..………………………………………………………………………..5

Literature Review…………………………………………………………………………...5

Discussion………………………………………………………....………………………..7

Autism and the Autism Spectrum Disorder....………………………………7

Importance of Special Education………..…………………………………..8

Special Education in the United States…………….………………………..8

Special Education in Spain……...………………………………………….11

Special Education in Colombia………………………….…………………12

Special Education in Guatemala…………………………………………....13

How to Improve the Systems.……………………………………………...14

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………15

References………………………………………………………………………………….16
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 4

Special Education Programs in Spanish-Speaking Nations and How Their Availability and

Effectiveness Influence the Ability of Students with Autism to Live Independently

In the United States, 35% of autistic students do not obtain a job or continue their

education after high school (Autism Society, 2014). Special education, which is “​specially

designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability”

(PhDinSpecialEducation, 2014), is imperative to the success of its students. ​Since Autism is a

spectrum disorder, students have different individual needs depending on their level of

functionality. ​A good special education system teaches social skills and life skills, while also

teaching the subjects that are necessary for the students to learn. ​The ways they are taught and

supported throughout their years of secondary education can drastically affect whether or not

they are able to continue their education, or even live independently. If they do not learn these

life and social skills, it could be difficult to function in the real world, obtain a job, and manage

their life on their own. The United States has a very developed special education system, yet still

35% of students with autism do not continue their education or enter a career after high school.

Therefore, imagine how much higher this statistic would be in less- developed nations, such as

Colombia and Guatemala, where not as many resources are offered. In the United States, autism

is a disorder that has raised a lot of awareness and developments have been made to create

effective special education systems, which will be discussed later in this paper. However, there

are many nations where autism and other disabilities are not talked about or researched much,

and therefore the students can end up as ​“a dead-end or lost cause” (Wirtz, 2012) because they

are not learning necessary life skills. The solution to this global issue entails training teachers,
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 5

providing funds for improvements and raising awareness about the disorder and the needs of the

students who have it.

LIMITATIONS OF STUDY

The author, Sierra Curney, experienced some factors that limited the information

available to her for this research paper, in addition to some bias. Her mother has been a special

education teacher for many years, therefore she has had experience interacting with children with

a specific mental disability, autism. She also has been a volunteer at Camp

GonnaWannaGoAgin’, a summer camp for children and young adults with autism, for four years

in a row and has developed friendships with the staff and campers. She will mainly be focusing

on autism and special education in general for this paper, rather than other disabilities.

Additionally, she will not be traveling to any of the countries discussed in her research paper

other than Spain, which she will be visiting to in March of 2019. She is planning on conducting

the action portion of this project at a school in Spain. In addition to the United States, the other

countries she will be researching are Colombia and Guatemala, since these nations show

different developmental levels. When researching the United States, she will mainly focus on her

community, which is Virginia Beach, as well as the United States as a whole.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Benefits of available and effective special education programs. ​The Individuals with

Disabilities Act defines special education as “​Specially designed instruction, at no cost to

parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability” (PhDinSpecialEducation, 2014).

This source discusses the importance of having special education teachers, some of which

include being “...in a

SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 6

position to advocate for children with special needs…” (PhDinSpecialEducation, 2014).

According to this website, “...many schools are experiencing budget cuts,” but people who want

to

pursue a career in special education “can help to take back the funding these children need to get

through school and lead the most productive lives possible” (PhDinSpecialEducation, 2014).

Another benefit of special education is that the students’ individual needs are met and the special

plans and curriculums are free for the parents (PhDinSpecialEducation, 2014).

​ e can see the progress and steps Spain is taking via articles
Viewpoints in Spain. W

specifically about that nation, and through websites such as that of the the European Agency,

which also shows information about other European countries. In Spain, school counselors play a

large role in the education of students with disabilities. According to ResearchGate, the

counselor observes the individual student and takes account of his or her “...individual traits,

personal and social development, curricular competence, learning styles…, the school

context…,and...social and family context…” (Rao, Chiner, & Moltó, 2014). The counselor then

reports the findings along with the educational needs of the individual student. According to the

European Agency, disabled students can either be placed in a class with students who do not face

a disability, or in a separate school with other disabled students, depending on their needs and

opinions of the family (European Agency, 2018).

Parental Viewpoints in Colombia. ​The special education system in Colombia is fairly

new, as it had not begun the “Period of Diagnosis and Planning” until 1978 and did not finish

until 1990. The world Health Organization states that 12% of the population in Colombia has
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 7

been diagnosed with some type of disability (Cuadros, 2005), which is roughly 1 in every 8

people.

Prior to this period, the “Period of Neglect” hindered the development of the special education

system because, according to “The Status of Disability in Colombia and the Importance of

Parental

Perceptions on the Development of Special Education,” “...there was little information on policy

or practice in dealing with children who have disabilities” (Cuadros, 2005). This source provides

a lot of information in regards to the evolution of the special education system in Colombia, as

well as different factors that affect its development, including parental viewpoints.

General Progress in South America. ​There are many nations in South America that have

not finished developing their special education systems (OECD, 2018). According to the website

of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the keys to having a

successful education system are “effective monitoring systems that can provide accountability

for the education being offered to all children and can communicate progress in the context of

national and international comparisons” (2018). “...OECD has...begun...​developing a system for

gathering data in order to make valid comparisons between countries” (OECD, 2018). This

aspect of comparison is important because if a nation needs to enhance their education system, it

is best to compare themselves to nations with successful ones, in order to see what needs to be

improved. This source provides information on the progress and methods of South American

countries.

DISCUSSION
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 8

Autism and the Autism Spectrum Disorder. ​Autism, along with Asperger’s Syndrome,

pervasive developmental disorder (atypical autism), and childhood disintegrative disorder,​ is a

disability classified under the Autism Spectrum Disorder. According to WebMD, “Autism ​is a

complex neurobehavioral condition that includes impairments in social interaction and

developmental language and communication skills combined with rigid, repetitive behaviors.”

Being on a spectrum means that each individual who has been diagnosed with autism behaves

differently. Autistic individuals face daily difficulties in communication and self-expression,

social skills, and understanding others, and they often show redundant behavior and sensitivity to

certain things in their environment ​(WebMD, 2018)​. Generally, daily choices can be

overwhelming and ASD students need their days planned out by their parents ​(Claypool, 2014).

The causes of autism are thought to be genetic; there is no connection to race, ethnicity, income,

education, etc. However, what can cause autism is ​exposure to drugs, chemicals, alcohol,

diabetes, or obesity by a pregnant woman. Exposure to these things can increase the likelihood of

the child having autism. The symptoms usually start within the first three years of a child’s life

and males are four times more likely to have autism than females are. Treatments for people with

autism are designed to better their speech, communication, and development (WebMD, 2018).

Because they each have different needs and abilities, students with autism are generally in the

special education school system in order to obtain the altered curriculum needed for them to be

successful.

​ s defined in the Individuals with Disabilities Act, special

Importance of Special Education. A

education is “​Specially designed instruction, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a

child with a disability” (PhDinSpecialEducation, 2014). Special education systems are found
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 9

throughout the world, but not everywhere. In the places where is it available, it is not always

effective. It is vital in the lives of disabled students because they are taught social,

communication, and life skills. Not learning these skills can lead to dependency on parents and

the inability to live independently after leaving home. There is a high demand for special

education teachers, and they are a very important aspect of the special education system because

they affect how the students learn and they have the chance to change lives for the better (Seder,

2014).

​ he United States has the highest rate of autism among

Special Education in the United States. T

children in the world, standing at 168 per 10,000 children (Wee, 2018). Fortunately, the special

education system in America is very efficient and developed. Some of the resources offered are

IEPs, support systems at home and school (Autism Society, 2016), as well as College Internship

Programs in ​Massachusetts, Florida, Indiana, and California (CIP, 2018).

In an interview with Eileen Ouellette, an expert in the field of special education and

autism who works for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, some aspects of the special education

system in Virginia Beach were discussed. Mrs. Ouellette is the former “Parent Liaison” of the

Parent Resource Center, where one of her tasks was informing parents, including foreigners,

about resources in the area that they could use to help their child with a disability. She shared

some of the resources offered in this area, some of which were behavior specialists, instructional

specialists and an active Parent Resource Center, as well as resources offered to students coming

out of high school to help them transition to the next stage of their life. In Virginia Beach,

transition planning begins when the student reaches age 14 (E. Ouellette, personal
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 10

communication, December 13, 2018). This is very beneficial because it starts preparing the

student at a young age for high school and what they pursue afterwards.

Mrs. Ouellette has an adult daughter with autism, and she graciously allowed the author

to ask her some questions about her education history. Mrs. Ouellette said that her daughter got a

great education in the Virginia Beach special education system. Although she lacks socialization

and fluency in her speech, the programs available to her have allowed her to meet new people

and work on self-advocacy, both essential skills needed to be independent. Although her

daughter still resides with her, they are planning on transitioning her to living independently in

the near future (personal communication, December 13, 2018).

There are many community programs offered in Virginia, some of which Mrs. Ouellette’s

daughter has attended. She has been to the Youth Leadership Forum where she learned self-

advocacy skills, and the Helping Hands Camp, where she was able to work one-on-one with a

high school volunteer (personal communication, December 13, 2018). There is also a camp

called Camp GonnaWannaGoAgin’, which the author, Sierra Curney, has volunteered at for

several years. It is a summer camp in which children and young adults with autism work

one-on-one with a counselor and are able to participate in enjoyable activities around the city.

The campers meet new friends while practicing those necessary skills outside of the classroom.

The community programs are a great resource for autistic children because they are offered a

place to practice socialization and communication outside of school and home. There is also a

book called “RISE,” (Reaching Independence through Self-Empowerment) which provides tips

and resources that are available to people with autism and their families. Some of the resources
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 11

discussed in the book are state departments, health and transportation services, and recreation

locations (Office of Programs for Exceptional Children, 2016).

One major part of the special education system in this area is that IEPs (Individualized

Education Plan) are offered. An IEP is a two-step process; the first step involves checking the

eligibility for services of a specific students, which is done through observations. Then, if one is

determined eligible, the process of developing the Individualized Education Plan begins. They

can be put together at the students school, and they include information about the student’s

medical history, conditions, strengths, challenges, goals, what type of classroom they will be

learning in, and any accommodations that should be made. The plan is then presented to the

parents for approval (personal communication, December 13, 2018). This development is very

important in the learning process of the student because it essentially allows for an altered

curriculum. Disabled students each have different needs, and therefore the best way for them to

learn to be independent is to work on the skills they need as an individual.

Special Education in Spain.​ ​Spain began making progress to integrate students with

disabilities into the school system in 1985, and these efforts were enforced by the General

Educational System Organizational Act (1990). Essentially, this act stated that students with

disabilities should be integrated into the regular school system, those schools must adapt the

curriculums in order to meet the needs of the students, and that they should only be placed in

separate schools if the regular schools are not satisfying their needs (Rao et al., 2014). As stated

earlier, counselors observe disabled students and report their individual needs, which is definitely

a helpful step towards adapting the curriculum for different circumstances. Although the

government has taken initiative to reform Spain’s special education system, statistics from the
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 12

European Commission Press Release indicate that Spain still has a lot of room for improvements.

According to the 2010 data, Spain had 4,437,258 students in the required education system,

104,343 of which had special education needs. Unfortunately, only 17,400 of the students with

those specific needs were in special schools, which is only 0.4% (European Commission Press

Release, 2012). ​The consequences of ineffective special education systems can be seen in Europe

as a whole. According to the European Commission Press Release, inclusive education has not

always been a priority, and the action the governments have tried to take has not been much help

(Special Education in Europe, Overrepresentation of Minority Students, 2012). Although there

are 15 million students in Europe with special education needs, it is very evident that these needs

are not being met. The European Commission Press Release states that in European school

systems, “...curricula are standardised and inflexible, which makes the inclusion of disabled

children difficult.” Learning under standardized curriculums does not benefit students with

specific needs because they are not getting individual support and resources that are tailored to

their success. European school systems as a whole do not allow special education students to

obtain many or necessary qualifications, which decreases their chances of securing a job after

their educational career. Not only that, but they are also less likely to continue on to higher

education after the equivalent of high school (European Commission Press Release, ). As stated

by the European Commission Press Release, “People with disabilities or special educational

needs are much more likely to be unemployed or economically inactive, and even those who are

relatively successful in the job market often earn less than their non-disabled counterparts…”

This drastically affects their ability to live independently because if the school system has not

provided them with the necessary skills and qualifications to make a sufficient income, they will
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 13

most likely be dependent on their parents or others after their school career, therefore not living

independently.

​ olombia is definitely a nation that is lacking in the

Special Education in Colombia. C

development of their special education system and autism research. They have been through

several periods in the past century, beginning with the “Period of Neglect,” in which there was

really no effort to diagnose children with disabilities or to develop the school system. As stated

by The Bogotá Post, “In comparison with the western world, Colombia has fallen behind in

providing equal opportunities and support for children with autism. Misconceptions, and simply

plain ignorance, has left many autistic children without proper education and care” (Rapp, 2018).

This was essentially what was occuring before 1978, in addition to neglectful attitudes by parents

with disabled children. “Although there is little reference to disability in the literature, there are

many stories that children with disabilities being hidden in their houses and how people

frequently made jokes about residents of Buga for being "bobos" or for having bobos in their

families” (Cuadros, 2005). According to wordreference.com, the term “bobo” translates to

“stupid,” “silly” or “dumb.” Parents kept their children out of social settings during the Period of

Neglect in Colombia and they were made fun of; families were not taking initiative to find

sufficient care and education for their disabled children.

The “Period of Diagnosis and Planning,” which lasted from 1987 until 1990, was the time

in which positive progress was made. The Colombian National Ministry of Education planned

out how they would develop the special education system. This was true, meaningful progress,

and after 1990, a lot more awareness was brought to the issue. Cuadros notes that even though

Colombia is moving forward, they need to pay more attention to the needs of the families in
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 14

order to be effective (Cordoba, 2005). This is justified considering that, for example, here in the

United States, many of the resources are effective because they involve the parents of the child,

who know the child the best and who are teaching them at home how to be independent.

​ n the other hand, Guatemala is a nation that has barely made

Special Education in Guatemala. O

any progress at all towards an effective special education system. According to

americasquarterly.org, Guatemala’s government is not very focused on improving their special

education system; since Guatemala is not very developed, the government is more focused on

providing the more basic necessities to the people. There is only a small number of independent

groups that are working to provide support to people and families with autism. Some of these are

The Asociación Integrame, which is helping by teaching classes, but they are only able to do so

for fifty families (Wirtz, 2012), and the Guatemalan Association for Autism. They host events in

order to raise awareness and shift the gears of the country to working towards providing better

services (​Asociación Guatemalteca por el Autismo)​. However, Stuardo Monroy, the director of

the Center for Autism and Related Special Needs, says that all of the information these

organizations know about autism is from parental input, not from research. Monroy also states,

“When a child is diagnosed within a school, be that a public or private one, very little, if any

accommodations are set into place in most institutions, converting the diagnosis into nothing

more than a label” (Wirtz, 2012). Although Guatemala is in the process of training teachers

(Wirtz, 2012), this quote shows that the special education system is not effective at all because it

is not making adjustments to the curriculum to meet the individual needs of students with autism.

​ hen asked what aspects of the special education system in

How to Improve the Systems. W

Virginia Beach could be improved, Mrs. Ouellette stated that there needs to be a better
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 15

placement continuum, meaning there should be more classroom options. She said that if a

general education classroom is not meeting the needs of a certain student, there should be a

sequence of types of classrooms, in terms of how restrictive they are, that should be tried next

(personal communication, December 13, 2018). Internationally, a step towards a solution is

increased funds dedicated to improving special education. There are many underdeveloped

nations, such as Guatemala, who are lacking in funds, therefore the money they do have is going

to other issues. Mrs. Ouellette also stated that here in the United States, money is an issue

because there is a large gap between federal and state funding (personal communication,

December 13, 2018). More money dedicated to special education, in any nation, would allow for

more and better resources, more teachers, and more facilities. However, the first step to

improving the special education systems all over the world is raising awareness because, in

nations like Colombia, there are or were times that society didn’t pay much attention to autism or

special education needs because they were unaware of, or embarrassed by the issue.

CONCLUSION

Effective special education systems are truly fundamental in the development of disabled

students and their ability to live independently. Due to different individual needs, altered

curriculums that can teach social and communication skills are needed. These skills are crucial in

the process of obtaining a job and even in daily activities, and without sufficient support or

resources, students with autism and other disabilities can be left depending on others throughout

their lives. It is important to provide effective education for disabled students, as they deserve the

same rights and have potential, just like students without disabilities. Hindering the development

of special needs students drastically affects society because they are part of the generation that
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 16

will be leading the future. As stated by Tadeusz Slawecki, ​“...if there is no acceptance or awareness

of inclusion’s importance in society, our activities and actions will be ineffective” (​“Inclusive Education

in Europe: Putting theory into practice,” ​2013). ​Although this was stated by Poland’s Secretary of

State Ministry of Education, this is universal among many nations. ​With increased funds,

awareness, and altered strategies, special education systems all over the world can be improved

and create changes for individuals, families, and societies as a whole.

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Asociación Guatemalteca por el Autismo. (n.d.). Autismo Guate. Retrieved December 2,

2018, from https://www.autismoguate.org/Ingles/index.html

Autism Society. (2018, November 26). Autism Society. Retrieved December 1, 2018, from
http://www.autism-society.org/

Berhanu, G., & Dyson, A. (2012, January). Special Education in Europe, Overrepresentation
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Claypool, M. (n.d.). Preparing to Experience College Living. Retrieved November 20, 2018,
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College Internship Program. (2018). CIP at a Glance. Retrieved October 26, 2018, from
https://cipworldwide.org/about-cip/cip-at-a-glance/
SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 17

Cuadros, J. H. (2005, May). The Status of Disability in Colombia and the Importance of
Parental Perceptions on the Development of Special Education. Retrieved October 16,
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European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education. (2018, April 13). Country
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OECD. (2018). Early childhood and schools. Retrieved October 17, 2018, from
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Rapp, J. (2018, January 24). Small, important steps are taken to improve Colombia's
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Seder, E. (2018, May 29). What's So Special About Special Education? Retrieved December
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SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SPANISH-SPEAKING NATIONS 18

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