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POR EL DERECHO DE DANIEL GUTIERREZ ORTEGA A UNA EDUCACIÓN INCLUSIVA DE CALIDAD
1. Los firmantes del manifiesto hacemos esta declaración ante la opinión pública, conscientes de que los derechos humanos, no se consiguen y vivencian plenamente con su simple declaración o reconocimiento formal, sino que precisan de un proceso de denuncia, lucha y resistencia contra las condiciones y fuerzas sociales de muy distinto tipo que impiden su pleno desarrollo.

2. En esta ocasión nos moviliza el convencimiento de que la educación inclusiva es una forma de entender la educación, por buena parte de la ciudadanía, que conecta con los valores y principios éticos de reconocimiento, dignidad y respecto a la diversidad del alumnado en todas sus dimensiones.

3. Pero, en esta ocasión, también nos pronunciamos frente a la opinión pública en apoyo al caso concreto de Daniel Gutiérrez Ortega y sus padres en su recurso de amparo ante el Tribunal Constitucional, pues ellos, con otros muchos, encarnan hoy, aquí y ahora, esa lucha necesaria para que lo que nos puede hacer más humanos - aceptar y reconocernos en los distintos órdenes de la vida como seres iguales en nuestra diversidad, dignidad y derechos-, termine imperando en nuestra convivencia frente a la barbarie de quienes abogan por la exclusión y propician o se muestran indiferentes ante la discriminación y la desigualdad.

4. La Convención de Naciones Unidas sobre los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad (ONU, 2006), ha establecido con claridad en su artículo 24, el derecho a una educación inclusiva de las personas con discapacidad:
"Los Estados Partes reconocen el derecho de las personas con discapacidad a la educación. Con miras a hacer efectivo este derecho sin discriminación y sobre la base de la igualdad de oportunidades, los Estados Partes asegurarán un sistema de educación inclusivo a todos los niveles así como la enseñanza a lo largo de la vida, con miras a:
a). Desarrollar plenamente el potencial humano y el sentido de la dignidad y la autoestima y reforzar el respeto por los derechos humanos, las libertades fundamentales y la diversidad humana;
b). Desarrollar al máximo la personalidad, los talentos y la creatividad de las personas con discapacidad, así como sus aptitudes mentales y físicas;
c). Hacer posible que las personas con discapacidad participen de manera efectiva en una sociedad libre.
Al hacer efectivo este derecho, los Estados Partes asegurarán que:
a). Las personas con discapacidad no queden excluidas del sistema general de educación por motivos de discapacidad, y que los niños y las niñas con discapacidad no queden excluidos de la enseñanza primaria gratuita y obligatoria ni de la enseñanza secundaria por motivos de discapacidad;
b). Las personas con discapacidad puedan acceder a una educación primaria y secundaria inclusiva, de calidad y gratuita, en igualdad de condiciones con las demás, en la comunidad en que vivan;
c). Se hagan ajustes razonables en función de las necesidades individuales;
d). Se preste el apoyo necesario a las personas con discapacidad, en el marco del sistema general de educación, para facilitar su formación efectiva;
e). Se faciliten medidas de apoyo personalizadas y efectivas en entornos que fomenten al máximo el desarrollo académico y social, de conformidad con el objetivo de la plena inclusión" http://www.un.org/spanish/disabilities/convention/convention.html

5. Dicha Convención es un tratado internacional firmado y ratificado por España e incorporado a su ordenamiento jurídico (BOE 21 de abril de 2008). En tanto que trata asuntos vinculados con los derechos fundamentales de las personas, y al amparo del Art. 10.2 de la Constitución Española, su mandatos obligan a revisar las leyes y normas, nacionales y autonómicas, que versan sobre aspectos contemplados en dicha Convención. Así ha ocurrido con la Ley 26/2011 de 1 de agosto que, sin embargo, ha dejado fuera de revisión la Ley Orgánica de Educación (LOE, 2006), favoreciendo actuaciones que, a nuestro juicio, pervierten el sentido del mandato de la Convención respecto al derecho a una educación inclusiva y posibilitan situaciones de discriminación en este ámbito.

6. Debe señalarse con claridad que la Ley Orgánica de Educación (LOE, 2003), tiene una inequívoca vocación inclusiva, que queda de manifiesto tanto en su declaración de intenciones como en los principios y fines generales que establece:
Art. 1 Artículo 1. Principios.
El sistema educativo español, configurado de acuerdo con los valores de la Constitución y asentado en el respeto a los derechos y libertades reconocidos en ella, se inspira en los siguientes principios:
a) La calidad de la educación para todo el alumnado, independientemente de sus condiciones y circunstancias.
b) La equidad, que garantice la igualdad de oportunidades, la inclusión educativa y la no discriminación y actúe como elemento compensador de las desigualdades personales, culturales, económicas y sociales, con especial atención a las que deriven de discapacidad...
Artículo 2. Fines.
1. El sistema educativo español se orientará a la consecución de los siguientes fines:
a) El pleno desarrollo de la personalidad y de las capacidades de los alumnos.
b) La educación en el respeto de los derechos y libertades fundamentales, en la igualdad de derechos y oportunidades entre hombres y mujeres y en la igualdad de trato y no discriminación de las personas con discapacidad...

7. Sin embargo, lamentablemente, el desarrollo de estos fines y principios - que se concreta en el Título II sobre Equidad en la Educación- y en particular en el Sección Primera, en lo referido al alunando considerado con necesidades educativas especiales, deja abierto, a través del Art. 74.1 referido a la Escolarización, la posibilidad de que pueda llevarse a acabo, la escolarización de este alumnado,
"... en unidades o centros de educación especial, que podrá extenderse hasta los veintiún años, ... cuando sus necesidades no puedan ser atendidas en el marco de las medidas de atención a la diversidad de los centros ordinarios",
contraviniendo, a nuestro juicio, el derecho a una educación inclusiva que establece la Convención de Naciones Unidas, al condicionarlo a una consideración ("que los centros hayan tomado las suficientes medidas para atender a la diversidad del alumnado), sujeta a una gran discrecionalidad y arbitrariedad por parte de los centros y las autoridades encargadas de su supervisión, lo que conduce, en la mayoría de las casos, a situaciones de clara discriminación.

8. Por otra parte, y conforme a lo que establece nuestra Constitución, son los padres y madres de los menores con discapacidad los que tienen la obligación moral y el deber de velar por el cumplimiento de los derechos que amparan a sus hijos, y por lo tanto, a elegir el tipo de centro educativo (ordinario o especial), que consideren más adecuado, dentro de la planificación general de la enseñanza que compete a las Administraciones Educativas. En este sentido, por lo tanto, no puede imponerse que la educación de todo el alumnado considerados con necesidades educativas especiales deba realizarse siempre y necesariamente en centros ordinarios, pero por la misma argumentación, no se puede impedir a ninguna familia que así lo desee y haya sido debidamente informada, a que se cumpla el derecho que les asiste a que sus hijos o hijas puedan ser escolarizados en centros ordinarios con los apoyos y ayudas específicas que aquellos requieran, al tiempo que éstos adoptan las medidas de ajustes o adaptaciones que las leyes contemplan para que el proceso educativa se lleve a cabo con equidad y calidad.

9. Los padres de Daniel Gutiérrez Ortega llevan cerca de cinco años pleiteando con la Administración Educativa de su Comunidad Autónoma para que Daniel pueda escolarizarse en un centro ordinario como primer paso para tener acceso a una educación de calidad, ajustada a sus necesidades y características personales. Hasta la fecha las distintas instancias judiciales a las que han recurrido han desestimado sus recursos contrarios a que Daniel sea escolarizado en un Centro de Educación Especial de su localidad. En este momento está planteado un recurso de amparo ante el Tribunal Constitucional, por vulneración de derechos fundamentales, tanto el de Daniel a una educación inclusiva, como el de sus padres a velar por su cumplimiento.

10. Se ha dicho, con razón, con "el mejor argumento moral es la acción". Frente a los hechos apuntados caben muchas acciones, la primera de las cuales es, por nuestra parte, la de ofrecer el testimonio de nuestro compromiso con el derecho a una educación inclusiva sin restricciones ni condicionantes. También exponemos ante la opinión pública que nuestro conocimiento y experiencia, apoyado en el que nos aporta la comunidad científica internacional a la que pertenecemos en nuestras respectivas áreas de conocimiento, nos hace pronunciarnos, sin reservas, por la necesidad de defender el derecho a la educación inclusiva que Daniel, a través de sus padres, reclama para sí y, por extensión, para los miles de niño, niñas, jóvenes y adultos en todo el mundo que por razones de capacidad, procedencia, género o cualquier otra condición personal o social, se encuentran, también hoy, en situaciones de exclusión y, por ello injustamente discriminados.
Este Manifiesto está apoyado por las siguientes Personalidades Académicas:
D. Gerardo Echeita Sarrionandía. Profesor Titular de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. (Creador del Manifiesto)

Dña. Isabel Cano Ruiz. Responsable de la unidad de Integración y Coordinación de Políticas de discapacidad y Profesora de la Facultad de Derecho Universidad de Alcalá.

D. Miguel Ángel Verdugo. Catedrático en Discapacidad Intelectual de la Universidad de Salamanca.

Dña. Elena Martín Ortega. Catedrática de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

Dña. Ángeles Parrilla Latas. Catedrática de Didáctica de la Universidad de Lugo.

D. Antonio Madrid Pérez. Coordinador de la Clínica Jurídica en diversidad funcional de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Barcelona.

D. Ignacio Campoy. Profesor titular de filosofía del derecho en la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

D. Miguel López Melero. Catedrático de didáctica y organización escolar en la Universidad de Málaga

Dña. Esperanza Ochaita Alderete. Catedrática de psicología de la educación en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid y directora del instituto universitario de derechos de la infancia IUNDIA, UNICEF/UAM

Dña. Ángeles Espinosa. Profesora titular de psicología de la educación de la Univ. Autónoma de Madrid y Secretaria del Instituto Universitario de derechos de la infancia IUNDIA, UNICEF/UAM

Dña. Ángeles Espinosa. Profesora titular de psicología de la educación de la Univ. Autónoma de Madrid y Secretaria del Instituto Universitario de derechos de la infancia IUNDIA, UNICEF/UAM

Dña. Maria Sotillo Méndez. Profesora titular de psicología básica, universidad autónoma de Madrid

Dña. Begoña Martínez Dominguez. Profesora titular de didáctica y organización escolar de la Universidad del País Vasco

D. Ignacio Calderón Almendros. Profesor de didáctica y organización escolar, Universidad de Málaga.

D. Serafín Antúnez. Catedràtic d'Universitat. Departament de Didàctica i Organització Educativa. Universitat de Barcelona.

D. Climent Giné. Professor Titular de la Facultad de Psicología, Ciencias de la Educación y del Deporte.Universidad Ramón Llull, Blanquerna.

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POR EL DERECHO DE DANIEL GUTIERREZ ORTEGA A UNA EDUCACIÓN INCLUSIVA DE CALIDAD 1. Los firmantes del manifiesto hacemos esta declaración ante la opinión pública, conscientes de que los derechos humanos, no se consiguen y vivencian plenamente con su simple declaración o reconocimiento formal, sino que precisan de un proceso de denuncia, lucha y resistencia contra las condiciones y fuerzas sociales de muy distinto tipo que impiden su pleno desarrollo.

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¡10 Consejos para docentes sobre Educación Inclusiva!

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Use these special education resources to help you become a better teacher and advocate for students with special needs. Find information on special education careers, social skills, testing, and more.

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Use these special education resources to help you become a better teacher and advocate for students with special needs. Find information on special education careers, social skills, testing, and more.

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Are you teaching special needs students?

Whether you have a special education class, or just a few students with special needs, then chances are you could use some help too, right? :-)

There's been an explosive growth in the number of children with special needs, especially with autism, Aspergers syndrome or ADD / ADHD.

Often, that means that we're seeing students with complex medical needs or physical disabilities. They often need assistive technology to help them get through the day. Or perhaps they need the right tools to assist in dyslexia, blind or deaf education.

And of course, there's been explosive growth in the number of students with learning disabilities and behavior issues.

We're seeing lots of autism in the classroom, alongside kids with Aspergers Syndrome, ADD, ADHD, Williams Syndrome or any variation of PDD - pervasive development disorder.

But... school funding hasn't kept up, has it?

Not to mention teacher training.

Even if you've decided on a career in teaching special education, you may find that your time and resources are stretched to the limit as you try to accommodate all of your students' needs.

If you're teaching special needs students - this site is for you.

Special Education Resources

As a parent of two children with special needs, I've been lucky enough to see the great benefits my kids get from well trained teachers that are given the right special education resources they need.

I've also seen teachers struggle to figure out autism symptoms in the classroom, deal with myriad learning disabilities, deal with classroom behavior problems, and try to somehow create a cohesive inclusive classroom for everyone.

Add the kids who don't speak English as their first language, and you've also got to consider bilingual instruction as well.

No wonder teachers are stressed as never before!

On this site, I'm putting together tips, tools and special ed resources to help. I've seen what works and what doesn't, and I've put some work into gathering information on the adaptive equipment, like switches and augmentative communication devices that can really help.

Whether you're a teacher, home-schooler or other education professional, you'll find useful information, and links to the tools you need to do the job.

You'll also find lots of opportunity to share your knowledge too.

So, nose around the site and make yourself at home.

We'll figure it all out together!

You may also be interested in ....

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Just click on any product that interests you and you'll be taken to that merchant. These additional items are made available at no extra cost to you, and may pay a small referral commission to this site, to help offset site costs.

Hope you find this useful!

Special Education Resources

p.s. The content on this page was previously on my other site,
teaching-special-needs-students.com,
which has now merged into special-need-products.com

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Teaching special needs students - Special Education

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Are you teaching special needs students? Whether you have a special education class, or just a few students with special needs, then chances are you could use some help too, right? :-) There's been an explosive growth in the number of children with special needs, especially with autism, Aspergers syndrome or ADD / ADHD.

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Working with special needs students requires a level of training that specifically accommodates individuals with disabilities. Teachers who work with special needs students learn how to identify disabilities and design tailored curriculums based on assessment results and empirical data.

The job of a special educator is a demanding one, but with the right tools and strategies, the rewards can far outweigh the challenges. We've compiled a list of tips and resources to help you be as effective as you can with your students.

The Inclusive Classroom

An inclusive classroom is staffed with a regular education teacher and a special education teacher. The student population includes students with and without disabilities. The teachers often co-teach in order to address the wide-ranging needs of their students. : Inclusive classrooms vary greatly. Some schools only educate students with mild disabilities in general education classrooms while others maintain separate classrooms for students with moderate and severe disabilities. Each school has its own vision of how to implement inclusive practices.

If you're special educator in an inclusive classroom, here are eight tips to help you create an effective and positive learning environment for your students.

1. Organize student desks in groups: Depending on the size your classroom and the subject matter, organizing student desk into groups or pods is a great way to create an inclusive learning community. Students can work together on projects and activities, fostering interaction among disabled and non-disabled learners.

2. Get to know your students: The more you know your about students, the more you can adapt your teaching to their needs.

3. Create a safe and welcoming environment: Make sure your classroom reflects diversity and inclusion. Take inventory to ensure all classroom décor is conducive to such an environment.

4. Set ground rules and stick with em': It's important to establish strong expectations on the first day of school. Rules for conduct and dialogue help create a sense of order and help establish an inclusive and safe learning environment.

5. Work closely with your co-teacher: Co-teaching is all about teamwork and collaboration. Set aside plenty of time to plan and discuss how to execute instruction as well as to talk about your teaching relationship.

6. Ensure Students Understand and Appreciate Individual Differences: When you have a classroom that emphasizes inclusion of both children with and without special needs, it's important to take some time at the beginning of the school year, as well as many times throughout, and cultivate an environment that praises diversity and the differences we all have.

7. Help Establish Short-Term Goals: By breaking larger tasks down into many simpler goals, you can instill students of all learning types with a sense of accomplishment. Not only does it help with morale, but it also helps gauge productivity and who is in the most need of help.

8. Design a Multi-Faceted Curriculum: It's really important to develop multiple teaching methods for the same content because it is accommodating to students of many learning types. This is a good approach to including special needs students in the same classroom.

Special Education Classroom

If you're teaching in a special education classroom, your students will have a range of capabilities as well as disabilities. One student might have ADHD while another student has a physical disability that restricts mobility. It's up to you to create a classroom environment conducive to learning and supports all students and their needs. Below are a few tips to help you meet their varying needs. And by the way, these tips apply to the inclusive classroom, too!

1. Follow each student's IEP carefully: An IEP is an individual education plan for students age 3 to 21 that includes goals, objectives, and related services specifically designed to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability. An IEP is required by federal law for all students who receive special education services. Your school by law has to follow an IEP so make sure to read each one carefully and follow the requirements. Inclusive classroom educators - this applies to you too! An IEP follows the student no matter what classroom format is used.

2. Create checklists: Checklists can be a life saver, especially for educators working with students with disabilities. It's helpful to establish a routine, and a checklist helps to ensure organization, consistency, and time management.

3. Take breaks when necessary: Teachers AND students need a break now and again. When the time is right, take a moment to clear your head and allow your students to do the same.

4. Communicate regularly with parents and/or caregivers: Make a special effort to stay in touch with parents and caregivers through email or by phone, or both. Communication helps build relationships and often prevents problems from becoming worse.

5. Seek support from other special education teachers: Reach out to other special education teachers for support and advice. You're not alone, and a bad day is not as bad when you have a support system in place.

6. Create an Area for Children to Calm Down: It's helpful to have a designated area for children to calm down after being upset or overstimulated. Depending on what disability a child may have, being overstimulated may be exactly what can impact their ability to focus and learn. A room or area to help children calm down should be equipped with items that can mildly stimulate the senses to find relief.

7. Laminating Worksheets Can Prove Imperative: By laminating worksheets or papers, teachers can ensure that students work is not inhibited by various factors. Children are known for being messy and laminating worksheets ensures helps prevent accidental damage.

8. Be Diligent About Documenting Behaviors and Their Causes: Just as with any child, various circumstances can trigger special needs children to express enjoyment, anger, sadness, and any other emotion on the spectrum. It's more important when working with special needs children though to understand what can help make them more productive, what can set off aggression, and paying attention to which ways are most effective in calming them down.

What should I look for in a special education graduate program?

A graduate program in special education is designed to prepare students for leadership and administrative positions. Many schools offer a PhD in special education, but each school is unique in its approach to teaching and learning. The degree program you choose should be accreddited, should prepare you for licensure and to pass all required exams, and ought to provide opportunities for specialization in areas that interest you.

The following schools and programs are some of those which meet these requirements:
See all schools that offer Special Education degrees...
Additional Resources

Find a Special Education program

Fill out this brief form to find your degree today!

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Working with special needs students requires a level of training that specifically accommodates individuals with disabilities. Teachers who work with special needs students learn how to identify disabilities and design tailored curriculums based on assessment results and empirical data.

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Special Need & Education Resources for Educators - TeacherVision

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Special education curriculum strategies, classroom management, and resources for students with different learning needs. We’ll help you figure out ways to create an inclusive classroom, adapt, and supplement your classroom materials.

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In special education for children and young adults with significant disabilities we often assume that functional skills is our most important goal. Yet, we often don't spend a whole lot of time thinking about what functional means or which skills are actually functional for our learners. This is the dictionary definition of functional:

In this definition, the part that applies to functional skills for our learners is "2. designed to be practical or useful." Functional skills should be practical and useful. They should be skills our students will use over the course of their education and their lives. Often times these functional skills are futher broken down into activities of daily living/domestic skills, social skills, community skills, and self-determination. Perhaps the best reference for functional skills I've ever used is the Syracuse Community Reference Curriculum. If you are looking for a good source for functional curriculum is is one place to turn. Yet, it should never replace access to the general education curriculum.

Ironically, self-determination is often under emphasized in some functional skills curriculums. Some such curriculums actually teach students skills that increase their likelihood to be abused or mistreated in addition to ignoring self-determination, for exaple curriculums that teach "accepting no" or "tolerating distress". If a functional skills increases the likelihood of abuse or even just unhappiness as an adult it isn't actually functional.

When we are working with children who have developmental or intellectual disabilities but no additional physical or sensory needs it is easier to assess that child and design an educational program to teach skills which are practical and useful in addition to the general education curriculum. This become more challenging when we are working with children with complex physical and/or sensory needs and/or complex communication needs. Those children are much more difficult to assess and it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that just because a child cannot be assessed they are not capable of learning and progressing in the general education curriculum. Over and over we hear stories these days of such children being underestimated and denied an education. We need to ask ourselves, "if this student writes a book someday, what chapter do I want to be in?"

These students with complex bodies and communication needs may still need to be taught some practical and useful skills. However, parts of the curriculum typically considered practical and useful/functional, such as hand washing, setting a table, or dressing cease to be practical and useful for some of these students. Especially if our first response to physical and sensory challenges is turning to hand over hand methodology. This is because some of our most complex students cannot physically do these tasks independently and we don't think about changing the activity instead of stepping in and forcing the child to participate physically. It is, of course vital that these students be able to participate as fully as possible in these activities or alternatives to these activities. A student who cannot wash his own hands need to be able to know when to ask to have his hands washed, ask to have his hands washed and participate as much as is needed. He also needs to know to be sure those who care for him wash their hands and be able to request they do so. A student who cannot physically set a table still needs to understand a table setting and know how to ask for table items they might need. A child who cannot physically dress herself needs to be able to notice when she needs to change her clothes, choose clothes, and direct someone to find her clothes and assist her in dressing. We need to analyze what would make each activity practical and useful for the child and then teach those skills. However, none of these practical and useful skills and adaptations eliminates the needs for access to the general curriculum.

Some questions to ask ourselves about functional skills:
1) Are we teaching "functional skills" because we have never considered teaching the general education curriculum to this student? For 99% of children in our schools the general education is functional. Learning to read, write, do mathematics, learn from what we read and understand our history, society and world around us is functional. These skills will allow typical children to understand and participate in their own lives. Learning these skills is also functional for our learners with very significant disabilities. The importance of what is taught doesn't disappear because our learners have complex needs. Learning about Einstein means the child, typical or disabled, has a shared understanding of a scientist and political figure. It means a child can understand a reference to Einstein such as, "It doesn't take an Einstein." Learning the general education curriculum gives the child a schema to understanding. In terms of neurology learning complex ideas such as those found in the general education curriculum create news neuropathways which can then be reused and strengthened. It gives the child a social currency that matches typical peers. Have we really considered teaching general education content to our kids? This is an area where those of us in the field of education for children with severe or multiple disabilities should take our cues from teachers of the blind and visually impaired. Such teachers do not see a functional skills curriculum as a replacement for an academic curriculum, they see it as an extension of the general educational curriculum. They call this the Expanded Core Curriculum.

2) Are we teaching literacy, the ultimate "functional skill"? We use literacy skills all day everyday. We wake up, check our phones for texts and the news - reading those things. We read the buttons on the remote, the coffee maker and go through our morning routines. We write a note to partner or child. We read the messages on signs on the way to work. Not just the road signs, but all the signs. Here in Massachusetts the latest LED road sign messages have been "Use your blinkah!" Even if you aren't the driver that's fun. Maybe you see a sign for sale on something you love, or a potluck dinner or an upcoming civil event - my town just had a Yankee Doodle Parade. How can our kids beg mom to go to the parade if they can't read the sign about it? Once we get to work we might read a bulletin board. We might check our email. And we aren't even at 9 am yet! Nothing is more functional, nothing is more of a life skill, than literacy. By this I do not mean community signs and environmental print. That isn't literacy. Literacy is the ability to encode and decode words. If you can encode and decode words you can read community signs and environmental print, these skills are gained through literacy. Literacy is also a civil rights issue. It always has been. One of the ways one group of people exerts oppressive power on another group is to bar the teaching of literacy. In the case of our students it is more a lack of expectation for our students, a lack of knowledge on now to do it and, to some degree, neglect. I was tempted to say benign neglect, but it isn't benign. It is malignant to not be taught literacy. It is disenfranchising. If all children except those with disabilities are taught how to read that is discrimination. Maybe some of our kids will age out of school at 21 and they won't know how to read, but it should never be because we didn't try teach them every single day they were at school!
4) Is this student capable of physically doing this "functional" task independently? If not, is working on an unattainable skill the best use of the time this student should be spending time learning? Is it practical and useful for the child to spend time working on something they will not physically accomplish? For example, if you have a student who is physically not able to hang up her coat because of her physical challenges should a portion of each day be spend forcing the child to hang up her coat via hand over hand methodologies. Would her time be better spent working on some of the other skills that are typically being used during arrival or coming in from recess? Perhaps she could be focusing on socializing with peers during the transition. Perhaps her time would be better spent learning to direct someone else to hang her coat and put away her bag or take out her notebook.

5) How does this functional activity teach communication skills? Communication is the most vital skill we teach to children with multiple disabilities and complex communication needs. It is possible to incorporate true, child generated communication into every single activity we do in schools, from functional skills to the general education curriculum. True, child generated communication is not activating a voice output switch with a pre-recorded message that the child had no part in creating. A fact of communication is that your partner doesn't know what you are going to say! Switches can't do this, in fact sometimes when we use voice output switches it is sometimes the child who doesn't know what she is going to say! That is so backwards! Every student should have access to a robust communication system. Communication partners should be using those systems to speak to the child every time they speak to the child. We should be targeting vocabulary and communication skills at one step beyond what the child can currently do. Making every activity a communication activity is a quick way to make a curriculum functional.

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Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs

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In special education for children and young adults with significant disabilities we often assume that functional skills is our most important goal. Yet, we often don't spend a whole lot of time thinking about what functional means or which skills are actually functional for our learners.

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Llegada de un perro 'diferente' cambia la vida de este niño (VIDEO)

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GUIA PARA ASEGURAR LA INCLUSION Y LA EQUIDAD EN LA EDUCACION

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GUIA PARA ASEGURAR LA INCLUSION Y LA EQUIDAD EN LA EDUCACION