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"Special Education is not a place, a curriculum, or way to describe a student. Special Education is a program. It is support and services." (PPT)

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"Special Education is not a place, a curriculum, or way to describe a student. Special Education is a program. It is support and services." (PPT)

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I really appreciated this quote and the way it tied up IDEA and RtI. In the past, Special Education has been used as a term that is isolating and pushes negative stereotypes about people with challenges. It transforms the definition of SPED to be supportive and reactive towards students with needs whether they be academic, physical, emotional, or personal. It is a way to love each and every student and set them up to be the best possible version of themselves. I thoroughly enjoyed reading through this weeks readings.

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"Children with disabilities must be educated with children who are non disabled UNLESS “the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of support and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.” (IDEA 2004)

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"Children with disabilities must be educated with children who are non disabled UNLESS “the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of support and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.” (IDEA 2004)

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I have always felt that Special Education classes throughout my own education have been very isolated on campus. They were always hidden in the corner separated from everyone else. In high school, I would have many conversations with some of these students about how they felt different and like they were treated differently. I remember one student asked me, "Why don't you have an aid like me? I remember feeling like this answer was hard to find, as I knew that Connor had potential that could be cultivated in mainstream courses. I remember telling him that we all need a little help sometimes, like sometimes I need help with my anger or sadness. I tried to explain that everyone has differences and challenges, but I could tell it only went so far because he felt so estranged back in his portable. It is so crucial that students like Connor are observed and pushed to reach their highest capabilities. Isolating students with disabilities is the most limiting thing.

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It is so crucial for teachers and staff in the school system to learn about each student as an INDIVIDUAL.

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Prevents student failure and places students in levels or tiers of instruction based on instructional needs.

This is a much more proactive way of identifying student disabilities that doesn't set students up for future success. It is a way to help students remain mainstreamed or give students intervention that best fits THEIR needs.

In comparison to the Severe Discrepancy Model mentioned in the powerpoint, RtI is much more in touch with student's individualized needs. The alternative approach is reactive and hardly involves monitoring or any sort of Individualized learning goals. Under this model, students are either left to struggle in the mainstream programs or categorized in a way that limits their potential.

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-Specialized Academic Instruction
-Speech and Language
-Psychological
-Interpreting
-Assistive Technology
-Counseling and Rehabilitation
-School Health Nurse
-Orientation and Mobility
-Parent Counseling and Training
-Occupational and Physical Therapy
-Social Work

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What can we do with this information?

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People with learning differences may feel isolated or alone in a world that is designed for "normalcy". The idea of normal is not representative of the universal needs of the human race.

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In the United States, 1 in 5 people have learning and thinking differences, like dyslexia and ADHD, and 1 in 4 adults have some type of disability. (Understood.org)