News in Special Education

ABSTRACT

India has accorded a mission status to ‘Education for All’ over the past decade. Since Independence this goal remains elusive, due to certain disadvantaged groups remaining out of the fold of education. One such group is the ‘disabled’, within which those with severe learning difficulties (SLD) pose even more problems. This paper highlights the need to implement a community‐based model of integration for the SLD, and strongly advocates a holistic, community‐responsive educational approach. The model views the primary school as an integral part of the community environment, placing equal importance on other organizational structures. The role of the community as an active and vital partner in planning and implementation of education and support services seems to hold the key to success in achieving integration and education for all by the year 2000.     

Education Without Failure? Education For All?∗

The terms difficultyand disabilityreflect two major concerns in contemporary education. Can we ensure education without failure? Can education be provided for all? Research conducted with adults who are poor readers suggests that they view themselves as failures when often they were victims of educational practices which treated as misfits all children who experienced difficulties in school. Evidence has accumulated which shows that a flexible education system can accommodate almost all children and that difficulties are symptoms of a mismatch between student needs and educational provision. For many children categorized as disabled, these difficulties could be resolved by modifying their educational program. Where there is true disability, which results from biological impairment, the major aim should be to prevent disability from becoming a handicap. Technological advances can help modify the physical constraints imposed by impairment; of greater importance to today's children is the need for greater community awareness and acceptance of disability.

While parents and teachers have reservations concerning the increased integration of disabled children some activists are pressing for legislation similar to US PL 94‐142 to ensure that all children, regardless of disability level, are provided with education in the mainstream to the maximum feasible extent. To argue about the effectiveness of integration is to miss the point; both regular school and special education support services need to recognize the many changes essential to minimize failure and to encompass the reasonable developmental needs of all children. Presently, there is a great discrepancy between what is known about effective instruction and current educational practice; until this gap is narrowed, for children with difficulties and disabilities failure will remain all too common.

     

Parental concerns and priorities in the education of disabled students

During a conference organized as part of I.Y.D.P., parents of the disabled from throughout Queensland attempted to identify the primary needs they experienced in coping with a disabled child in the family. Recommendations were made concerning the provision of services which would help to alleviate these needs. Issues and recommendations concerning education, including educational rights, legislative and financial considerations, teacher education, and the adequacy of educational services, are discussed in this paper. The dearth of a range of appropriate post‐school options was of crucial import; provision of continuing education services for disabled school leavers, including minimally handicapped students integrated into regular classes, is seen as an urgent requirement. Co‐operative planning and service provision should be given priority status by special education authorities, tertiary institutions and employment departments and agencies.     

Special Education in Singapore

THE NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM was implemented in 1980 with the objective of arresting the high attrition rates of premature school leavers by providing a differentiated curriculum to suit the needs and abilities of different learners in Singapore. As a result, streaming was introduced into schools to bring out the best in every child regardless of ability. Against such a background, health, welfare and special educational services and programs for disabled people are discussed. To support the changes and improvements recommended for disabled people as contained in the Report of the Advisory Council on the Disabled(1988), the training of teachers and other rehabilitative staff are highlighted. From 1988, opportunities for the disabled have increased tremendously and the enthusiasm and efforts put in by all parties concerned with the welfare of the disabled which have greeted these recommendations thus far, augurs well for special educational development in Singapore.     

“双模双向”教育实习——基于社会化教育实践模式的探索和研究

经过多年的改革发展,教育实习模式日趋完善,但是,现行传统教育实习模式还存在和社会发展不相适应的方面。因此,迫切需要师范毕业生通过学校,尤其是通过社区实践,采取参加社区教育活动、参与假日活动中心教育活动、加入社区助理工作、投身顶岗支教教学活动等丰富多彩的社会化实践模式,利用中小学在校生和社区资源,深入社会、家庭,了解社会风俗和人情事故,以增强毕业就业能力,尽快走出学校象牙塔,完成向"社会人"角色的转换。     

Educational consequences of a sibling's disability: Evidence from type 1 diabetes

While there is a growing literature on family health spillovers, questions remain about how sibling disability status impacts educational outcomes. As disability is not randomly assigned this is an empirical challenge. In this paper we use Danish administrative data and variation in the onset of type 1 diabetes to compare education outcomes of focal children with a disabled sibling to outcomes of focal children without a disabled sibling (matched on date of birth of the focal child, sibling spacing and family size). We find that having a disabled sibling significantly decreases 9^th grade exit exam GPAs, while having no impact on on-time completion of 9^th grade. However, educational trajectories are impacted, as we find significant decreases in high school enrollment and significant increases in vocational school enrollment by age 18. Our results indicate that sibling disability status can generate economically meaningful inequality in educational outcomes.     

Towards equality: the voices of young disabled people in Disability Rights Commission research

Increased participation and success in education for disabled people will improve their social inclusion and benefit society in general. In this article Louca‐Mai Wilson discusses Disability Rights Commission research on education and its implications for policy and practice. Research findings are considered in relation to the need for the voices of young disabled people to be heard in research, policy and planning. A key finding was that young disabled people want to be regarded and treated as equal to their peers, with the same rights of access and educational opportunity. But schools and educational establishments vary in their willingness and capacity to address and remove existing access barriers. Inclusion is a key issue for many young disabled people; many feel isolated at school and college and often have lower expectations about their future than their non‐disabled peers. Inclusive practice and participation are key to ensuring that disability equality in education is achieved.     

Social responsibility in community colleges: Rethinking the commitment to alternative education

Because high school dropouts are among the least advantaged members of American society, the educational system that has failed them has the social responsibility for remediating their educational and developmental needs. The community college is proposed as the institution most able to develop policies and programs that will enable these least advantaged members of American society to overcome the educational system that has failed them. This paper discusses the responsibility of providing a quality education to all individuals, examines the role the community college can play in meeting the educational and social needs of dropouts, and presents an innovative program at a community college that has been particularly effective in meeting the needs of dropouts.     

Patterns of service use in preschool children: correlates, consequences, and the role of early intervention

This article explores service use broadly by examining the mix of educational, health, and psychosocial services that preschool children received in the fifth year of life. The sample included 869 children who participated in the Infant Health and Development Program, an early intervention program designed to evaluate the efficacy of a comprehensive early intervention for low-birth-weight, premature infants during the first 3 years of life and who were followed until age 5. Cluster analyses of services at age 5 yielded 4 service groups--basic health only (doctor visits; n = 114); basic health and educational services (doctor visits and school/preschool; n = 444); basic health, educational, and psychosocial services (or multiple services; doctor visits, school/preschool, and psychosocial services; n = 129); and specialized health and educational services (doctor visits, school/preschool, emergency room visits and special medical visits [ear and/or eye examinations]; n = 182). Results suggest that neonatal health conditions, maternal education at the time of the child's birth, child developmental status at age 3, and maternal health, family income, and insurance status at age 5 were associated with patterns of services at age 5. Patterns of use are consistent over time (the first 3 years of life to the 5th year of life). After covarying the correlates of the service patterns, participation in the early intervention was not associated with patterns of services at age 5, and service patterns were associated with child well-being (health, school readiness, mental health), but results differed by intervention status. Findings are discussed in terms of preventive, responsive, and deficit models of service use.     

Negative Thought Patterns of Undecided Community College Students: Implications for Counselors and Advisors

The purpose of this study was to explore the negative thinking patterns of incoming community college freshmen who were undecided about choosing a major and to suggest an approach for addressing these issues on a community college campus. Sixty community college freshmen attending their freshman orientation (FO) were surveyed using the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI). Results indicated that the students who participated in the study scored higher on all CTI scales than high school or college students in the normative sample. There were no differences in scores in terms of ages, gender, or ethnicity. These results suggest that community colleges should design programming that can help new students, particularly freshmen; to identify and to address their unconstructive thoughts with the aim of helping these students learn how to manage their anxiety upon entering college. Counselors and advisors should work more collaboratively by shifting from an individual model of delivering services to a more holistic learning approach in order to help students to become more decisive about an educational career path.     

Strengthening Community Schools Through University Partnerships

Given the mounting call for academic achievement gains in America's public schools—particularly urban schools labeled “failing”—the need for community engagement to tackle a host of underlying social challenges warrants the resources of the nation's colleges and universities (Harkavy & Hartley, 2009). Because colleges and universities are often underutilized anchors of resources in communities, coordinated alignment of K-12 and higher education goals can create a seamless pipeline of educational attainment for communities challenged to produce high academic achievement. Higher education's engagement with community schools further helps to address the whole child and their families in K-12 education by expanding the opportunities for the students and community to access necessary support services. Drawing upon experiences of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and collaboration with its adjacent neighborhoods, this article illustrates the transformative and relevant impact of university and community engagement, as well as new pedagogical approaches to teaching, learning, and training. This article reflects upon the experiences of IUPUI and nearby George Washington Community High School as it can uniquely serve as a roadmap for other school community/university partnerships that are interested in embarking upon a similar education reform path.     

Special and inclusive education in the Eastern Caribbean: policy practice and provision

The countries of the Eastern Caribbean have for more than a decade been committed to the implementation of a common educational reform strategy. At the heart of this strategy has been the policy of 'education for all', which includes establishing educational support services for children with special educational needs. In the past, many disabled children and children with learning difficulties have been excluded from the education system in these countries. For many more children, attendance at school has not given meaningful access to educational opportunities. This article discusses research carried out by the authors and reports on the implementation of the Reform Strategy and on the barriers to inclusive education that persist in the region.     

A joint venture in urban high school reform

This article describes a joint attempt by the federal government, a private foundation, several local social service agencies, and a local school district to revitalize an urban high school and its neighboring community. This revitalization was to occur through the development of an information system that would provide high school students, adult learners, and community residents with data on educational and job opportunities in St. Louis. The information system was to be reinforced by counseling and referral services provided jointly by the school system and by local civic organizations.The intended purposes and potential impact of such a project that aims at urban high school reform are discussed. The paper provides some insights into the potential pitfalls involved in the implementation of small discretionary projects, as well as the promise of providing integrated social services to an urban population.Presently Assistant Vice President, The Fashion Institute of Technology.     

Where’s the Community Practice? Gaps in Community Practice Education in a Clinical-Community Social Work Program

Although the profession of social work has a rich history of supporting community organizing and engagement efforts, there has been a trend toward educational programs that focus heavily on the clinical components of social work. The purpose of this study was to perform an exploratory investigation of the potential need for more community-centered educational content at a school of social work in the Gulf Coast, which advertises itself as offering a clinical-community practice program. Researchers developed and administered a questionnaire to all current students of the School of Social Work to evaluate the program’s efforts to provide a balanced clinical-community practice education. Student responses to the questionnaire suggested that the community practice learning opportunities at the school were not represented equally in quality or quantity to the clinical material. Students reported limited access to field placements that focused on community practice. The researchers suggest that the results of this study are reflective of a potential national trend in social work education toward a narrower focus on clinical practice, and away from its roots in community organizing and advocacy.     

Issues in early childhood education

Abstract

This paper raises some of the key issues affecting the educational opportunities of children from birth to seven. These include: services for children under five, four‐year‐olds in primary school classes, equal opportunities, training and status of early years professionals. The paper emphasises the influence of concepts of early childhood and the need for UK policy makers to recognise babies and very young children as people, and to acknowledge their capabilities.     

Educational Provision for Mildly Intellectually Disabled Children in Queensland: Development and Decline

From the mid‐twenties to the early seventies children now designated as mildly intellectually disabled were the recipients of the greater part of the special education budget and the energies of special education staff in Queensland. These students were by far the largest category of children with special needs catered for by the Department of Education's special education section. The thrust towards separate provision for this group came from within the Department itself supported by visiting experts, with no apparent need for parent advocacy. The integration debate and expansion of services to more severely intellectually disabled children appear to have directed the mildly disabled group back into the educational mainstream, raising the question of whether the expertise and support developed over the years within special education have accompanied them.     

Interface between Culture and Disability in the Tanzanian Context: Part I

Schooling for children and young people with disabilities in Tanzania was introduced in 1950. Yet, despite the persistently high annual population growth rate of over 3% and not‐so‐developed health services, after 30 years the few recognised school places available to them are not being filled. Interviews with elderly people representing different educational zones and observation carried out in two schools showed that the communities where the special schools and units are located were not involved in the establishment and running of the educational centres. The interviews with elderly people and proverbs surveyed from local literature showed that the characteristics of major disabilities, except mild to moderate intellectual disability, were clearly known and the general attitudes towards their disabled children were positive. In this article it is argued that the success of special education and any other form of rehabilitation depends on a thorough assessment of the community's folk belief system, customs and values, capitalising on progressive elements within the culture and on instilling a sense of ownership through the involvement of parents, people with disabilities and the community at large in decision‐making and actual intervention activities.     

Factitious Disorder by Proxy in Educational Settings: A Review

Factitious disorder by proxy (FDP), historically known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, is a diagnosis applied to parents and other caregivers who intentionally feign, exaggerate, and/or induce illness or injury in a child to get attention from health professionals and others. A review of the recent literature and our experience as consultants indicate clearly that FDP has emerged in educational settings as well. Variants of educational FDP include parents of children with real or fabricated physical disabilities who request excessive or unneeded school health services and parents who request extensive education-related evaluations for children who do not demonstrate any educational need. If such cases continue to emerge, school districts will be asked to test more students who do not have disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Also, special educational directors will be weighing the cost of providing unneeded testing and educational services against the cost of defending themselves in litigation to prove that the testing and services are unnecessary. A table of guidelines is provided for school and other personnel confronted with repeated requests for unwarranted special education services. Suggestions for future research are included.