Special Education is it Really Special?

It has been said that special education is just good teaching that every
student should have. People who hold such views would have you believe
that there is nothing really special about special education. I assert that
special education is very different from general education teaching in many
ways. Those differences should not be downplayed because within the
uniqueness of special education lies the benefits that special education
imparts to those students who qualify for its services. In this paper I will
address some of the differences between general education and special
education, the role that general education teachers play in the special
education students learning process, the laws government special education
and the importance of taking into account students diverse backgrounds
when designing curriculum.
One difference between special education and general education are the
expectations placed upon the parents, teachers, and other professionals
whose expertise are called upon to develop the best educational plans for
students. Federal laws such as IDEAs Child Find require the identification of
students who need special education services
(www.azed.gov/specialeducation/az-find). A disparity between the students
development or academic achievement and expectations of a child at his or
her age usually prompt parents or teachers to recognize a students need for
intervention. Before a student can be referred for special education services

a pre-referral intervention to determine if the students academic

achievement can be improved without the need for special education
services must be completed. If the academic performance does not improve
through these interventions a referral for special education evaluation can be
made. A special educator can perform some types of achievement and
behavior evaluations (www.projectidealonline), general education teachers
provide documentation of the students difficulties which can help in the
determination of whether special education services are needed.
Once the student has been found eligible for special education services,
other Federal regulations under the IDEA must be followed. The teachers,
parents, and other professionals involved in the childs education must
develop an individual education plan for the student. This document
describes the special education services that must be provided by the school
district to the student. It describes the students goals and academic and
behavioral benchmarks that should be achieved to meet the goals
(www.projectidealonline.org). The IDEA also requires that the students be
placed in the least restrictive environment. Special education teachers must
evaluate whether a student still has a continuing need for math resource (as
an example), or if they have become capable of performing at grade level in
a general education classroom.
It may seem that general educator and special education educators work in
different realms, however in actuality it is necessary for general educators

and special educators to collaborate in many ways. General educators are

involved in the pre-referral and referral for special education; they are also
involved in the education of many special education students. General
education teachers have special education students in their classrooms
sometimes with special educators support within the classroom, and
sometimes without a special educator in the classroom. In either case, it is
essential that the general educator and special education teacher
communicate about the students goals and accommodations and the best
approaches to teach the students within the general education classroom.
There are many different approaches to co-teaching, but in all cases it is vital
that good relationships are fostered between the general and special
education teachers as well as with the students parents or caregivers.
Students are very sensitive and aware of conflict between teachers and
parents. This can be confusing to students and have a negative impact on
their learning environment.
Many things can affect the students ability to learn. It is critically important
to develop a learning atmosphere within the classroom. The first step
towards creating such an environment is for the special education teacher to
develop rapport with each of his or her students. Fay and Funk, (1998), point
out the importance of building relationships with students, You cant make
people angry and sell them something at the same time. To build rapport
with students a special education teacher needs to know individual students
interests and consider the cultural lens the students view their world through

in order to interact with them in a mutually respectful manner. It is

important for special education teachers to have high expectations of
culturally and linguistically diverse students as well as their special
education students who are from the cultural mainstream (Smith, & Tyler
2014). With proper supports and accommodations most special education
students can be very successful. Special education teachers must keep in
mind that we are preparing our students to one day function in the real world
and what we do in the classroom is an important part of preparing them for
the future.
In teaching special education students teachers must differentiate their
instruction to be accessible to students who have differing levels of readiness
for the curriculum, differing learning styles and divergent interests,
(Tomlinson, 2008).

Citations:
AZ find. www.azed.gov/special-education/az-find.
Fay J., & Funk, D., (1998). Teaching With Love and Logic; Taking Control of the
Classroom. Pg. 20
Project Ideal. Special Education Referral Process.
www.projectidealonline.org/v/special-education-referral-process. Accessed
10/13/2016.

Smith, D., & Tyler N. (2014). Introduction to Contemporary Special Education.

Pearson Digital Library. Accessed 10/14/1016.
Tomlinson, C.A., 2008. Making a Difference.
http://www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2008/09/10/01tomlinson.h02.html.
accessed 9/26/2016