DISCUSSION:
BEING INCLUSIVE AND GETTING SUPPORT.
This discussion is based on your reading of Chapter 3 of the text book HUMAN EXCEPTIONALITY 12TH EDITION MICHAEL L HARDMAN M. WINSTON EGAN CLIFFORD J. DREW, Inclusion and Multidisciplinary Collaboration in Early Childhood and Elementary Years. In this chapter, you learned about evidence-based inclusive schools, and about the importance of diversity, acceptance and belonging. These are buzz words today.
In schools today, how would the discussion (and handling) of “diversity, acceptance and belonging” be different than in schools in the year 1970?
If you were a parent in 1970, what challenges might you face addressing an issue of “diversity, acceptance and belonging” with the school administrators that impacted your child’s schooling?
Please post a response, and remember to respond to two other people’s postings. Please support your answers with appropriate citations and references of external sources.
Please note:
Your main post should be substantive – at least 200 words, not including the Discussion questions or references. Each discussion response/reply to me or others must have a minimum of 125 words, spell checked, well written and citing references in support of arguments. Active participation is required. Please see “How You Will Be Evaluated” info located under Course Information.
In your reply to others: You could include additional research info (don’t just share a website link, explain what you found, summarize the info, and then share the website link), or, provide a few suggestions based on the class reading/additional reading, or explain why you agree or disagree with your classmate. Always provide at least ONE citation from the reading to ‘support’ your discussion.
FIRST DISCUSSION POST:
In schools today, the discussion and handling of diversity, acceptance and belongings be different than schools in the year 1970 by how society’s perception has change over years. Board of education, and society has develop major changing that which compensate various opportunities, and aids. Like different school curriculum for children with disabilities. Base on the reading of chapter 3 “Changing Era in the lives of Students with Disabilities”, Hardman et (2017), suggested the many differences instructional programs, special services are making in the lives of early childhood and elementary schools years children (Hardman et al., 2017, p. 49). Hardman et al (2017) explain ‘partial, inclusive mainstreaming and full inclusive education’ for kids with disabilities. And they are consisted of a child getting specialize education in a general setting rather than being a full special Ed class. These kids can get to experience and be a part of and have a sense of belonging with other peers who are not disable (Hardman et al., 2017, p. 50). If i were a parent in 1970, challenges might i face addressing an issue of “diversity’, acceptance and belongings” with the school administrator that impacted my child’s schooling would have been, denial of opportunities for my child to participate in various program in school due to my child disability. It would of been hard to address these issues, since the law back than did not applied much to school age students with disabilities. My child would not have access to speech therapy, occupational therapy and a para, and my child would of been lack of his and her education (Hardman et al., 2017, p. 51).
Hardman, M. L., Drew, C. J., & Egan, M. W. (2017) Human Exceptionality: School, Community and Family, 12th Edition. Cengage Learning: Boston, MA.
SECOND DISCUSSION POST:
Before 1970, being a diverse learner and having exceptional needs would isolate you and disconnect you from society. Students would not be allowed to attend the public schools if they were labeled “disabled.” Children with special needs were not provided services, accommodations, and therapies in an inclusive setting with their peers. Hardman et al. (2017) state “for most of the 20th century, comprehensive educational and social services for young children with disabilities were nonexistent or were provided sporadically at best” (p. 57). Schools today place and provide services to children with diverse needs in a much more understanding and thoughtful way. With the passing of public laws 90-538, 99-457, and 99-457 the laws opened services for young children with disabilities and required states to provide a free and appropriate public education for every eligible child between 3 and 5 years old (Hardman, 2017, p.57).
With children receiving the help they need to be included in public schools and receiving services to help them learn with their peers, society has become more understanding and accepting of people with disabilities. Their acceptance into the public school system provided them with a chance at an equal education and a sense of belonging and acceptance in society.
If I were a parent of a child with special needs in 1970, I would face many challenges. Services like Early Intervention, Head Start, IEPs, IFSPs, developmentally appropriate practices, age-appropriate placement, inclusive schools, individualization, response to intervention (just to name a few), would not exist and would not be used in my child’s education. My child would not have a sense of belonging to their school or community. They would most likely feel isolated, lonely, and angry at their limitations. The school would not be accommodating to my child’s special needs. If my child needed extra help because of their disability, the school most likely would not have the resources or the knowledge of how to help my child.
References
Hardman, M. L., Egan, M. W., & Drew, C. J. (2017). Human exceptionality: School, community, and family (12th edition). Cengage.
