Special education refers to instruction that is specifically designed to meet the unique learning needs of students with disabilities. The goal of special education is to provide students with the accommodations, modifications, and support services they need to succeed academically and be prepared for further education, employment, and independent living after school.
The origins of special education can be traced back to the 1800s, when the first schools for the deaf and blind were established in the United States and Europe. However, it wasn’t until the 1970s with the passage of landmark federal legislation that a full system of special education services began emerging across the country.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the major federal law that guarantees all children with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education designed to meet their unique needs. Under IDEA, public schools are required to create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each child that outlines their specific goals, accommodations, services, and placement. Other key laws like Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also prohibit discrimination and mandate accommodations for students with disabilities.
Today, special education serves over 7 million students in U.S. public school systems. From individualized instruction and assistive technology to positive behavior support and transition services, special education aims to give each student meaningful access and opportunity to succeed. Collaboration between special and general education teachers, administrators, specialists, parents and students is essential in developing effective education programs. While challenges remain, special education has opened the doors of public education wider than ever before.
Common Disabilities in Special Education
Special education serves students with a wide range of disabilities that affect learning and development. Some of the most prevalent disabilities seen in special education include:
Learning Disabilities
Learning disabilities are neurological disorders that affect the brain’s ability to receive, process, store, respond to, and communicate information. These disabilities can lead to problems with reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, recalling, and organizing information. Examples of specific learning disabilities include dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, auditory processing disorder, and non-verbal learning disabilities. Students with learning disabilities commonly struggle with reading, writing, and math skills.
Intellectual Disability
Intellectual disability (formerly called mental retardation) refers to significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviors that affect learning. This disability originates before the age of 18. Students with intellectual disabilities have below average intelligence and face challenges with conceptual, social, and practical skills needed for everyday living.
ADHD
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. ADHD makes it difficult for students to focus, control impulses, and regulate activity levels. This can lead to struggles with sitting still, staying organized, following instructions, staying on task, and controlling behaviors.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a range of complex neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by challenges with social skills, communication, behavior, and interests. Students with ASD struggle with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, repetitive behaviors, and sensory sensitivity. Autism exists on a spectrum, with some students requiring more support than others.
Special Ed Teaching Strategies
Special education teachers utilize evidence-based teaching strategies to help students with disabilities achieve academic success and develop life skills. Some of the most effective strategies include:
Explicit Instruction
Explicit instruction involves the direct, systematic teaching of skills and concepts through modeling, guided practice, and independent practice. The teacher breaks down information and skills into manageable steps, models each step, provides supports like visual aids, and gradually withdraws support as students become independent. Explicit instruction is beneficial for students with disabilities because it makes abstract concepts concrete and offers structured learning.
Scaffolding
Scaffolding refers to providing support structures to help students successfully perform tasks that they cannot yet do independently. As students gain skills, supports are gradually removed. Scaffolds may include modeling, hints, partial completion of work, and templates. Scaffolding allows students to accomplish more advanced objectives by building upon their current abilities.
Peer-Mediated Instruction
Having students learn collaboratively and help one another is called peer-mediated instruction. Strategies include peer tutoring, cooperative learning groups, and classwide peer tutoring. Peer interaction promotes active engagement, critical thinking, and natural positive behavioral supports. Students benefit from learning through peer models and tailored instruction from classmates.
Strategy Instruction
Strategy instruction explicitly teaches students learning strategies to acquire, organize, retain, and express content knowledge. Students learn how to learn through techniques like mnemonic devices, cognitive mapping, self-questioning, and metacognition. Strategy instruction equips students with tools to independently and proactively tackle learning challenges.
Technology Integration
Integrating technology like computers, tablets, audiobooks, and more into instruction can enhance learning and engage students with disabilities. Technology tools provide multimodal presentation of material, opportunities for interactive learning, and platforms for differentiating instruction. Digital supports like spellcheck, text-to-speech and speech-to-text allow students with disabilities to better access content.
Special education teachers thoughtfully employ evidence-based strategies to promote meaningful learning for students with diverse needs. Strategies empower students and build their confidence and skills over time.
Special Ed Classroom Accommodations
Accommodations in the special education classroom allow students with disabilities to access the general education curriculum and demonstrate their skills and abilities. These accommodations make small changes to the classroom environment, teaching materials, assignments, and assessments while maintaining the integrity of the curriculum. Here are some examples of common accommodations:
Extra Time
Students with disabilities often need more time to process information and complete assignments and tests. Extra time accommodations give students the additional minutes or hours needed to work at their pace. This may involve extended time on classroom assignments, projects, and assessments.
Modified Assignments
Modifying classwork and homework assignments involves adjusting the difficulty level to meet a student’s needs while still teaching the same concepts. This may include shortening assignments, breaking work into smaller chunks, allowing alternate formats (e.g. oral presentations instead of written papers), or otherwise altering assignments without lowering academic rigor.
Assistive Technology
Assistive technology includes devices and software that help students with disabilities accomplish tasks and demonstrate learning. Examples include text-to-speech software, audiobooks, speech-to-text tools, calculators, audio amplification devices for students with hearing impairments, and adaptive equipment for computer access.
Providing individualized accommodations helps students with disabilities fully participate in the classroom. With the right support, these students can achieve academic success and build critical learning skills. Special education teachers collaborate with general education teachers, parents, and other specialists to determine appropriate accommodations tailored to each student’s needs.
Special Ed Testing Accommodations
Students with disabilities often need accommodations for classroom tests and standardized assessments in order to accurately demonstrate their knowledge and skills. Common testing accommodations include:
Extended time – Students may be given extra time to complete tests, such as time and a half or double time. This helps ensure students have sufficient time to process questions, formulate responses, and complete the test without feeling rushed.
Separate setting – Students may take the test in a different room with fewer distractions and stimuli. This allows them to concentrate better during the assessment.
Read aloud/text-to-speech – Test questions and answer choices can be read aloud to the student by a teacher or via text-to-speech software. This assists students who struggle with reading independently or decoding text.
Scribe – A teacher or aide can write down the student’s verbal responses if they have difficulty with fine motor skills or writing by hand. The scribe simply records what the student dictates.
Calculator – Students can use a basic calculator, especially for math and science tests, if their disability affects math calculation skills. This removes the barrier of having to do complex calculations by hand.
Enlarged print – Visually impaired students may need a large print version of the test with enlarged text and images. Screen magnifying software can also assist students in reading test content displayed on a computer screen.
Implementing appropriate testing accommodations for students with disabilities allows them to demonstrate their knowledge without being impeded by disabilities unrelated to the content being assessed. Accommodations provide accessibility and equity in testing.
Inclusive Classrooms
Inclusive classrooms integrate students with disabilities into general education classrooms alongside their non-disabled peers as much as possible. This approach aims to provide equal educational opportunities for all students regardless of abilities.
Benefits of Inclusion
Students with disabilities learn alongside positive peer role models. This facilitates academic, communication, and social skill development.
Students have increased access to the general education curriculum and higher expectations. This challenges them more than a self-contained special education classroom typically would.
Students with disabilities feel less isolated and segregated. Inclusion promotes belonging and self-esteem.
Non-disabled students increase disability awareness and become more accepting of differences. Inclusion reflects real-world diversity.
Challenges of Inclusion
General education teachers may lack special education training. Additional professional development is often needed to support inclusionary practices.
Significant modifications to curriculum and instruction may be required to meet diverse learning needs. This places additional demands on teachers.
Students with more intensive support needs may still require a self-contained classroom for part of the day. Full inclusion does not work for every student.
Behavioral issues can disrupt the classroom environment if supports are inadequate. Proper training in classroom management is essential.
Co-teaching Models
Co-teaching pairs a general education teacher with a special education teacher or specialist in one classroom. There are several co-teaching approaches:
One Teach, One Observe: One teacher leads instruction while the other gathers data on specific students.
Station Teaching: Teachers split content into stations that groups of students rotate through. Each teacher covers certain stations.
Parallel Teaching: Teachers deliver the same content in two break-out groups with divided class participation.
Alternative Teaching: One teacher works with most students while the other works with a small group for specialized instruction.
Teaming: Both teachers lead large group instruction together by lecturing, representing different viewpoints in a debate, illustrating two ways to solve a math problem, etc.
Effective co-teaching requires ongoing collaboration, shared classroom management, and commitment to inclusion from both teachers. When implemented well, co-teaching provides necessary supports for the success of all students.
Conclusion
Special education plays an important role in providing customized learning plans for students with disabilities and other special needs. This allows them to receive an appropriate education that meets their individual requirements. Some key points covered in this article include:
There are many types of disabilities that may qualify a student for special education services, such as learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, and physical disabilities. Identifying and assessing students’ needs is a crucial first step.
Once qualified, students receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP) tailored to their capabilities and goals. Their progress and the effectiveness of the IEP are continually evaluated.
Special education teachers employ various teaching strategies to engage these students and accommodate their needs, such as multisensory learning, explicit instruction, and assistive technology.
Classroom accommodations help create an accessible learning environment and schoolwork modifications ensure students can complete assignments successfully.
Accommodations for standardized testing are also provided so students can demonstrate their knowledge without being impeded by disabilities.
Transition planning prepares special education students for life after school, including higher education or workforce skills.
In summary, special education programs provide personalized instruction and support that allows students with disabilities to receive a quality education suited to their needs and goals. When implemented effectively, special education allows these students to fulfill their potential just like their mainstream peers. It is a critical educational service that benefits students, families, and communities.