Children with special needs in mainstream and special needs schools.
Introduction
Children with special needs, government policies or no government policies, are always going to be treated differently in the educational system to what is defined as “normal” children. Due to no fault of their own, or their parents, children with the same physical, emotional, intellectual and behavioral disorders will require different help based on the child’s individualized needs.
Thesis
Mainstreaming Children with special needs in theory is a very good practice but when practically implying it should be done on a case by case basis. Not based purely on averages of the different classifications of disabilities.
The Government’s definition of the special needs education policy is “to improve the learning outcomes for all young children with special needs at their local school, early childhood centre or wherever they are being educated” this is achieved by adapting the learning environment’s or programs and, if needed, providing extra assistance (Equipment or materials). (Ministry Of Education, 2010)
The most common special needs issues faced by children may include, Learning challenges, communication challenges, behavioural and emotional disorder, physical disabilities and developmental disorders (Ministry Of Education, 2008). Mainstreaming in education is the idea of educating students with special needs in regular classes (MSN encarta, 2009)
“Inclusion”, including mainstreaming, in education of children with disabilities may allow them to learn social skills through observation occasionally allowing them to gain more “understanding of the world around them” and maybe to help them to become more part of the “regular” community. By interacting with “normal” children Autistic children were observed to be more likely to engage in social relations. (Wolfberg & Schuler, 1999). Some classroom based activities have also been found to increase the social acceptability of children with intellectual disabilities. (Jacques, Wilton, & Townsend, 1998)
The progress towards “Normalization” has been greatly improved in the last 25 years “segregation and institutionalization have given way to more productive engagement with the community in education (Emerson & Hatton, 1996). The continuation of steady mainstreaming, on a case by case basis, will help to create a more tolerated image of students with intellectual, physical, and cognitive disabilities.
However there are still problems, certain social differences for children with special needs who are mainstreamed may include, the feeling of being socially rejected by their classmates, becoming targets for bullying, they may even become embarrassed due to the level of additional services required for them to partake “normally” in activities (teacher’s aide to help with writing or language). (Jacques, Wilton, & Townsend, 1998). Some reports have shown differentiating attitudes towards children with special needs from their peers or staff, often being “patronizing or being openly discriminatory” often not having enough knowledge of their individual special needs. (Human Rights Commission, 2008).
In an address to the Auckland Disability Law Workshop on February 12 2010the Associate Minister of Education, Heather Roy, said
“...Wherever I go I hear about the need for teacher training in special education - how important it is for families to have teachers who know how to work in partnership with them and support a child with a disability to learn. I hear about the need for professional development for all teachers so students with special needs can have their needs met irrespective of the class they are in or the subjects they choose...” (Roy, 2010)
In the same address she continues on to state how people can’t continue to rely on increases in funding to provide the improvements that parents and others are demanding. “The Government spends about $450 million a year on special education and is promising $51 million more over the next four years for students with the highest needs.” (Young, 2010)
A good example of Inclusion without mainstreaming that could help to combat certain social indifferences is Kimi ora school, currently based in Thorndon, from the beginning of the 2011 school year is planned to be split into two satellite units based at Evans Bay Intermediate and Naenae intermediate. The hope is that at Evans Bay intermediate where they already have a impressive special needs unit they will continue to go to good lengths to help with good integration with the school and its students. (Roy, 2010)
Conclusion
Mainstreaming in certain cases works very well for children. Just to say that because it works for a certain number of children and then widely implement it would be wrong. To efficiently implement it the government needs to look at each child’s needs and draw a conclusion, and with conference with the parents and student, decide where would be best for the students individual learning needs.
Reference List
Emerson , E., & Hatton, C. (1996). Deinstitutionalization in the UK and Ireland: Outcomes for Service users. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability , 17-37.
Human Rights Commission. (2008, January 1). The rights of disabled people. Retrieved September 5, 2010, from Human Rights Commission: http://www.hrc.co.nz/report/chapters/chapter05/disabled04.html#edu
Jacques, N., Wilton, K., & Townsend, M. (1998). Cooperative learning and social acceptance of children with mild intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research , 29-36.
Ministry Of Education. (2010, January 20). Special Education Policy. Retrieved September 6, 2010, from Ministry of Education: http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/SpecialEducation/PolicyAndStrategy/SpecialEducationPolicy.aspx
Ministry Of Education. (2008, 20 july). What is special education? Retrieved September 6, 2010, from Ministry of Education: http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/SpecialEducation/AboutSpecialEducation/WhatIsSpecialEducation/WhatIsSpecialEducation.aspx
MSN encarta. (2009). Dictionary . Retrieved September 7, 2010, from MSN encarta: http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/mainstreaming.html
Roy, H. (2010, Febuary 4th). The review of special education in New Zealand. Retrieved September 7, 2010, from Scoop Independant News: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1002/S00160.htm
Wolfberg, P. J., & Schuler, A. L. (1999). Fostering peer interaction, imaginative play and spontaneous language in children with autism. Child Language Teaching & Therapy , 41-52.
Young, A. (2010, Febuary 4). New Zealand Herald. Retrieved September 8, 2010, from Closure of special-needs schools on review list: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10623999
Introduction
Children with special needs, government policies or no government policies, are always going to be treated differently in the educational system to what is defined as “normal” children. Due to no fault of their own, or their parents, children with the same physical, emotional, intellectual and behavioral disorders will require different help based on the child’s individualized needs.
Thesis
Mainstreaming Children with special needs in theory is a very good practice but when practically implying it should be done on a case by case basis. Not based purely on averages of the different classifications of disabilities.
The Government’s definition of the special needs education policy is “to improve the learning outcomes for all young children with special needs at their local school, early childhood centre or wherever they are being educated” this is achieved by adapting the learning environment’s or programs and, if needed, providing extra assistance (Equipment or materials). (Ministry Of Education, 2010)
The most common special needs issues faced by children may include, Learning challenges, communication challenges, behavioural and emotional disorder, physical disabilities and developmental disorders (Ministry Of Education, 2008). Mainstreaming in education is the idea of educating students with special needs in regular classes (MSN encarta, 2009)
“Inclusion”, including mainstreaming, in education of children with disabilities may allow them to learn social skills through observation occasionally allowing them to gain more “understanding of the world around them” and maybe to help them to become more part of the “regular” community. By interacting with “normal” children Autistic children were observed to be more likely to engage in social relations. (Wolfberg & Schuler, 1999). Some classroom based activities have also been found to increase the social acceptability of children with intellectual disabilities. (Jacques, Wilton, & Townsend, 1998)
The progress towards “Normalization” has been greatly improved in the last 25 years “segregation and institutionalization have given way to more productive engagement with the community in education (Emerson & Hatton, 1996). The continuation of steady mainstreaming, on a case by case basis, will help to create a more tolerated image of students with intellectual, physical, and cognitive disabilities.
However there are still problems, certain social differences for children with special needs who are mainstreamed may include, the feeling of being socially rejected by their classmates, becoming targets for bullying, they may even become embarrassed due to the level of additional services required for them to partake “normally” in activities (teacher’s aide to help with writing or language). (Jacques, Wilton, & Townsend, 1998). Some reports have shown differentiating attitudes towards children with special needs from their peers or staff, often being “patronizing or being openly discriminatory” often not having enough knowledge of their individual special needs. (Human Rights Commission, 2008).
In an address to the Auckland Disability Law Workshop on February 12 2010the Associate Minister of Education, Heather Roy, said
“...Wherever I go I hear about the need for teacher training in special education - how important it is for families to have teachers who know how to work in partnership with them and support a child with a disability to learn. I hear about the need for professional development for all teachers so students with special needs can have their needs met irrespective of the class they are in or the subjects they choose...” (Roy, 2010)
In the same address she continues on to state how people can’t continue to rely on increases in funding to provide the improvements that parents and others are demanding. “The Government spends about $450 million a year on special education and is promising $51 million more over the next four years for students with the highest needs.” (Young, 2010)
A good example of Inclusion without mainstreaming that could help to combat certain social indifferences is Kimi ora school, currently based in Thorndon, from the beginning of the 2011 school year is planned to be split into two satellite units based at Evans Bay Intermediate and Naenae intermediate. The hope is that at Evans Bay intermediate where they already have a impressive special needs unit they will continue to go to good lengths to help with good integration with the school and its students. (Roy, 2010)
Conclusion
Mainstreaming in certain cases works very well for children. Just to say that because it works for a certain number of children and then widely implement it would be wrong. To efficiently implement it the government needs to look at each child’s needs and draw a conclusion, and with conference with the parents and student, decide where would be best for the students individual learning needs.
Reference List
Emerson , E., & Hatton, C. (1996). Deinstitutionalization in the UK and Ireland: Outcomes for Service users. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability , 17-37.
Human Rights Commission. (2008, January 1). The rights of disabled people. Retrieved September 5, 2010, from Human Rights Commission: http://www.hrc.co.nz/report/chapters/chapter05/disabled04.html#edu
Jacques, N., Wilton, K., & Townsend, M. (1998). Cooperative learning and social acceptance of children with mild intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research , 29-36.
Ministry Of Education. (2010, January 20). Special Education Policy. Retrieved September 6, 2010, from Ministry of Education: http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/SpecialEducation/PolicyAndStrategy/SpecialEducationPolicy.aspx
Ministry Of Education. (2008, 20 july). What is special education? Retrieved September 6, 2010, from Ministry of Education: http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/SpecialEducation/AboutSpecialEducation/WhatIsSpecialEducation/WhatIsSpecialEducation.aspx
MSN encarta. (2009). Dictionary . Retrieved September 7, 2010, from MSN encarta: http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/mainstreaming.html
Roy, H. (2010, Febuary 4th). The review of special education in New Zealand. Retrieved September 7, 2010, from Scoop Independant News: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1002/S00160.htm
Wolfberg, P. J., & Schuler, A. L. (1999). Fostering peer interaction, imaginative play and spontaneous language in children with autism. Child Language Teaching & Therapy , 41-52.
Young, A. (2010, Febuary 4). New Zealand Herald. Retrieved September 8, 2010, from Closure of special-needs schools on review list: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10623999
