When we take a look at a regular classroom, it is easy to notice how a group of similar peers is constructed of children with unique stories and personalities. However, there is always a kid whose story makes the uniqueness a social flaw and a reason for marginalization rather than a perk. These kids are children with special needs, and teachers need to go the extra mile to make sure they are treated equally in the classroom. If previously, education for children with disabilities was inaccessible in public schools, the modern concept of inclusiveness implies that one’s disability should not separate the student from receiving a quality education.
Only forty years ago, students with special needs could not dream of attending a public school and being treated as if they simply were kids receiving secondary education. The pivotal moment in this narrative is marked by the ratification of the IDEA in 1990, as it reshaped the federal government’s vision of access to public education for people with disabilities. Under the provisions of this Act, the public education system has undergone a series of major modifications to the process of treating children within the public system. Because of IDEA, we now have an opportunity to open the doors of public schools to everyone. It can be understood, however, if you, as a parent, are hesitant about sending your kid to a public school, as it is unclear if the special needs of a child are met in the classroom. To make sure that every child that seeks assistance is not left in the dark, we are expected to conduct FIE that outlines children’s special needs in the educational approaches.
For example, these evaluations define whether a child accepted to a local educational agency has specific learning disparities that expand the gap between the achievements expected and the cognitive abilities of a child. In addition to a complete evaluation, the equality of education also implies FBA as a part of a comprehensive assessment. FBA addresses the educational agency’s procedure of identifying the behavioral performance of a child with learning disparities conducted indirectly by a team of educators. In such a way, we ensure that the specifics of the child’s learning process are taken into consideration.
Parents should also know that they have every right to request quality public education on the federal and state levels. For example, the TEA’s primary objective is to promote equal access to free public education at schools. This idea is expressed in FAPE, ensuring that the scope of one’s disability should by no means separate them from the federal right to access public education. Moreover, besides plain access to public schooling, the US Department of Education encourages schools to make the quality of education appropriate for every individual, securing a personalized approach to learning. This approach includes such phenomena as IEP and ESY, which we use to modify the content and the length of the education based on the child’s individual needs.
Our primary goal is to make sure that no child is left behind during one of the most important cognitive and social development stages. It is nearly impossible to overestimate the benefits of ECI for the children’s perception of self and adequate self-actualization in the future. The provisions of early intervention, inclusiveness, and personalized approach to learning tend to encourage the children to move beyond stigma and labels in order to pursue self-actualization.
Contrary to highly restrictive environments like hospitals and isolated learning establishments, securing LRE gives children the ability to integrate into society as soon as possible. By tailoring their disability needs in a regular classroom, children with and without disabilities learn how to interact efficiently with each other in the future. Moreover, when it comes to the future, educational establishments need to recognize the hardships of transitioning to the world of a less disability-sensitive environment by creating a thorough ITP. Hence, the next time when taking a look at the public-school classroom, you can have a better understanding of the complex path of bringing children together.