The Future of Special Education

Introduction

Differentiation is an educational approach in which teachers adjust or adapt teaching, school resources, topic content, class projects, and assessment procedures to match the needs of varied students better. Teachers in a differentiated classroom acknowledge that each student is unique and that success requires a variety of teaching strategies (Ismajli, 2018). Students with learning difficulties who might otherwise fall behind in a typical classroom setting are among them. Few can deny that differentiated teaching has unique benefits over regular education from the standpoint of the individual learner. Differentiation aims to use a range of teaching techniques to guarantee that students can approach learning in several ways while still achieving the same or comparable results (Ismajli, 2018). Differentiation is intended to foster creativity by assisting pupils in making better connections, comprehending interconnections, and grasping things more intuitively.

The positive aspects are:

1. Children take up more responsibility for their education.
2. Differentiation is helpful for both high-ability and disabled pupils.
3. Learning engagement is higher when children are treated as people rather than numbers.

The negative aspects are:

1. The implementation may necessitate greater resources for a school or school district.
2. Many institutions lack the resources for faculty development needed to train them effectively.
3. Teachers will need to devote significantly more time to lesson planning.

Inclusive Classrooms

A student with a learning or physical disability can study alongside peers who do not encounter comparable obstacles in an inclusion classroom. It gives everyone a general education, regardless of who they are, if they have an IEP, or if they have special issues that must be handled as accommodation (Dockrell, 2019). Because of the many demands that are present, setting up a classroom like this can be complicated, but a good attitude and knowledgeable approach can help everyone overcome the challenges that may arise. Inclusion education aims to integrate all students into the general school population, regardless of their unique needs. Its goal is to ensure that everyone receives a proper education (Dockrell, 2019). There are several reasons why educators around the country are supporting full inclusion. For inclusion in a general education classroom to be effective, the appropriate practices, technology, and help for students with disabilities must be in place. These provisions must be made for disadvantaged people to have easy and rapid access to the materials and lessons being taught.

The positive aspects are:

1. Students in an inclusion classroom are more likely to achieve their IEP goals
2. This framework fosters greater parental involvement
3. This method aids in meeting individual requirements.

The negative aspects are:

1. This arrangement may disrupt other students’ learning environments
2. Some physical limitations necessitate a unique classroom setup
3. It makes teachers realize how important it is for them to have a solid knowledge of each disability.

Reform that Would Benefit the Future of Special Education

To make the best changes in the development of specialized education, it is necessary to revise it as a whole. The fact is that inclusive education faces the problem that too much is required from the teacher, which affects the quality of education. It becomes very difficult to take into account the characteristics of each student, which is why the speed of assimilation of new knowledge suffers. Therefore, it is necessary to change the approach concerning the activities of the teacher and the organization of classrooms. First of all, it is necessary to create a common learning space with separate rooms aimed at specific activities. The main training will be carried out in a shared space, where students will be given more independence. Thus, each of them will be able to work at their own pace without affecting the learning speed of others. The teacher, in this case, will act as a mentor who monitors the activities and helps with answers to specific questions of students.

References

Dockrell, J. (2019). Perceived differentiation and personalization teaching approaches in inclusive classrooms: Perspectives of students and teachers. Frontiers in Education, 4(58), 1–11. Web.

Ismajli, H. (2018). Differentiated instruction: Understanding and applying interactive strategies to meet the needs of all the students. International Journal of Instruction, 11(3), 207–218. Web.