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There are a lot of misconceptions out there about what special education is and what it isn’t. In this blog post, we’ll clear up some of the confusion and help you understand which is not a defining feature of special education.
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Special Education
Special education is a broad term that describes the services and supports that are provided to students who have disabilities. These services can be provided in a variety of settings, including public schools, private schools, and home-based settings.
Defining features
There are many different interpretations of what constitutes special education. The term itself is relatively new, only coming into common usage in the late 20th century. Prior to that, children with disabilities were often lumped together in “special classes” or “special schools” without much distinction between the types of disabilities or the best way to educate them.
One of the most common ways to define special education is by its purpose: Special education is instruction that is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. This means that the curriculum, teaching methods, and learning materials used in special education are all adapted to meet the individual needs of each student.
Another common definition of special education focuses on the students who receive these services: Special education is instruction that is specifically designed for students who have been identified as having a disability. This definition emphasizes the fact that special education is not a one-size-fits-all approach; rather, it is tailored to meet the individual needs of each student.
So, which is not a defining feature of special education? There is no single answer to this question because there are so many different interpretations of what constitutes special education. However, one thing that all definitions of special education have in common is the focus on meeting the unique needs of students with disabilities.
Inclusion
Inclusion is the practice of educating students with special needs in regular classrooms, rather than in special education classrooms. The goal of inclusion is to provide all students with equal access to education and services. Inclusion is not a new concept, but it has become a more widely accepted practice in recent years. There are a number of reasons for this shift, but the most important one is that inclusion has been shown to be beneficial for all students, not just those with special needs.
What is inclusion?
Inclusion is an educational approach that supports the learning and development of all students, including those with disabilities. Under this approach, students with disabilities are educated alongside their non-disabled peers in mainstream classrooms rather than being segregated into special education classes.
There are many benefits of inclusion for both students with disabilities and their classmates. Inclusive classrooms can provide opportunities for all students to learn from each other and to develop social skills. Research has shown that inclusion can improve academic achievement for both students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers.
However, inclusion is not a new concept, and it is not without its challenges. Some educators and parents worry that inclusion may place too much demands on teachers and compromise the quality of instruction. In order for inclusion to be successful, it requires a commitment from educators, parents, administrators, and the community as a whole.
Mainstreaming
Mainstreaming is the practice of educating students with special needs in a regular classroom setting, instead of a separate special education classroom. The goal of mainstreaming is to provide students with special needs the opportunity to interact with their peers and learn the same curriculum as their peers.
What is mainstreaming?
The term “mainstreaming” is used to describe the practice of educating students with disabilities in regular classrooms, to the greatest extent possible. Mainstreaming is also sometimes referred to as “inclusion.”
The idea behind mainstreaming is that it is better for students with disabilities to be around their nondisabled peers, and that they will benefit academically and socially from being in a regular classroom. Inclusion goes a step further than mainstreaming, by fighting for the right of every student to be included in the regular classroom, regardless of the disability.
Mainstreaming is not a new concept. It has been around since the 1970s, when a federal law known as Public Law 94-142 was passed. This law, now called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), guarantees all children with disabilities the right to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment (LRE). In other words, children with disabilities should be educated alongside their nondisabled peers, in a regular classroom, unless it can be shown that they cannot adequately progress in that setting.
