S T E P H E N B Y R D S C H O O L O F E D U C AT I O N

E L O N U N I V E R S I T Y

Disability and Equity In Special Education: Where Do We Go From

Here?

Introduction:

Session Goals Gain an understanding of

special education and disabilities

Gain an understanding the issues of surrounding equity in special education

Think about next steps

Agenda:

What is special education?Disability Disproportionality Conclusion

“Special education means specially designed instruction that meets the

unusual needs of an exceptional student, and which might require

special materialsteaching techniques

equipment and/or facilities.”

(Hallahan, Kauffman, & Pullen, 2009, p. 12)

AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE INEQUITY OF STUDENTS

WHO WERE NOT RECEIVING A FREE AND PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THEIR LOCAL

SCHOOL.

Special Education…

Facts

About 6 million students are enrolled in special education.

About 14% of the school population has an identified disability of some type.

About 78% of the students with disabilities spend a large portion of the day in the general education classroom.

A Look at the Law

Public Law 94-142 - Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975)

Signed by Gerald FordZero rejectNon-discriminatory evaluationIndividualized Education PlanLeast Restrictive EnvironmentDue processParental participation

A Look at the Law:

Public Law 99-457: EHA 1986 Infants and toddlers Reduce likelihood of institutionalization Family support

Public Law 101-476 – Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) 1990 Transition Autism and traumatic brain injury categories added

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Civil Rights for those with disabilities After age 21

A Look at the Law

IDEA 1997 Parent Participation Participation in testing

IDEA 2004 Use of scientifically-based instruction for identifying learning

disabilities In most places – Response-to-intervention (RTI)

Mandated testing Paperwork reduction Use of funding for intervention programs Parent Involvement

What are the defining features of Special Education?

Appropriate indentification Individually plannedSpecializedIntensiveGoal-directedUsing research-based methodsGuided by student performance

DISABILITY…

“ A D I S A B I L I T Y I S A N I NA B I L I T Y TO D O S O M E T H I N G T H AT M O S T P E O P L E , W I T H

T Y P I C A L M AT U R AT I O N , O P P O RT U N I T Y, O R I N S T RU C T I O N C A N D O.

K AU F F M A N E T A L , 2 0 0 5 , P. 3 0

General signs:

Persistence of the problemSeverity of the problemSpeed of progressMotivationParental concerns

Disability Categories

High Incidence Disabilities:Learning DisabilitiesCommunication DisordersIntellectual Disability Emotional/Behavioral

DisordersAutismOther Health Impaired

(OHI)

Developmental delay – until age 8

Low Incidence Disabilities:Multiple disabilitiesHearing ImpairmentVisual ImpairmentTraumatic Brain InjuryOther Impairment

Types of Placements

General Education classroom with supportsResource classroom Self-contained classroomSpecial schoolHospital settingHome-bound

M I C H A E L , J U N E …

The Case of…

Assessment Process for Identification

Initial Screening – whole school assessment of skills

Pre-referral – Student Assistance Team

Referral – Period when testing is conducted

Eligibility – Meeting for stakeholders to decide on special education decisions

IEP – Meeting for planning the special education supports and services

“ T H E R E P R E S E N TAT I O N O F A G RO U P I N A C AT E G O RY T H AT E XC E E D S O U R

E X P E C TAT I O N S FO R T H AT G RO U P, O R D I F F E R S S U B S TA N T I A L LY F RO M T H E

R E P R E S E N TAT I O N S O F OT H E R S I N T H AT C AT E G O RY ”

A R T I L E S , K O Z L E S K I , T R E N T, O S H E R , & O R T I Z , 2 0 0 8 , P. 2 6 6

Disproportionality…

Ways to Measure:

Composition index The extent to which a group is over- or underrepresented in a

category compared to its proportion in the broader population 33% labeled intellectual disability while 17% of the general

populationRisk index

The extent to which a group is found eligible for service at a rate differing from that of other groups

Students Ages 6-21 Served under IDEA, by Race/Ethnicity (Fall 2007) in the US and outlying areas

4%3%

25%

10%

59%

All Disabilities

Amer/Indian Asian Black Hispanic White

2% 1%

33%

10%

55%

Learning Disabilities

Amer. Ind. Asian Black Hispanic White

Ame. In Asian Black Hispanic White Total0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

Students Ages 6-11 Served under IDEA Served in NC

Students Ages 6-11 Served under IDEA Served in NC

North Carolina

2% 1%

35%

7%

55%

Percentage of Students Ages 6-21 Served by IDEA

Ame. In Asian Black Hispanic White

Where do we go from here?

Teacher Education programsPolicyGreater care in testing, evaluation, and interpretationWorking with stakeholders at the pre-referral stageResponse to intervention

Remember the kids…

Effective Teaching…

Reaching out to families…

Learn internationally…

See Strengths…and work together

References:

Hallahan, D. P., Kauffman, J. M., & Pullen, P. C. (2009). Exceptional learners: An introduction to special education. (11th ed.). Allyn & Bacon.

Various Authors. (2008). Special Issue: Culturally, diverse exceptional students: Remembering the past, looking toward the future. Exceptional Children, 74, 262-399.

Thank you for attending. I will put these materials up on my

Elon website at:http://facstaff.elon.edu/sbyrd2/