Special Education Essay Example

Special Education Essay: Introduction

In general, the most effective methods of Assistive Technologies are considered useful in terms of practicality, accessibility, and technology. That is, for example, talking calculators, videotaped social skills, phonetic spelling software, and electronic worksheets are among this category because their unique specifications provide students (with disabilities) with efficiency and practicality. There are lots of challenges for persons with disabilities. To help these people with everyday needs, Assistive Technologies (AT) and devices are developed. Assistive Technologies includes products and systems that they need for daily use. AT has a vast area of usage. It addresses every kind of people who has different kinds of disabilities. Special education specialists decide which type of AT is proper for a person. Specialists should provide the expectations of a person's needs, and they should not allow any bias for special education method because this education will be continued through the lifetime.

Body Paragraphs

Stakeholders & Teaching Guides

To help students and people with disabilities, there should be a collective approach and collaboration among different stakeholders. More specifically, Assistive Technology and its application is a critical process that should be considered in a multifaceted way. In this direction, students, teachers, technical specialists, and education specialists are among the key stakeholders during the whole AT process. These roles include the assessment of the practicality of applications, the psychology and response of students, and the adaptation process. In order to achieve an effective AT process, stakeholders should make sure the adaptation of the students and the practicality of methods and applications.

Education Specialists focuses on critical issues in the field of special education, such as leadership and policy, program development and assessment, collaboration, and ethical practice (Walden University, Education Specialist (EdS)). In 2015, the Council for Exceptional Children constituted some standards to guide special educations specialist. These standards can be put in order as; Assessment, Curricular Content Knowledge, Programs Services and Outcomes, Research and Inquiry, Leadership and Policy, Professional & Ethical Practice, Collaboration. The duty of the teachers is to make productive citizens. They should advance equity, communication and participation of students with exceptional needs. Hence, students have more meaningful and fulfilling lives. Special education specialist should aim lifelong education for their students. Scientists and doctors may focus on disabilities. Yet, teachers must focus only on what the students can do. They should work on a variety of things because every student needs different things.

In 1922, at its inaugural meeting, the founders of CEC identified as one of the primary aims of the organization the establishment of professional standards (CEC Professional Standards, p. 1) ‘Curricular Content Knowledge’ is one of these standards. The specialist needs to know the knowledge of a person, skills and necessities. All teachers should see their students unique. Because every person with exceptionalities can learn and meet many expectations. A teacher must determine which curricula the students have difficulty. Then he/she decides to the best option of AT. The struggle may occur in many different parts of education. The teacher should keep himself/ herself ready for any unexpected situation.

Teachers should behave the students equally, recognizing, and they should understand every student is different from each other. They need to observe the students abilities, environmental issues, their relations with their peers, etc. They should know the background of the student, and according to this information, they should decide the proper method. The teacher can track the progress of their students. If they collect the required information, they will be successful in the educational process. 'Research and Inquiry' is the fourth standard, and it explains how to decide the convenient AT method. To decide a proper AT method, lots of information should be considered. A teacher should know the environmental factors, such as information of parents, education case and whether the students have AT before. One of my project assignment, I was asked to find children who have special needs. While deciding the perfect AT method, I have searched the information of the family, which subject the students have struggle and his education history.

After collecting this information, I decided to write software as an AT method. This information is essential for deciding the correct AT method. "Teachers of students with exceptional needs create or establish a world of true collaboration where a conversation or meeting is followed by action and continued collaboration" (National Board, 2015). Standard 6 is 'Professional and Ethical Practice'. A teacher should be ready for lifelong education. This is a developing process, and the teacher should improve themselves all the time. They should enhance their Professional identity for any kind of situation. As I said before, every student has different needs. So, it is essential to be prepared for any kinds of students with exceptional needs. 'Collaboration', standard 7, explains how a teacher should integrate his/her students into the society. The purpose of special education is to make active and productive citizens. It is possible with collaboration. The teachers should increase the collaboration opportunity with the help of their professional and ethical acknowledge. Teachers know how to integrate the person with exceptionalities to society. The teacher creates a perspective for his/her students for any judgemental comment in daily life. Making a comfortable environment is an essential point. Professionals should have academic, science and principal information. The aim is to enhance the student's potential.

The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching

“The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) aims to have a nation of high-calibre K-12 educators who are motivated, effective and appropriately rewarded" (The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, p. 2). There are some critical components of success in NIET standards. One of them is creating a common instructional language. With this type of education, teachers are prepared for their work efficiently rather than traditional education. NIET teaching standards have four par such as; planning, environment, instruction, professionalism. Instructional rubric help to create a productive teaching environment in the class. By using these instructions, a rubric can be helpful while using AT methods, because the rubric includes domains, indicators, descriptors and performance level. As teachers should observe the development of the student, this rubric will ease tracking the process.

AT Usage

AT is getting highly demandable day by day. Parents and the teachers are aware of the advantages of it. So, software companies are developing their basis according to people with disabilities. There are lots of software types to address every need of people. As I mentioned about my project assignment, the student had difficulty in writing. So, we decided to use writing software. With the help of this, he could write easily and adequately. Writing homeworks are not be scaring anymore for him.

Special Education Essay: Conclusion

Special education specialists have a huge part in AT usage. Professionals need to improve themselves every day, and this is a never-ending process. As a professional duty, the teachers should address every request of the students with exceptional needs. Their mission is to create a safe environment to guide the student's learning process. The teachers help the students applying their information to social life.

References

CEC Professional Standards. Council for Exceptional Children. https://cec.sped.org/Standards.

Education Specialist (EdS) in Special Education (Non-Licensure): Walden University. Education Specialist (EdS) in Special Education (Non-Licensure) | Walden University. https://waldenu.edu/education-specialist/eds-in-special-education.

The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET). The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) " Lowell Milken Family Foundation. https://lowellmilken.org/initiatives/niet-tap/.

Standards for NBPTS: The Five Core Propositions. (2019, July 23). https://nbpts.org/standards-five-core-propositions/.