Philosophy of special education

In a general education classroom setting, there are different categories of students with varying requirements of education. Special needs education refers to education structured to meet the needs of students with disabilities in a traditional classroom set up. As a requirement, students with all range of abilities and backgrounds should have classes that are inclusive and convey respect based on their varied skills. Classroom set up is very crucial in ensuring an adequate education for all categories of learners. For example, learners with disabilities may incur challenges in a general education classroom that necessitate for their accommodation and consideration. Teachers in this context must have a more in-depth understanding that in an inclusive education classroom, learners with special needs require some level accommodations to improve the learning environment.

Below are some of the discussions of tips that teachers can employ in teaching students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Teachers should provide classroom accommodations to learners with disabilities in an inclusive classroom setting. Examples of such accommodations may include changing sitting arrangements such that students with special needs get opportunities to sit near the teacher in front benches to avoid distractions. The primary aim of the provision of reasonable accommodation for learners with disabilities should be to eliminate physical and instructional barriers to learning to enable these students to compete fairly with their non-disabled counterparts. At times, the teacher shall have to present guidelines in both print and verbal forms for maximum understanding by the disabled learners. Additionally, teachers should never give further instructions when the previous task is not complete as this may cause profound confusion to the students.

Protecting the privacy of students with disabilities is another crucial consideration for teachers to ensure maximum learning in an inclusive classroom. There exist laws that safeguard learners’ privacy across different countries; an example of a law that protects learners’ privacy is the Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The law requires states that instructors have no obligation whatsoever to disclose or discuss any information regarding the learners’ disabilities with anyone apart from the student and the staff responsible for the provision of accommodation. Both the students met the same admission requirements for the enrollment into the course and class accommodations must be enabled to allow for equal-level completion for the learners with special needs (Hodge & Preston,1997). Teachers and the entire management have a moral responsibility to ensure that all learners receive fair treatment and respect both in the classroom and the more comprehensive school environment.