Activity 2:
Special Education Referral Process
Q? What
was your job title during your work experience?
Tammy - coordinator working in a special needs
centre in Jordan. She worked with
students with behavioural and physical disabilities.
Sue - special education teacher working in
America and Beijing. She worked with
students with autism and down syndrome.
Q? How
is a student identified for special education referral?
They had speech therapy and physical therapy
centres in Jordan, every student would be assessed in the beginning of the year
and there needs would be identified academically. A team would sit together and create an IEP
for the school year. From a special
needs school, the referrals were already setup by other schools, or parents,
because these students could not get into other schools, got rejected from
schools or the schools lack to resources to support these students.
A student is identified for special education through
a team effort, data collection, parent input, and teacher recommendation.
Q? Who
takes responsibility for the progress of the child before and after the
referral?
Parents, or other caregivers, come to the school
at the initial meeting and usually with a diagnosis from a specialist,
psychiatrist, or a doctor regarding the student’s condition. Then discuss a report and IEP, go through the
objectives, discuss the progress 4 times a year.
It would vary in schools, CST, child study team,
where everyone will compile their data and observations. Then there will be a meeting to discuss a
possible IEP, or just additional help.
Q? What is the school administration's directive
for special education?
The school would help provide
assistance in identifying and providing the necessary help for those who need
it. School leaders and administrators state
that all children should have equal access to the academic curriculum, and
school activities regardless of their learning abilities, or physical
challenges.
Q? What is the level of parent involvement in
referral process and special education?
Teachers, parents, students,
and faculty members are very involved with the progress, especially cerebral palsy. The
level of parent involvement varies, depending on their willingness to admit or
deny that their child has a problem.
Some parents might be more proactive, attend all meetings, and fight for
every single service available. While others
parents are in denial, or do not have time to deal with their child.
Q? How
do you identify a student for special education and what are the signs of a
struggling student?
A student, who did not have any
developmental or physical disabilities, was expelled from 5 schools because the
school later discovered that he had behavioural problems, ODD, ADHD. Normal schools would have 30 students, and
the teachers stated that it was too difficult to manage his behavioural
problems. Later, having a 1 on 1 session
greatly improved his learning skills. If
there are some obvious signs; such as, cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness,
then they will get immediate services.
While other signs of learning struggles; such as, auditory problems,
listening comprehension, or attention problems, then the school tries not to
rush and identify the student as a special ed.
But once you label a student with special ed, then it is even harder to
take him/her out of the program, because the school is obligated every year to
provide services by law and it costs money.
Q? How have you modified instruction to meet the
needs of students and how would you assess the students in the future?
Always have tasks that are attainable for these certain individuals,
and to provide them extra support. More
1 on 1 time, and depending on what their needs are, you can add visual aid,
picture cues, or make a simple task list can be greatly affective. Modify the objectives, set targets, and
closely monitor their progress always helps.
If all other students are writing their sight words, while the
struggling student cannot understand the alphabets and sounds, then the teacher
should modify his/her assignments by simplifying and identifying initial sounds
with pictures.
In conclusion, it is not the students nor the parents fault whether
they need special education. But rather,
the services are there for you, and it’s better to identify them early so that
the individual can get the most out of school.
Because as we discussed in Activity 1, there are amazing technologies now
that can help and support young learners, differentiate them, and teach them
with attainable objectives.
Audio Recordings
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B_4BhgdIQcnXfmczcVFuMXEyUVJvWnpoUktaWlUxclhHNzB3YmpEUnd0cGt3NmVoMVdSblU
Special Needs Canada
Laws in China
Ministry of Education in Taiwan
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