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Nhi Tran
Professor Holly Batty
English 113B
10 May 2016
The Signification of Special Education for Disabled Students
When it comes to special education programs for students with disabilities, the
discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of special education is the most common
topic. It attracts everyones attention especially people who have friends or family members
with disabilities. Moreover, people believe that disabled students should receive the same
education program as normal students because they predict that disabled students can learn
better as they interact with students in other programs than among themselves. Although
people assume that special education is limited in providing all materials for disabled
students, but I argue that special education programs are capable in providing all essential
materials for disabled students with support of teachers, special physical education(PE)
classes for disabled students, and different types of services to let them access education more
easily.
In the first place, the students in special education programs receive extraordinary
support and treatment from the teachers. Consequently, students getting direct instruction one
on one with their teacher is one of the effective teaching techniques to make sure they acquire
the knowledge through what teachers have taught these disable students in class. The article
What is Special about Special Education? states that, One thing that is right about special
education is that it includes devising and testing empirically validated methods of instruction
that are effective with atypical students(Hockenbury 4). Basically, special educators use
different instructional practices, which belong to effective techniques including direct
instruction, strategy training, etc. In addition, they are responsible to deliver the material from
different subjects, and to make sure that disabled students obtain the knowledge from each

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lesson in the simple ways as possible. Martinez states that, the goals of special education
course are giving students full support in class with positive attitudes, willingness of the
teachers, plus the high sense of teaching efficacy (Martinez 473). The authors note that
instead of being serious with students by forcing them to obtain the materials no matter what,
the teachers in special education program encourage students with positive attitudes and
guide the students patiently until they understand fully the lesson. Besides that, the special
educators understand that most of students with disabilities have trouble in perceiving the
materials. According to the article, Effective Teaching Strategies for Special Education, the
teachers break assignment into small parts and give more time for students to complete an
assignment before assigning a new one. In addition, they also have discussion with parents
about homework/assignment so they can help their children with those assignment.
Therefore, parents should not concern whenever there children receive any disadvantages in
special education because this program is designed for disabled students to obtain an
education just like any normal students.
Furthermore, for students benefits, the special education programs also create the
physical education (PE) classes which organize for all students especially for disabled
student. In Kleins view, PE has holistic benefits for all students including those with
disabilities, as it supports the development of three critical learning area: cognitive,
psychomotor, and affective(Klein). Basically, the author is insisting that having PE class in
special education is the same as giving an opportunity for disabled students to practice on
physical activities, which I agree that PE will be useful course for students to develop their
physical skills and other critical learning areas. Beside sitting in classroom, students should
exercise and be active. Therefore, PE is a course that contributes to make students in special
education have the chance to be active, moving around and interact with friends rather than
staying indoor.

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Moreover, parents and guardians should not have too much concern if it is safe or not
whenever for their children to enroll in physical education class. Klein writes, all students
should have an opportunity to lead a meaningful life to the greatest extent of their physical
abilities, and it is our job as special and physical educators to prepare them for it.(Klein). In
other word, Klein believes that it is special teachers and PE instructors responsibilities to
have a plan to deliver the safe and healthy lessons for students with disabilities, including the
one on the wheelchair to help students with disabilities to be active despite what program
they belong to. Based on the article Collaboration between Special and Physical education
we see that, special educator should train the PE teacher and paraprofessionals to support
students particular physical needs (e.g., how to safely transfer a student out of and into a
wheelchair)(Klein). Kleins point is that the collaboration between the teachers work as the
requirement to make sure the PE instructors understand what students need and how they are
supposed to support them. In other words, the special education program is willing to provide
what is the best for students with disabilities in order for them to have an education
environment like any students in other education programs.
Special education programs also provide necessary prerequisites for students to assist
them for their education. There are so many services such as transportation, interpreting
services, physical therapy, etc. that are available for students especially students with
disabilities. According to Related Services for Students with Disabilities Questions and
Answers, Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that, related
services are a wide array of supportive services provided to children with disabilities to assist
them in benefiting from special education.(IDEA) These services are available for students
as the tools to use to achieve their goal in education. Additionally, there is also the
requirements to know which services that students urgently need for their education. The IDE
Act says that, each student's need for related services, like the need for special education, is
determined by the students admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee as part of the

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individualized education program (IEP) process. The IDE Act clarifies that the related
services are not always offered just for any students with disabilities because parents ask for
their children, but the ARD committee participates with parents to determine which related
aids student eligible to receive. Moreover, the school districts offer these services for free and
parents do not have to concern about the charge or fee.
Therefore, people should valuate the special education programs rather than consider
it as the programs with many limitations. According to Toward Inclusion of Special
Education Students in General Education, the author states that special education delivers
many services for students, such as consulting teacher services, cooperative teaching, and
instructional assistance, and these services apply into special education (Idol 78). This mean
the students with disabilities will receive the services that is used to be support for students in
general education programs, but in a way with special concern from teacher for disable
students. So that, students with disabilities can interact and receive best offers from both
general and special education programs.
Overall, special education is a valuable program for students with disabilities because
it aids disabled students with many special services. In fact, the students in other education
programs like me or my friends have never received such services or special treatments from
teacher. In brief, special education programs are a signification that we should value and pay
attention to because no one can predict what will happens to them ahead of time. People can
get into an accident and might lose their vision and other abilities. Therefore, this program
organizes to support for those with disabilities to continue with their education under any
circumstance.
Work Cited
Related Services for Students with Disabilities- Questions and Answers Revised: August
20 2009. Web . 26 Mar. 2016.

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"Effective Teaching Strategies for Special Education." Concordia Portland Online. Special
Education, 6 Jan. 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.
King-Sears, Margaret E, Deborah T Carran, Stacey N Dammann, and Patricia Sullivan Arter.
"Multi-Site Analyses of Special Education and General Education Student Teachers'
Skill Ratings for Working with Students with Disabilities." Teacher Education
Quarterly, 39.2 (2012): 131-149.
Klein, Emily, and Aleksandra. "Collaboration Between Special and Physical Education: The
Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle for All Students." TEACHING Exceptional Children,
47.3 (2015): 163-171.
Cook, Bryan G., and Barbara R. Schirmer. "What Is Special About Special Education?
Overview And Analysis." Journal Of Special Education 37.3 (2003): 200-205.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Mar. 2016
Hockenbury, J.C., Kauffman, J.K., &Hallahan, D.P. (1999-2000). What is right about special
education. Exceptionality, 8, 3-11.
Martinez, R. (2003). Impact of a graduate class on attitudes towards inclusion, perceived
teaching efficacy and knowledge about adapting instruction for children with
disabilities in inclusive settings. Teacher Development, 7, 473-494.
Idol, Lorna. "Toward Inclusion Of Special Education Students In General Education."
Remedial & Special Education 27.2 (2006): 77-94. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6
May 2016.

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