Jordan Nissen

Dr. Ubeda
EDUC 300
3 April 2017
Reading Reflection #5
In this chapter, Banks discusses cultural and linguistic diversity. In this chapter, one of the

key points is that special education in schools is considered to be exclusion. In the 1970s,

federal legislation guaranteed a free and appropriate public education to children with

disabilities. During this time, special education rose to the challenge of developing diverse

instructional strategies and demonstrating meaningful learning even for children who had once

been labeled as uneducable. Those who were special needs educators were the reformers

during this time period, they were willing to address the complexities of children as they are

rather than what they are supposed to be normal.

This chapter also talks about special education as segregation is schools. Some believe

that special needs students are being treated unfairly because they are being kept separate from

the rest of the general education population, which is inhibiting their social skills with the

general education population. In some way, I do agree with this. If you completely segregate the

special education students from their peers, they will not develop the correct social skills once

they get out into the real world. But by allowing the special education students to have their own

room when they need to be separated is a good thing. Every student with special needs is

different, and some can still be in general education classes, they just might need a paraeducator

with them to assist them along the way. And this is what needs to be done at all schools, not just

those who can afford it.