Special Education

Dr. Pedro Sánchez Escobedo

We are going to set somer rules about the class…..

WELCOME TO MY COURSE…
 Special Education

◼ A division of the national school system

that aims to provide services to
students that present special education
need.
◼ These students cannot learn in the
normal class environment.
 Education needs
Special General
◼ When a disability ◼ Due to other factors
demands services to external to the individual
overcome limitations. such as poverty, abuse,
marginalization, neglect
etc.
 Special Services
Essential Additional
◼ When students must ◼ Support needed in
attend to acquire or outside the
minimal curriculum school to avoid
demands within the delay and failure in
school. Implies
the normal
curriculum
adaptations. curriculum.
 Normalization
◼ To consider a person with a disability
as a normal individual
◼ To attempt that people with
disabilities look normal
◼ To promote people with disabilities
join the mainstream.
 Integration
◼ To incorporate in regular schools those
children in need of special education services.
◼ It is a policy
◼ It is an intention
◼ It is a human rights issue.
Disability
◼ Physical or mental limitation
◼ Hinders ability to cope and adapt
◼ Acquired or inherited
◼ Transient of permanent
◼ Visible or invisible.
 Individuation
◼ The need to tailor a
specific educational
strategy for a student.
◼ Requires particular
curriculum adaptation,
materials, strategies
and goals.
 Disability replaces terms such as….

◼ Incomplete
◼ Defective
◼ Crippled
◼ Deficient
◼ Spanish language terms….?
 Note that....
◼ Disability does not
connotes the whole
person.
◼ A person with a
disability (Not a
disabled person!!).
 It’s a legal term that has implies…

◼ Working situation
◼ Citizen privileges
◼ Preservation of rights
◼ Equal access
◼ Etc.
H OW D O LABELS AND DEFINITIONS EFFECT
HOW WE THINK OF SOMEONE ?
Past
These were all words used to describe
a person whose IQ was below 70.
 Idiots- 0 and 25
 Imbeciles- 26 and 50
 Morons- 51 and 70
 Individuals with Down Syndrome
were referred to as Mongolian
Idiots
When you think of these words do
positive or negative thoughts come
to mind?
Future
Now if you were to refer to someone
with a disability, person centered
words should be used
 Use the individuals name when
referring to them don’t just say their
disability
 An individual with…
 An individual in a wheelchair
 A person who has autism
When you use person first
language it puts the person first not
the disability.
 Individuals who have a disability have been treated different in
society throughout history and into the present. They are given less
opportunities to be contributing members of society, are likely to
face discrimination, poverty, abuse and to be treated differently in
communities and society as a whole.
 “emphasizes that
human behaviour is
influenced by
definitions and
meanings that are
created and
maintained through
symbolic interaction
with others”
(Holmes, Knox, Mooney &
Schacht, 2013)
. TO

Resolving social problems

sometimes involves changing
the meanings and definitions
attributed to people and
situations
(Holmes, Knox,
Mooney & Schacht,
2013)
 S O L UTI ONS

 “Regardless of whether a disability is evident or non-evident, a

great deal of discrimination faced by persons with disabilities
is underpinned by social constructs of “normality” which in turn
tend to reinforce obstacles to integration rather than
encourage ways to ensure full participation”
(Ontario Human Rights Code, n.d.)
S OLUTIONS
Past and Present
 Recipients
 Passive income support
 Dependence
 Government responsibility
 Labelled as unemployable
 Disincentives to leave income
assistance
 Insufficient employment supports
 Program-centred approach
 Non- accessible
Future
 Participants
 Active measures to promote
employment and provide income
support
 Independence
 Shared responsibility
 Work skills identified
 Incentives to seek employment
and support volunteering
 Opportunities to develop skills
 Person-centred approach
 Accessibility
 S OLUTIONS
2. Changes within the system

• Incentives to work
• Better job opportunities and support
programs
• ODSP above the poverty line
• Better housing options
• More adult programs
• More funding
• Early intervention
Better school supports
More choices, options and allowing
individuals voices to be heard
S OLUTIONS

3. Create Awareness

Five people with physical disabilities had storefront

mannequins cast of their bodies to promote awareness
of disability worldwide.

A video about how hiring someone who has a disability

doesn’t hurt your company or your profits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAHa3q4Mip0
S OLUTIONS
What can you do on a personal
level?
• Get to know someone who has a
disability
• Use person centered language
• Volunteer with an organization who
supports individuals who have a
disability
• Question your own thoughts and
attitudes towards individuals who have
a disability
• Say or do something if you see
discrimination
• Support inclusion in your community!
THE FREEDOM TOUR

This is a link to a really insightful

documentary trailer about how
institutional living was for individuals
with disabilities. The documentary is
really worth watching to educate
yourself on how our society and the
government has treated individuals
who have a disability. Even though
institutions in Canada are now closed
we still have a long way to go to before
we reach equality and full community
inclusion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13y4BI0Lets
 Barriers
◼ Obstacles, both physical and social that
challenge the rights of a person with a disability
to become a citizen, worker, student, patient,
etc.
◼ For example, stairs, narrow doors,
discrimination, exclusion etc.
Labels
◼ Prejudices lead to
both useful and
biased
generalizations
 Accesibility
Universal
Symbol

◼ It is a human right of persons with a disability

to receive services, enjoy shows and attend
social gatherings as any other citizen.
 Rehabilitation
◼ Procedure to overcome,
compensate or replace
a given limitation.
◼ Assumes a previously
acquired capacity
◼ It is multi-dimensional.
 Social impact of disability depends upon..

◼ Congenital conditions
◼ Visibility
◼ Esthetics
◼ Responsibility for origin
◼ Permanence
◼ Age
◼ Gender
◼ Culture, etc.
In sum, the presence of a disability
should not be an obstacle fotr the
fulfillment of the individual goal.
It is a challenge that can be
overcame!
Disability IS Diversity!

@mobilityINTL
QUESTIONS?