Public Education

Responses to Casebook Question

Casebook Ch 11Question 4

What is the best way to treat people with severe disabilities within public education system? Examine the pros and cons of segregated education and mainstreamed classrooms for all children involved.

The process of deciding on an educational intervention is clearly more complex than the results of an individual assessment. Choice of intervention needs to take account of what is best suited to the child and adults concerned, including the child’s characteristics, parental preference, staff expertise and the goals selected. There is a need to focus on the developmental areas of functional spontaneous communication and language, social understanding and joint attention, peer interaction and appropriate play. For example, Jennie in the casebook slaps and intern, takes classmates glasses and grasped their jewelry. Most parents would not want their children to be in the same class with her. She needs to be in a segregated education till she is able to cope with other. Segregated education it is important for a child who had severe disabilities and need a one to one assistance. For example a child with severe autism with no speech might not be able to cope with children with no disabilities. It will be very difficult for the teacher to take care of that child and the others students in the class.

However Educational standards have consistently been important for disabled people. Segregated schools are judged by people in terms of what is taught, how it is taught and the effectiveness of the teaching they experience. The educational standards experienced by disabled people in segregated schools have generally been low. Disabled students are lacking behind because they spend most of their time doing sensory, motor, and physical activities, while their peer are doing pedagogical activities at the same time.

An advantage of mainstreaming is that the nondisabled children in a mainstreamed classroom will learn to...