Special Education and its Challenges

The current status of special education and its processes is like any other aspect of education in that they all prove themselves complex and ongoing. By no means is the special education process solved and perfect, however it has made great strides and will continue to do so as educators and schools look to maximize their efforts towards children with disabilities. It is evident that a large disparity still exists to this day in classifying students with disability and the best methods by which to do so (Skiba, 2008). Some of the problems that exist include the manner in which we teach, assess, and identify potential students who may need additional help. These issues become alarming as well when certain races of students seem to be biased against in the process (Skiba, 2008). Laws such as EHA and IDEA have been input to help minimize these issues and provide the needed support for such children. Schools may face issues such as insufficient resources and personnel to aid in the problem, as there are only so many qualified in doing so. Another challenge that potentially arises is a parent's ability to work alongside the school and the child to help aid in learning. Unfortunately, not all parents are willing to put in the time and effort it requires to fully maximize the process, creating another hiccup so to speak in the special education process. As Skiba (2008) points out, "complex causality clearly suggests the need for comprehensive and multi-faceted assessment and intervention plans." (p. 279). What this points to is the fact that no case will be like another, and that there are many factors which go in to not only creating a plan of action but a plan of providing the best service as well as identifying said issues. The state of special education lies in the fact that it is a continuous process, a lot of work has been done, and a lot of work is still to be done.

The History of Special Education Timeline

References

Skiba, R.J., Simmons, A., Ritter, S., Gibb, A.,Rausch, M.  Cuadrado, J., Choong-Geun, C. (2008).  Achieving Equity in Special Education:  History, Status, and Current Challenges. Exceptional Children, 74(3), 264-288.