Are special education Teachers properly prepared?

Are Special Education Teachers Properly Prepared? : Synthesis paper Men and women all over the world choose educating children as their career. There few who choose special education over general education. These individuals have the natural ability to work with disabled children and have characteristics such as patience, kindness, and the will to make others comfortable in the world we live in by showing them that their differences make them that much more special. Although, natural abilities are a necessity when working with these children, the proper education is also essential when going into the special education field. The article “Advocating for Students with Disabilities at the School Level” written by Peggy J. S.
Whitby, Teri Marx, Jonathan McIntire, and Wilfred Wienke, informs readers that special education majors are not properly educated about the laws that have to be implemented when teaching and dealing with disabled students. The article “The Role of Special Education Training in the Development of Socially Just Leaders” written by Barbara L. Pazey and Heather A. Cole, speaks of the accountability put on special education teachers and their limited knowledge towards their personal experience. “Evidence Based Special Education Intervention Research” is an article written by Jennifer Freeman that discusses the fact that special education teachers are not properly educated in the sense of correctly analyzing the degree of disablement of the child and how the lessons are to be broken down and taught. “Advocating for Students with Disabilities at the School Level” says that there are Five professional standards identified by the CEC (Council for exceptional children) that all educators must use in their advocacy are a.) working toward improving how government services are provided to individuals with exceptionalities, b.) working in collaboration with various professionals to insure the individuals with exceptionalities are receiving appropriate services, c.) maintaining objective and documented evidence of any inadequate services or resources afforded to individuals with exceptionalities, d.)ensuring appropriate placements are provided to those with exceptionalities, and e.) adhering to federal and local legislative mandates to ensure individuals with exceptionalities receive and free and appropriate public education. While this article explains the rules and regulations that are to be followed by these special educators, “Evidence Based Special Education Intervention Research” says In sum, single subject research designs have a number of strengths and useful characteristics that make them appealing to conducting studies that indentify EBPs (evidence based practices) in special education. However, because of a.) reliance on visual analysis procedures, b.) a lack of an effect size metric and methodology, and c.) a need for standardized criteria for effective implementation and interpretation, special educators also need guidance on how to systematically evaluate the existing research evidence base.
“The Role of Special Education Training in the Development of Socially Just Leaders” discusses the components in which all educational administrators should receive. Despite the increase in course curriculum that has occurred between 1992 and 2006, a substantial percentage of administrator preparation programs have not increased their curriculum offerings devoted to special education or special education law (Cusson, 2010; Powell, 2010). Cusson conducted a synthesis of literature and indentified 12 components in which all educational administrators should receive training to provide services for students with disabilities, which were as follows: a.) relationship and communication; b.) leadership and vision; c.) budget and capital; d.) special education laws and policies; e.) curriculum and instructions; f.) personel; g.) evaluation of data, programs, students, and teachers; h.) collaboration and consultation; i.) special education programming; j.) organization; k.) professional development, and l.) advocacy.
When discussing the amount of information special educators are not aware of, “Advocating for
Students with Disabilities at the School Level” says Many educators are not aware of what supplementary aids and services are available and reasonable to consider. This can result in students being placed in a more restrictive environment unnecessarily. No matter the type and severity of a disability, placement consideration should always start with a general education setting. If supplementary aids and services such as training for teachers, paraprofessional support, behavior intervention plans, or consultive services would be necessary for a child to have his/her IEP implemented in a general education classroom/setting, such needs can be addressed prior to consideration of a more restrictive placement.
When on this subject, “The Role of Special Education Training in the Development of Socially
Just Leaders” explains that colleges simply ignore the fact that special education and special education law is currently highlighted as a core skill for school administrators within the context of social justice and school leadership. Capper et. Al. (2006) reviewed social justice literature searching for articles that provided recommendations for educational leadership preparation programs. Interestingly, according to Theoharis in 2007, none of the recommendations for preparation are specifically addressed nor is anything related to educating students with disabilities. They also did not offer “ideas for examining the intersection of disability with other areas of difference.” According to “The Role of Special Education Training in the Development of Socially
Just Leaders”, a number of studies have explored educational leaders’ own feelings and their training or lack of training in special education and special education law. These studies indicate that school leaders are aware of the need for more training but rarely receive it in their programs.
When being surveyed regarding their perceived need for training in special education law by
Davidson and Algozzine in 2002, 264 people in a principal preparation program expressed a need for additional training. Over half of the individuals surveyed admitted to having only
“limited” or “basic” knowledge of the special education law. They also confessed that they possess “below” or “well below” standard knowledge of this law. Aside from failingly being educated on the special education law, “Evidence
Based Special Education Intervention Research” discusses other initial subjects that special educators are poorly educated on. In addition to visual analysis, single-subject researchers often calculate an effect size, typically reported in standardized units that make comparisons of effect easier across studies and participants. The most prevalent reported effect size involves an examination of non-overlapping data points followed by a calculation of the standardized mean difference. There is currently no agreed-upon method for calculating an effect size in single subject research, which makes it difficult to synthesize research results.
When discussing what other subjects are left out when educating special educators, the article
“Evidence Based Special Education Intervention Research” expresses that special educators are not taught the proper way to analyze and treat each problem. Rather, they are expected to decide on their own the best solution for each situation. This is a problem because they have not been prepared to handle these sorts of situations and as a result, is not capable to make the best decision for the child. There are many issues when looking into what exactly is taught when special educators are preparing to pursue a career. Although natural abilities are a necessity when handling disabled children, it is also essential to be properly educated in case a vital decision has to be made that could affect the child. It is also necessary for special educators to know the laws that are required to be implemented when teaching these disabled children. According to the articles
Advocating for Students with Disabilities at the School Level, The Role of Special Education Training in the Development of Socially Just Leaders, and “Evidence Based Special Education
Intervention Research” the proper lessons are not correctly taught to special educators. The essential lessons are simply ignored and pushed to the side, and this is not a matter that should be considered unimportant. Special educators hold the lives of disabled children in their hands, and it is simply being deemed as “not a big deal”. This is not a subject that should be taken lightly.
These children rely on their teachers, and they are being pushed to the side with nowhere to turn.