Positive And Negative Aspects Of Special Education

Significant changes have taken place over the past century regarding the field of special education. Some changes include; how students with disabilities are perceived in American society, the instructional practices of educators, and implementing federal legislation which address the needs of students with disabilities in public schools. These issues have impacted special education in both positive and negative ways. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast important positive and negative changes in special education. In addition, implementing further measures of reform are likely to occur in the future. American society’s perception of individuals with disabilities has drastically changed within the past hundred years. Historically, students with disabilities were not treated fairly by society. Many people shared the believe that students with disabilities were incapable of being educated and were not allowed to attend public schools. This negative way of thinking gradually began to shift over time. Professional educational figures began showing concern about the welfare of students with disabilities. Samuel Gridley Howe and later Alexander Graham Bell both had voiced their concern about the effect of serving children in settings that allowed youngsters to associate only with peers with similar disabilities. They believed that this type of residential segregation tended to reinforce and exaggerate disabilities. While attending a meeting of the NationalShow MoreRelatedCareer in Special Education Essay1645 Words   |  7 PagesIn the profession of a special education teacher, a person commits to helping children achieve their best and to help â€Å"students overcome their obstacles† while finding a way that the child can effectively learn (Hollingsworth). 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