Abstract Since the introduction of PL-142 (Education of All Handicapped Children Act) in America, the Special Education system has received both praise and criticism. Special Education Programs are an essential component to our educational system. The current special education system has aided many people but improvements are desperately needed as rates of enrollment increase and the number of special education teachers decrease. This paper discusses the increase in the American special education population. It discusses the factors that have contributed to the increase, including the effect of PL-142 on the growth of the special education population, early identification of special needs, the additional conditions that qualify students for special education, the placement of low achieving students in special education programs, accountability reforms and pressure from parents. Other areas investigated are the disproportionate amount of minorities that are placed in special education programs and the disproportionate amount of males that are placed in special education. The paper includes a table.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Increases in the Special Education Population
The Effect of PL-142 on Increases in the Special Education Population
Early Identification of Special Needs
Conditions that Qualify Students for Special Education
Placement of Low Achieving Students in Special Education Programs
Education Reforms
Pressure from Parents
Disproportionate Amount of Minorities in Special Education Programs
Disproportionate Amount of Males in the Special Education Population
Results
Discussions
Recommendations
Conclusion
From the Paper "Horn and Tynan (2001) believe that the best way to educate this group is through direct instruction, individualized attention and feedback. They contend that these students learn best when they have access to classrooms that provide consistent instruction at a slow pace. The authors also assert that if teachers would teach these children effectively there would be a marked improvement in their performance. Horn and Tynan suggest that teachers should focus on figuring out the specific reading problem that a child may have so that they can aid the child in overcoming the problem. In addition, the authors suggest that children with attention deficit disorder should be taught not to rely on medication alone."
