The Special Education Profession

From my Factoidz page: Persons who desire to become special educators do so for numerous reasons. Whether making a decision to become a special educator as the initial step into the educational system, or move to special education from the ranks of general education, the teacher that chooses this field is best served knowing his or herself well, and be willing to commit to an increasingly challenging but rewarding profession. Experienced teachers may opt to leave the classroom for an administrative position and some advance to become Principals. Recent interviews of three special educators, two general education teachers and one elementary school principal were conducted. This was done in order to further understand what educational professionals think is necessary for a meaningful, worthwhile teaching and learning experience and how that relates to the teachers’ philosophy of education. The interviewed professional would be queried about why he or she first became a teacher and why continue in the profession today. Form more see: The Special Education Profession

Educating Children with Visual and Hearing Impairments

From my Factoidz page Special education teachers are charged with teaching a diverse group of learners. Some students come to the classroom with visual and or hearing impairments that impact not only the child’s developmental level, but his or her academic achievement. The educator must have a working knowledge of the types, degrees and causes of these impairments. Additionally, the teacher should be familiar with the legal definition and the definition as it relates to educational outcomes so that he or she can correctly select, plan and implement the Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Hearing Impairments

Humans are equipped to hear sounds by way of the intricate workings of the ear and the ability of the ears functional relationship with the brain. Heward (2010) describes the hearing process as the outer ear absorbs sound waves that travel through the tympanic membrane, more commonly known as the eardrum, transferring the energy of sound to the middle ear and entering the most complex part of the brain the cochlea. The cochlea is the main receptor organ for hearing and works with the semicircular canals which control our sense of balance (2010). The auditory nerve carries the sound as it has been transferred through this intricate system to the brain, where the information is process for response.

Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Support Plans

From my Factoidz's page: Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and behavior support plans (BSP) generated by the assessment are tools of practice within positive behavior support systems (PBS). Scott and Caron (2005) define PBS as a series of three level systems used in schools. The primary level focuses on the entire student body and the secondary level focuses on students who are not responding positively to the first level. The tertiary level finds the center of attention focused on a particular student and the sort of failures that typically result in school expulsion and or may persist over a lifetime (2005). Although FBA has been widely advocated for use at all school levels, to date FBA is more frequently used at the tertiary level. The components of a FBA and the BSP, and their importance will be discussed through a description of a situation in which a student would utilize both a FBA and a BSP.

FBA is a systematic method of gathering important information about a particular challenging behavior. For more information see: Functional Behavioral Assessment

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